Surrey win again to move closer to title

Surrey’s surge to the Specsavers County Championship Division One title continued apace at Chelmsford with a 10-wicket win inside three days against defending champions Essex.

It was Surrey’s eighth win in a row - the first time they have done so since 1999, when they also claimed the title - to give them a 43-point advantage over Somerset with three games to play.

It leaves them on the verge of a first title in 16 years and it was Rikki Clarke (pictured), after his heroics on the second day, who bowled them to victory with four more wickets to finish with match figures of 8-75 to go with his halfcentury.

Starting the day having been made to follow on but at 13 without loss, Essex made a poor start as Varun Chopra’s went lbw to Tom Curran in the third over of the day.

Tom Westley scratched around for seven from 24 balls before he played an indeterminate shot to Curran and his off-stump went cartwheeling, before Dan Lawrence collected a pair of threes after he steered Clarke to Rory Burns at third slip.

Browne made a typically obdurate 21 when he edged Clarke to third slip.

Ryan ten Doeschate was the fifth to depart after a 26-run stand with Bopara, before the former England all-rounder teamed up with Michael Pepper for a sixth-wicket partnership of 53 to delay Surrey’s march.

Pepper went shortly after the break to Clarke, and Simon Harmer followed for a four-ball pair to Morne Morkel.

Bopara posted eight fours in a 76-ball fifty, but he was left stranded as Peter Siddle, Jamie Porter and Sam Cook all fell.

He was, however, able to put on 69 for the final two wickets to make Surrey bat again before finishing unbeaten on 81.

Surrey needed just two to win - and Burns got them two four balls into the reply.