Surrey earn stay of execution

MARK RAMPRAKASH’S third consecutive championship century at Edgbaston ensured a draw and kept alive Surrey’s hopes of avoiding relegation to the Second Division.

A defeat by Warwickshire would have effectively condemned Surrey but Ramprakash’s 126 helped set up a relegation decider with Middlesex at the Oval next week.

Surrey now know they need to win their fi nal game and take more bonus points than Middlesex to stay up. The calculations may have been simplifi but Surrey appear to have forgotten how to win.

They have now gone seven matches over almost three months without a victory. They have also had plenty of time to reflect on a potentially costly eight-point deduction for ball- tampering against Nottinghamshire in May.

The only concern for Surrey yesterday was to avoid defeat and they achieved that comfortably enough with Ramprakash batting sensibly and attractively for his sixth century against Warwickshire.

Surrey declared on 313 for five as soon as Ramprakash departed which gave them just enough time to improve their over-rate and avoid a half-point penalty.

Hampshire were dismissed for just 69 by David Harrison and Andrew Davies under the Sophia Gardens floodlights last night, as they lost to Glamorgan by 151 runs.

Glamorgan’s 220 for eight was built around Michael Powell ( 59) as Glamorgan confirmed their Totesport League First Division status for next season.

The Minor Counties Championship fi nal between Suffolk and Cheshire at Ipswich ended in a tame draw yesterday with the sides sharing the trophy. It is the fourth time in five years that there has been no overall winner of the competition. After conceding a first- innings lead of 53, Cheshire were eventually bowled out for 279 in their second innings and the draw was immediately agreed. Scoreboards: Sport 7