By Ben Horne
April 27 2004

An appalling display by Surrey gifted Middlesex victory, which ended a seven-year drought without a victory against their rivals. Surrey only managed to take four wickets as Middlesex reached their target of 297 with ease. After a poor second innings display from Surrey, Middlesex required only 297 for victory. Openers Sven Koenig and Ben Hutton put on a massive 114 stand for the first wicket. However in the last over before lunch, Koenig fell for 62 when Hollioake caught him at short leg, with Saqlain the bowler. Shah then joined Hutton at the crease and together they put no 108. Things could have been better for Surrey if Ali Brown did not drop Hutton on 60 at slip with Ormond the unlikely bowler. Then in the last over before tea, Shah fell for 65 when this time Brown managed to hold on to a catch, with Saqlain again the bowler. Surrey could not build on this advantage and Middlesex completed an easy victory just after tea. Saqlain was able to pick up two more wickets as he removed Hutton for 88 and Joyce for 47. This was Middlesex’s first victory for seven years against Surrey.

Middlesex 1st innings

Koenig lbw b Azhar 1
Hutton b Salisbury 78
Shah c J Batty b Azhar 93
Hutchison b Azhar 2
Joyce b Salisbury 2
Weeks lbw b Azhar 7
Dalrymple lbw b Ormond 0
Nash c Newman b Saqlain 26
Cook c Benning b Saqlain 21
Keegan c Newman b Saqlain 5
Hayward not out 5

Extras 39

Total (all out, 82.5 overs) 325

Surrey 2nd innings:

Newman c Cook b Hayward 18
J Batty c Keegan b Hayward 0
Ramprakash c Nash b Keegan 68
Benning lbw b Keegan 12
Brown c Weeks b Hutchison 4
Hollioake run out 4
Azhar Mahmood c Hutchison b Weeks 70
Salisbury c Nash b Keegan 13
Saqlain Mushtaq c Shah b Hayward 1
Ormond not out 1
Murtagh b Hayward 0

Extras 12

Total (all out, 54 overs) 203

Middlesex 2nd innings

Koenig c Hollioake b Saqlain
Hutton c J Batty b Saqlain 88
Shah c Brown b Saqlain 65
Joyce c and b Saqlain 47
Nash not out 9
Weeks not out 3

Extras 26

Total (for 4 wickets, 82.4 overs) 300

Result = Middlesex win by 6 wickets