CLYDESDALE BANK 40, Whitgift School:
Surrey 285-8 beat Lancashire 290-6 by two wickets (D/L) (Surrey 2pts)
Match scorecard

New Surrey skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown was born in St John's Wood

Rory Hamilton-Brown hit 92 to lead Surrey to a thrilling two-wicket win over Lancashire with a ball to spare in their Clydesdale Bank 40 opener.

Lancashire had set Surrey a formidable target thanks to opener Stephen Moore.

Playing in his first one-day game since signing from Worcestershire, Moore hit a one-day best 118 off 96 balls out of Lancashire's 290-6 at Whitgift School.

But, despite having never reached 50 in 37 previous one-day games, Hamilton-Brown helped Surrey home on 285-8.

Hamilton-Brown, up against a Lancashire team led by his old Sussex coach Peter Moores, shared a rousing opening partnership of 133 in only 15 overs with Steven Davies.

Davies, another of Worcestershire's winter departees, had made 59 off 43 balls with three sixes and seven fours when he played on heaving at Tom Smith.

But Hamilton-Brown, in his first one-day game as captain, kept Surrey on course in a second-wicket stand of 49 with Usman Afzaal.

Then Hamilton-Brown was caught at wide long off trying to hit the ball out of the ground for a fourth time and Surrey began to lose their way.

Afzaal was bowled trying to run Sajid Mahmood to third man and Mark Ramprakash was caught low down in the gully.

A brief stoppage for rain lost an over, meaning that the target was revised to 283 off 39. But that simply added to the tension as Surrey reached the final over still needing five to win.

Stewart Walters and Andre Nel scrambled three singles, Nel was run out trying to steal a single to the wicketkeeper and, in fading light, Iftikhar Anjum edged the penultimate ball from Mahmood for four to bring Hamilton-Brown leaping down the pavilion steps punching the air.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version