SCHOFIELD HOLDS HIS NERVE TO SEAL THIRD WIN by Marcus Hook
Glamorgan Dragons 223-8 (40 Overs) v Surrey Lions 227-8 (38.4 Overs). Surrey Lions win by 2 wickets.

The Surrey Lions had Chris Schofield to thank for maintaining their unbeaten start to this summer's Clydesdale Bank 40League. When the former England leg-spinner came to the crease in the 23rd over of the visitors' reply, the Lions still needed 104 runs for victory with five wickets remaining. But with Schofield sharing in partnerships of 53 and 33 alongside Gareth Batty and then Chris Tremlett, Surrey's win over Glamorgan under lights, which was sealed with eight balls to spare, was made to look relatively easy.

Once again, Rory Hamilton-Brown got his side's innings off to a positive start. In the first over he despatched Huw Waters through extra cover for four and in the next drove Will Owen to the cover point rope off the back foot. In the third over, however, the Lions' skipper chipped Waters to mid-on, though not before hitting the ball straight back past the bowler for four.

Mark Ramprakash came out to join Stewart Walters. Ramprakash announced himself by going down on one knee and smearing Owen to the cover point boundary. Walters took Surrey past fifty in the ninth over by cutting David Brown through the off-side, in front of square for four. But, moments later, the 26-year-old fell leg before wicket for 18.

In the absence of Steven Davies, who was at Derby representing the England Lions, it seemed crucial from the visitors' perspective that Ramprakash and Usman Afzaal forged a strong alliance for the third wicket. In the 13th over Ramprakash cut Brown for four. Later in the same over, Afzaal, who made a cautious start, came to life by punching a free-hit straight down the ground for six.

But with Afzaal departing in the 16th over, flashing at Owen to be caught at slip, and Ramprakash being caught behind off a gloved pull six overs later, the chances of a Lions' victory looked slim; a view confirmed when Gary Wilson was run out in the 23rd over and Matthew Spriegel was stumped off Dean Cosker in the 26th.

With Surrey needing 90 off the last twelve overs, they suffered yet another set back when Batty pulled a hamstring taking a quick single to short fine leg. But later in the same over, Batty - batting with Walters as his runner - pulled Chris Ashling for a maximum. Two overs later, Schofield pulled Ashling off the front foot for six before pulling him off the back foot for four.

In the 33rd over, having helped Schofield put on 53 runs in seven overs, Batty was caught by Tom Maynard coming in off the rope at long-off. But, thanks to Tremlett, Schofield was able to maintain the momentum. The 31-year-old progressed to a 47-ball half century with some decisive shots through the off-side before seeing his side home with a cover driven four off Ashling in the penultimate over.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Glamorgan raced to 65 without loss in ten overs. In the fifth over, Mark Cosgrove launched Andre Nel over long-off for six. In the twelfth the portly Australian brought up his fourth successive fifty in the competition, off 46 deliveries.

But the Dragons then proceeded to lose their way. Jim Allenby, who should have been stumped off the bowling of Spriegel in the eleventh over, departed in the 13th when he top-edged a slog-sweep to short third man. Two overs later Schofield struck again when he lured Dalrymple forward.

Cosgrove, clearly troubled by the injury to his right shoulder, gave it away in the 18th over. Five overs later, Ben Wright holed out to long-on and in the 28th over Mark Wallace became Wilson's second stumping victim.

At the end of the 29th over Glamorgan had only mustered 152-5, but then Maynard helped the hosts regain some of the initiative. In the 31st over, he pulled Schofield for six before moving to his half-century, which he brought up three overs later at exactly a run a ball.

Brown's frustration got the better of him in the 35th over, when he was caught at mid-off. Later in the same over Maynard lifted Nel over the rope at extra cover for a maximum. But Nel had the last laugh when the 21-year-old mistimed a pull to Ramprakash at mid-on two overs later.

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