It has not been a good week for the defending champions, who did not have it in them to finish off Leicestershire, despite making the Foxes follow-on 335 runs behind, and yesterday confirmed what was evident by Thursday afternoon – that they were second best to a refocused Lancashire side.

Surrey are not accustomed to losing. Indeed this defeat was only their fourth in all competitions this season and, in championship terms, their fourth in 55 matches. But this represents one of their heaviest losses for ages. The Oval outfit have not succumbed by eight or more wickets since May 1997, although they have incurred a couple of innings defeats since then (by coincidence, both were to the two sides that have caused Surrey a few restless nights in the last seven days).

Perhaps it is a bit early for inquests, but whereas bonus points can make the difference between remaining in Division One and being relegated from it, the champion county is very often the team that ends up winning the most matches. On this basis if Surrey are going to retain the title they need victories in each of their two remaining games and for Sussex to go on a barren run of three.

One of the key concerns for Keith Medlycott has to be the form of Saqlain Mushtaq, who has now gone two whole matches without taking a wicket. Not that long ago ‘Saqi’ was sparking second innings collapses and contributing well with the bat. In this match that mantle was assumed in the opposition’s ranks by Gary Keedy. Surrey needed to bat for as long as possible yesterday morning and hope that the forecasted arrival of rain would be their saviour, but when Saqlain drilled the third ball of the day to cover the Pakistani’s sense of hopelessness was evident from his bodily language as he trudged off at a snail’s pace.

Why is it that the wily off-spinner is unable to cast his spell these days? Has it occurred to anyone that he has not had his favoured close catchers lurking under the batsman’s nose? Adam Hollioake has been off the field with a virus in the last two matches and Nadeem Shahid now has the role of making runs for fun in the seconds.

With a strike rate that is six balls per wicket ahead of Saqlain’s, it is somewhat surprising that Ian Salisbury has not been used more. Though far from being a form horse himself – Salisbury has only taken ten wickets in the last three games at an average of 28.80 – perhaps it is time Medlycott and Hollioake started to find him a bigger part to play.

Although Martin Bicknell is thought of mainly as a seamer, when Surrey were in trouble at Chelmsford and at Hove, he was instrumental in their recovery. Not having Bicknell at Leicester, Old Trafford and, it would seem, Canterbury is a loss the Oval outfit can ill afford at such a critical stage of the campaign.

That puts added pressure on the broad shoulders of Jimmy Ormond who, like Saqlain, has also gone of the boil recently. Carrying a knee injury can hardly have helped, but the 26-year-old’s last twenty-one championship wickets have come at a cost of 42.33 runs apiece.

No criticism whatever can be levelled at Jonathan Batty, who has not let Surrey down with the bat this summer and could even be an outside bet for Player of the Season. His duck in the second innings was his first in this year’s championship and only his fourth score in single figures.

Although lacking form, Alistair Brown is a player whose fluency is restricted by being on the fringes of team selection. However, since being dropped at Lord’s he has averaged 38.60 in four championship outings, which actually compares favourably with Adam Hollioake’s record of 42 runs in his last five innings, or, indeed, that of Ian Ward, who has averaged just 24.82 since the pilgrimage to North London.

The only thing that Mark Ramprakash has done wrong is to get in the way of a pull from Brad Hodge. Assuming he is fit to play in Surrey’s last two matches, the former Middlesex man will be looking forward to making up for some slightly indifferent championship performances against Essex and Kent earlier in the season. But without the services of Graham Thorpe, the formbook would suggest that Ramprakash will be short of dependable allies, certainly against the mystery of Muttiah Muralitharan.

On the basis that form is temporary and class in permanent, there is still a chance that Surrey can hold on to their crown – but even they would admit it will be tough.

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