Surrey were made to wait until four minutes before lunch on the final day to wrap up their sixth championship win of the season. But, following a polished performance against Northamptonshire, they must have left Wantage Road with a highly satisfying taste in their mouths in every sense.

Lance Klusener and Ben Phillips offered some resistance, but the home side were never likely to last for three sessions with four wickets left.

Resuming on 97 for six, both batsmen were beaten in the flight in Ian Salisbury's first over of the day. Phillips then hit a four to backward square leg off the leg-spinner, before nearly running himself out in Nayan Doshi's next over. Klusener decided to take Doshi on, hitting the slow left-armer over mid-on to move his score to 49 and taking another boundary off the Doshi to bring up his half-century off 65 balls in the 27th over of the innings.

Operating round the wicket to the South African all-rounder, Salisbury was clipped past Rikki Clarke at leg slip to the fine leg boundary. However, when the 37-year-old spinner tossed one up, Klusener got a leading edge to slip, where Azhar Mahmood held on to a wonderful reflex catch.

Phillips continued to play his shots. He took three fours off what proved to be Doshi's last over. That led to spin being replaced by seam at the Abingdon Road End. The switch had an immediate impact when Matt Nicholson became the tenth Northants batsman to be given out leg before in the match. Being accounted for by Mohammad Akram, the tall Australian recorded a 14-ball pair.

In Akram's next over Phillips, on 27, offered a half chance to Scott Newman at short leg, but survived to hit successive fours off the former Pakistan international to post the 150. Eight overs later the 31-year-old reached his second fifty of the season in 64 deliveries by despatching Clarke to the fence at extra cover. To his very next ball, however, Phillips pushed forward to the Surrey vice-captain and was caught behind.

Charl Pietersen, who made an unbeaten 39 off 58 balls and the hosts' number eleven, Jason Brown kept Surrey waiting for eight further overs, whereupon Brown went to sweep Salisbury and was bowled.

Ian Salisbury has now picked up 41 wickets this season at an average of 23.65 - his best first-class return for six years. With Anil Kumble arriving at Heathrow today, it looks as if the former England leg-spinner is more likely to become Kumble's preferred partner over what remains of the season.

Looking ahead to the role he has in mind for the Indian Test star, the Brown Caps' coach, Alan Butcher was quoted as saying: "Anil is a world-class spinner with a great deal of international and first class experience. His ability, character and professionalism will be a great addition to the dressing room, as we push for promotion into Division One."

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