A superb bowling performance from overseas import Azhar Mahmood, who took six for 37 – easily his best figures in limited-overs cricket for Surrey – set up the Lions’ third win of the season over Essex. It also extended the Oval outfit’s unbeaten one-day run to eleven matches, stretching back to last August.

The 28-year-old all-rounder, who joins the Pakistan squad for today’s match, coincidentally against Essex, at Chelmsford and for the rest of their short tour of England, signed off in some style with a devastating spell of five wickets in 16 balls that prompted the Eagles to collapse from 193 for four to 220 all out.

Having accounted for Andy Flower in the ninth over, when the former Zimbabwean gave a catch to gully after being squared up, Azhar was reintroduced in the 37th. His next victim was Darren Robinson – who made an assured 78 in 94 deliveries – bowled middle stump. Essex’s acting captain Paul Grayson then punched Mahmood low to short mid-wicket, after which Graham Napier succumbed to a full pitched delivery, as did Jon Dakin before Justin Bishop was beaten for pace by a ball directed at his off peg.

With rain making a token appearance, Rikki Clarke had James Middlebrook caught at mid-wicket to leave the home side well placed after winning the toss and electing to take the field.

Their reply did not get off to the best of starts with Ian Ward falling to a high catch at mid-on and Alistair Brown being bowled for eight to give Scott Brant his second victim in as many overs. But in came Graham Thorpe, who, as it turned out, could equally lay claim to the man-of-the-match tag had one been up for grabs.

The former England left-hander made an unbeaten 79 off 97 balls, including eight polished fours, to hold the innings together and follow the hundreds he made last week against Somerset in the C&G Trophy and Sussex in the County Championship.

The 33-year-old was supported along the way by Ramprakash, Clarke, Hollioake and Azhar, who all made encouraging starts without capitalising fully on some wayward fare from the Essex bowlers.

Mark Ramprakash hit a classy 38 in 44 deliveries, which included 4 fours and a huge six off the bowling of Brant, to whom he seemed to take a disliking. But after helping to add 72 in 47 minutes, the former Middlesex man miscalculated a sweep and was adjudged leg before to Bishop.

Rikki Clarke, who pulled Napier over straight mid-wicket for six, contributed 21 off 17 balls, but could not usher Thorpe to his half-century; falling to an lbw decision in the 24th over after he failed to connect with a ball from Dakin.

Moments later Graham Thorpe pushed Jon Dakin to mid-on to reach his fifty in 56 deliveries. Adam Hollioake then plundered 26 off 25 balls, including a on driven six off the bowling of Scott Brant. After Jonathan Batty departed for 0, Azhar Mahmood hit Graham Napier straight down the ground for a four and a six before holing out to a catch on the deep square-leg boundary.

That left Surrey requiring 24 off the last ten, which should have been a formality with Thorpe well set. But with Saqlain Mushtaq being allowed most of the strike the celebrations of the home supporters were delayed until, with 14 balls left, Saqlain clubbed Justin Bishop to the long-on boundary for four.

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