Apart from Dominic Cork, who made the second fastest first-class century of the season so far, Friday the thirteenth proved to be a harrowing experience for the visitors to Whitgift School, Lancashire. If, like the film, the sequel at Old Trafford in a fortnight’s time sees the plot follow a similar course, it could be the Red Roses rather than the Ovalites who will be left contemplating life in Division Two of the County Championship.

After it seemed only Carl Hooper was capable of showing any real defiance, Cork struck his first hundred for Lancashire – and a whirlwind one at that. He reached three figures in 81 deliveries, just one less than the 80-ball ton by Essex’s André Adams against Leicestershire. It was also the former Derbyshire captain’s first first-class century for three years and the sixth of his career.

However, it could not disguise a polished performance by the home side, who, in completing a crushing victory with a day and a half to spare, move into the top three of the Division One table, albeit with less games to go. But the ‘runs on the board’ philosophy often prevails in cricket and one man who looked as if he had no doubts regarding Surrey’s status as a top-flight side was their coach, Steve Rixon, who said: “What pleased me most of all was the way our seam bowlers worked together and, most importantly, assessed the conditions a little better than the opposition.”

Martin Bicknell picked up the fiftieth Lancashire wicket of his championship career in the ninth over of the day when Jamie Haynes, pushing forward, was adjudged leg before by umpire Jeff Evans. Six balls later, Jimmy Ormond added Chris Schofield to the scalps of Sutcliffe and Mongia when the left-hander played inside a ball angled in from around the wicket.

Hooper’s response was to cut and pull Bicknell for boundaries in the following over, after which Lancashire’s acting skipper dropped anchor. An off-driven four in the 40th over, off the bowling of Azhar Mahmood, saw the West Indian reach his half-century in 98 delveries. But, next ball, some additional bounce from Azhar presented Jonathan Batty with an easy catch.

The impression that Lancashire had accepted their fate was underlined when Glen Chapple was run out by a direct hit from the deep square leg boundary after failing to ratify a routine single. That left the visitors reeling at 113 for seven, needing another 202 to avoid being turned over by an innings.

But after Kyle Hogg punched Azhar to extra cover off the back foot, a 75-run partnership in just nine overs between Cork and Mahmood – the best for the ninth wicket against Surrey this summer – added some respectability to the visitors’ performance.

Dominic Cork, who was the last man out for 109 off 92 balls, hit 10 fours and seven sixes – four of which were off the slow left-arm of Nayan Doshi, who showed great character to keep going in the face of Cork’s onslaught and was rewarded with a couple of wickets.

Surrey wrapped up their first innings victory over Lancashire since 1988 just before an Old Trafford-like downpour descended on the tree-lined school ground. If the sequel is to have a different plot, the concern is that the weather in Manchester in early September could well play its part.

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