Yesterday, despite an inspired 152 off 110 balls from Darren Maddy, a confident Surrey side ran out 33-run victors over the one-man Leicestershire Foxes. The Brown Caps have now won three out of three in this summer's NatWest Pro40 League, which sees them and Gloucestershire go clear of the rest of the pack in Division Two, however this match will long be remembered for Maddy's heroics.

Setting off in pursuit of 276, Maddy, in alliance with Leicestershire's other Darren, Robinson, ensured the visitors had 106 on the board after just twelve overs. The former England batsman was in sublime form, requiring just thirty balls to reach his half-century, which included three sixes. The first was a pick-up out of the ground off Tim Murtagh, while the second and third came in Jade Dernbach's second over; which left the twenty-year-old seamer nursing figures of 2-0-40-0.

But after Darren Robinson departed to a good catch at backward point off Anil Kumble's fourth delivery, Maddy was provided with little if no support at the other end. HD Ackerman was bowled trying to lift Murtagh over mid-wicket and, in the 19th over, Paul Harrison was adjudged leg before to Kumble to make it 133 for three.

The deployment of Alistair Brown's occasional off-spin in tandem with Nayan Doshi's slow left-armers proved to be a turning point. In the 22nd over, Paul Nixon cracked Doshi straight to short mid-wicket. Jeremy Snape was lbw attempting to lap Brown and John Sadler, reverse sweeping, was stumped.

That left the Foxes needing 115 off 14 overs with four wickets in hand. Undeterred, Maddy went to his second one-day hundred of the summer, which included three sixes and twelve fours, in 82 deliveries. The 32-year-old clubbed two further maximums off Doshi, one into the members' pavilion in the 32nd over and the other over deep square leg in the 34th.

But when Henderson suffered a rush of blood and Walker and the Cummins both ran themselves out, Maddy could only sink to his knees in despair. Next ball, he stepped back, aimed to cut Doshi and was bowled, much to the relief of the home side.

Surrey's total was built around an explosive opening stand between Benning and Brown and a positive innings from their skipper Mark Butcher, who top-scored with an unbeaten 88 off 96 balls.

Abetted by the absence of Stuart Broad, who was rested, the Surrey openers teed things off by putting on 84 in less than ten overs.

Brown collected sixes off Adam Griffith and Ryan Cummins before falling leg before to Nick Walker for 43. Then, after Ramprakash looped catch off the glove to keeper, Benning enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Butcher that harvested a further 59 runs in six overs.

In the thirteenth over James Benning posted a 31-ball fifty and proceeded to pull Maddy behind square on the leg-side for six and lift Claude Henderson over long-on for his third maximum.

Two overs later, however, the 23-year-old perished attempting the same shot, but Mark Butcher went on to compile his highest one-day score this term, which included his full repertoire of off-side strokes as well as a pulled six off Henderson, which just evaded the twelfth man, Jim Allenby, who was posted at deep square leg.

With next weekend's Twenty20 Cup Finals Day in mind, the only real negative as far as the Brown Caps were concerned was the clobbering Dernbach received, which should only become a factor if Murtagh is unable to shake off the hamstring injury he picked up in the field during yesterday's contest.

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