Other than a short break for rain, which resulted in Surrey’s target being revised downwards to 203 in 42 overs, the last day of the 2005 cricket season saw the Brit Oval drenched in early autumn sunshine. The 2,000-strong crowd no doubt approved of it as much as they did the news that Leicestershire had beaten Kent. Combined with the Lions’ easy victory over the Scottish Saltires, it meant that the Ovalites could move up one place to finish seventh in Division Two of the totesport League. It is worth recalling, however, that Surrey were favourites at the start of term. Never mind that, some will say, Alan Butcher has been in charge for two matches and overseen two wins. As we all saw eighteen months ago, the manner in which the Oval outfit end one season can often dictate how they begin the next.

On this occasion the Lions were guided to victory by the left-handed duo of Scott Newman and Mark Butcher, who put on an unbeaten 63 runs in ten overs for the third wicket. Newman, making his first National League appearance since mid-July, struck 80 in 81 deliveries, and Butcher contributed a pleasing 32 off 24 balls, which included the winning hit, past a diving Omer Hussain on the mid-wicket rope off Ross Lyons, mid-way through the 31st over.

Earlier, Scotland made a creditable 212 for nine, of which 74 came off the last eight overs, with Craig Wright and Hussain signing off with their highest scores of the season.

When the two sides met at Edinburgh back in May the Scots’ put on 47 for the first wicket. On this occasion they lost five of their number in reaching the same marker after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Tim Murtagh soon had the Saltires in trouble, capturing the wickets of Fraser Watts and Ryan Watson in the space of four balls. Six overs later the visitors were 32 for three in the tenth when Steven Knox attempted to repeat the maximum he had just taken off Murtagh, only to be caught in the deep at backward square leg.

Mohammad Akram then got in on the act by accounting for Ian Stanger, leg before, and Douglas Lockhart, who gave some catching practice to Butcher at first slip. Jade Dernbach’s first over brought the wicket of Colin Smith and at that stage it looked as if the match was heading for a 3.00pm finish.

But when the visitors’ total stood at 65 for six off twenty-one overs Nayan Doshi was introduced to the attack. Wright promptly drove Doshi’s fourth ball straight down the ground for six, which seemed to have the effect of giving the 20-year-old Hussain some newfound confidence. The seventh wicket pair put on 125 in twenty-four overs as Doshi and Benning struggled to hit the right length and Dernbach erred in line.

With seventeen coming off Doshi’s last over - in which he disappeared over the mid-wicket boundary off the blade of Hussain - the slow-left-armer finished with the less than flattering return of 9-0-51-0. Wright brought up his first half-century of the summer in 63 deliveries. Hussain reached his three overs later, by which time Murtagh had returned to the fold to less effect.

Wright, moving up through the gears, brought up the hundred partnership in the 40th over when he bisected Murtagh and Akram on the boundary at deep backward point off Rikki Clarke. Dernbach then pegged things back, however, with the wickets of Omer Hussain - for an 80-ball 52 - Paul Hoffman and Sean Weeraratna. That gave him career best figures of four for 36 and left Wright stranded on 88 not out off 85 balls.

Sadly, the Saltires’ attack were about as effective in containment as a one handed man replacing the lid of a jack in the box. James Benning and Jonathan Batty enjoyed a first wicket partnership of 56 in eight overs - in which Batty, on one knee, cover drove Weeraratna for six - before the Lesotho-born 19-year-old had Benning caught at mid-off.

The Lions’ wicketkeeper was then joined by Newman. Together they pillaged a further 85 in thirteen overs, though not before going to their half-centuries in successive deliveries. Batty’s came off the last ball of the 20th over, from 56 balls, and Newman drove Lyons forcefully to the boundary at long off to bring up his, in 44 deliveries, off the first ball of the 21st. From then on it was only a question of time before Surrey put the contest to bed.

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