Rain ruined what little chance existed of Surrey and Somerset achieving a result at Guildford on the fourth and final day of their Liverpool Victoria County Championship clash. That did not stop more records falling, though. Surrey posted 717, the third highest total in their history and their best for 97 years. In addition, Rikki Clarke hit a career best 214, which the 24-year-old all-rounder will no doubt hope catches the attention of the England selectors, with Andrew Flintoff's ankle injury taking a turn for the worse.

Clarke went past his previous best of 165, made against Leicestershire earlier this season, in the first over of the day with a gentle single to the man on the mid-wicket boundary off Cameron White. Surrey's vice captain brought up his side's 650 with a fortuitous cut over the slips, but his pulled four off Charl Willoughby next ball had quality stamped all over it.

Clarke angled Willoughby down to the third man boundary to reach the first double-century of his career in 245 deliveries, with 29 fours and two sixes. He then cut Arul Suppiah fine to for four give his side a nominal first innings lead.

Ian Salisbury, who survived a chance to extra cover off White, when 35, got in on the act by lifting Suppiah over long-on for six. Salisbury then drove the slow left-armer straight down the ground for four to reach his first fifty of the summer, which came off 100 balls.

But, in the space of sixteen deliveries, 708 for six became 717 all out with all four wickets falling to lbw decisions.

Clarke was the first to go, trapped in front to a slower ball from Peter Trego. He finished with 214 off 258 balls, including 30 fours and three sixes, which takes his first-class tally for the season to 981 runs at an average of 57.70.

Salisbury and Neil Saker were out in identical fashion, attempting to sweep White, and Trego drew a line under the Brown Caps huge total when he had Mohammad Akram playing around his front pad.

Cameron White finished with figures of five for 148, the second five-wicket haul of the 22-year-old's career.

Shortly after the conclusion of Surrey's innings the heavens opened and following two further brief, but torrential downpours the match was abandoned as a record-filled draw at 3.30pm.

HIGHEST TOTALS IN SURREY HISTORY

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