Not for the first time, Michael Yardy proved to be a thorn in Surrey's side. When the Sussex captain strode to the crease, shortly before lunch on the final day at Guildford, the visitors were just seven runs in front with six second innings wickets intact. But after sharing in stands of 108 and 73 with Ben Brown and Yasir Arafat, Yardy shook hands having made 100 not out from 157 balls, his highest championship score of the season.

Resuming on 39-2, Sussex lost Mike Thornely to the first ball of the day, which caught the shoulder of the bat and looped to Mark Ramprakash, who was stationed at gully. Two overs later, Chris Tremlett nearly followed it up with the wicket of Murray Goodwin, who tendered a hard chance to Matthew Spriegel at third slip before the Zimbabwean, who came in on a pair, had managed to get off the mark.

In the 19th over, Ed Joyce took the visitors past fifty by angling Tremlett down to the fine leg boundary. Five overs later, the former England left-hander carved Stuart Meaker past backward point for four. Goodwin then middled a couple of cut shots, one off Dernbach and the second off Meaker. In the 31st over, Dernbach had to leave the field after falling heavily in his delivery stride, but, happily, returned to the fray shortly afterwards.

Four overs later, Joyce, sweeping, was bowled around his legs by Gareth Batty for a watchful 40. Surrey could have been forgiven for sensing victory when Goodwin also departed just before lunch; Meaker, who bowled as impressively as he had done the night before, getting his reward when Goodwin dug out a yorker only to turn round and see the ball roll on to his stumps.

But by the time Yardy and Brown had put on 108 in 32 overs for the sixth wicket, Sussex were well on their way to securing a draw. Shortly after lunch, Yardy pulled Batty for four. Three overs later, Brown collected two successive off-side boundaries off Tremlett. The 52nd over saw Yardy edge Meaker past backward point for four before pulling the 23-year-old to the rope at mid-wicket.

Yardy pulled Spriegel out of the ground and, four overs later, followed up a cut four off Tom Lancefield with his fifty, which came off 88 balls and included a six and seven fours. In the 69th over, Brown reached his half-century - which also came from 88 deliveries - though not before he had driven Rory Hamilton-Brown to the rope at deep extra cover.

The re-introduction of Meaker at the Railway End produced the wicket of Brown who, driving, was caught behind for 52. But when the 21-year-old wicketkeeper walked off, his side had a firm 127-run advantage.

After tea, Yardy, in harness with Arafat, safely saw off the threat of the second new ball, which the home side took as soon as it became available. The Sussex captain brought up his 15th first-class century - and his third against the Oval outfit - by hooking Meaker for six.

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