Brit Oval 11 June: Essex (127-3) beat Surrey (126-9) by 7 wickets
For the first time since the inception of the Twenty20 Cup, Surrey failed to get their campaign off to a winning start. The Brown Caps were left somewhat dazed when they lost Scott Newman, James Benning and Mark Ramprakash, all for one. But from being 10-3 in the third over, Alistair Brown and Usman Afzaal lifted the home side's spirits with a fourth wicket stand of 59 in eight overs. Afzaal launched James Middlebrook over straight mid-wicket for six in the eighth over and two overs later deposited the 31-year-old off-spinner over long-on and into the Bedser Stand. However, the introduction of Danish Kaneira prompted the departure of Afzaal in the 11th over and Brown, who was bowled looking to slog sweep, two overs later. Thereafter, other than when Jonathan Batty was able to get on strike, Surrey seemed clueless, particularly against Ravi Bopara who picked up the wicket of Chris Lewis. Needing to score at a tad over a run a ball, the Eagles lost Varun Chopra in the third over of their reply, but then assumed control thanks to a partnership of 82 in seven overs between Mark Pettini and Bopara. Pettini collected sixes in four consecutive overs; the fourth of which, a pick up shot off Lewis in the ninth over, brought up the Essex skipper's half-century, which came off just 26 deliveries. Two balls later Pettini repeated the dose to leave the veteran all-rounder nursing figures of 2-0-29-0. Matthew Spriegel bowled impressively on his Twenty20 debut, picking up the wicket of Bopara, who was caught at long-on, for the cost of just nine runs off three overs, but the visitors coasted home with a massive 30 balls to spare.

Brit Oval 13 June: Kent (181-5) beat Surrey (168-7) by 13 runs
It would have been hard job naming Kent's man of the match, but, as well as Azhar Mahmood and Ryan McLaren bowled, the tone for the Spitfires' 13-run victory was set right from the off by Joe Denly's superb 52 in 33 deliveries. The 22-year-old's timing dominated an opening stand of 80 in less than nine overs with Rob Key, who played second fiddle to Denly and then Justin Kemp while, at the same time, compiling 42 at more than a run a ball. Denly launched Matthew Spriegel for two straight sixes before being caught on the straight boundary off Abdul Razzaq. Kemp went one better with three maximums, two of which came off Usman Afzaal. With Darren Stevens adding the finishing touches by backing away to Jade Dernbach three times in the 20th over to hit two fours and a six, Surrey were always likely to struggle. Scott Newman made 48, but the majority of his colleagues all managed to get out after seemingly doing the hard work of playing themselves in. James Benning took three fours off the first over, but lost his leg stump when McLaren was introduced in the fifth. In the sixth over, Mark Ramprakash lifted Simon Cook for six and, two overs later, Newman pulled him over straight mid-wicket, but the hosts had the rug pulled from beneath them by McLaren, who accounted for Ramprakash in the ninth over and Alistair Brown in the eleventh. With Newman and Razzaq holing out to long-off in successive overs the home side went into the final seven needing another 72 with five wickets in hand. They only got close thanks to Spriegel's sweetly timed six over mid-wicket off the first ball of the last over.

Brit Oval 15 June: Surrey (142-5) beat Sussex (141-5) by 5 wickets
On Father's Day 2008, Surrey recorded their first win of the season in all competitions. But with four overs to go and 36 needed the eventual outcome looked an impossibility. At the end of the 17th over, however, the target had been trimmed to just eight off three thanks to a display of clean hitting from Abdul Razzaq that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it. The first ball of the decisive over, which was bowled by Robin Martin-Jenkins, was pulled for four. The next was swung low to the long-on boundary. The third ball was hit straight down the ground for four and the fourth was slapped to the rope at long-off. Having struck four successive fours, Razzaq then freed his arms to end the over by clearing long-off and then long-on. It was whirlwind stuff. From there the Brown Caps coasted home with Razzaq making an unbeaten 39 off twenty balls. Earlier, the Sussex openers, Chris Nash and Matt Prior, put on 62 in a little over six overs for the first wicket, after having been inserted by Surrey. Nash struck seven fours and a six, which came in the fifth over when the 25-year-old lifted Pedro Collins over backward square leg. With the exception of Nash, the Sharks' main failing was their inability to find the boundary as Matthew Spriegel and Usman Afzaal's part-time spin went for just four an over. Needing to defend 141 the visitors then proceeded to bowl five wides in the first three overs of the Brown Caps' reply, which looked in danger of petering out until Razzaq turned the game on its head.

Lord's 16 June: Middlesex (144-5) beat Surrey (141-7) by 5 wickets
Surrey could not stop Middlesex maintaining their unbeaten record in this year's Twenty20 Cup. Nevertheless, had it not been for a fifth wicket stand of 57 in eight overs between Ed Joyce and Dawid Malan, the Crusaders would not have won with the comfort of an over to spare. After being put in on a well-grassed surface, James Benning had to work hard for his seventh half-century in the Twenty20 Cup, which he only reached off the penultimate ball of the innings. Chris Jordan, promoted to number three, made an eye-catching 31 in 26 deliveries. His alliance with Benning, worth 60 in eight overs, gave the visitors a base from which their recognised big-hitters had licence. But the anticipated climax to the visitors' innings never materialised. Usman Afzaal was caught at extra cover, Abdul Razzaq holed out to long-off and Alistair Brown, who, unbelievably survived a run out at the bowler's end, when Murali Kartik chose to thrown down the stumps rather than whip off the bails, hit the only six of the innings before he too perished at long-off off the bowling of Tim Murtagh. Yet, when Pedro Collins and Jade Dernbach claimed the scalps of the Crusaders' openers it was Surrey who appeared to be in the driving seat. But from being 7-2, sixes came in each of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh overs as Middlesex raced to sixty; though not before losing Eoin Morgan to a superb catch by Brown in Razzaq's first over. The home side needed 64 runs off the last eight, but with Joyce and Malan making room and working the ball behind square on the off-side, the target was down to a routine 18 off three shortly after the acting Middlesex captain gave his opposite number a catch at extra cover off Razzaq, who claimed 3-30.

Brit Oval 18 June: Hampshire (177-6) beat Surrey (175-6) by 4 wickets
Having posted their highest total in the Twenty20 Cup for ten matches, Surrey lost to Hampshire for only the second time in six 20-over meetings. For the Brown Caps it all came down to three disastrous overs with the ball. The third over of the Hawks' reply, bowled by Chris Jordan, went for 20, including a pick-up over square leg by Michael Lumb. Twenty-two, including a six over long-on off a free-hit by Sean Ervine, came off the eleventh over, which was delivered by Pedro Collins. Having accounted for Michael Carberry and Nic Pothas in the space of three balls in the 14th over, Chris Schofield conceded eighteen runs off his next over, the 16th, in which Greg Lamb slog swept the former England leg-spinner for a maximum. That left the visitors needing just 15 runs in three overs, which they knocked off in two. Earlier, after Alistair Brown had edged Nante Hayward to slip in the opening over of the match, Scott Newman got the home side going with two successive fours off the South African before being cleaned up in the fourth over by Billy Taylor. Following a short but sweet innings from Usman Afzaal, Mark Ramprakash and Abdul Razzaq combined to put on 90 in just eight overs. Their fourth wicket partnership included five sixes. The first came when Razzaq launched Hamza Riazuddin over long-on in the fifteenth over. In the next, Ramprakash lifted Lamb over mid-off's head for six to bring up a 39-ball half-century. In the 17th over, which was bowled by Hayward, Razzaq found the press box window as well as the middle tier of the OCS Stand. Ramprakash then deposited the veteran of sixteen Tests into Harleyford Road before being caught and bowled.

Chelmsford 20 June: Essex (164-9) beat Surrey (94) by 70 runs
Surrey's first Twenty20 Cup match under lights in 2008 proved to be a one-sided affair, which culminated in the Brown Caps being dismissed for their lowest ever total in the competition's history. Mark Ramprakash won his fifth toss out of six and after electing to insert his hosts Surrey made a promising start. Jade Dernbach had Mark Pettini caught at mid-off in the fifth over. Jason Gallian departed four overs later, caught at deep backward square leg off Abdul Razzaq. With Graham Napier looking to attack Chris Schofield's first delivery and Grant Flower losing his middle stump to Chris Jordan the home side were 74-4 at the end of the 13th over. But then James Foster and Ryan ten Doeschate went on the rampage - their whirlwind fifth wicket stand of 64 off 28 balls helping Essex to post their highest total to that point in the tournament. Even with three wickets falling in the final over of the Eagles' innings, the momentum was firmly with the home side going into the Oval outfit's reply; a fact that was immediately underlined when Newman was trapped LBW first ball. In the third over, Ramprakash clipped Napier through straight mid-wicket for four and drove the 28-year-old's very next delivery straight down the ground for another boundary. Alistair Brown swung David Masters over square leg for six, but Napier struck again when Ramprakash was harshly adjudged to be leg before. Three overs later, Brown launched Maurice Chambers over extra cover, but from being 53-2 in the ninth over, the visitors collapsed to 94 all out. Danish Kaneria, who finished with the amazing figures of 3-0-5-2, picked up the vital wickets of Brown and Razzaq, both of whom holed out. It was left to the Eagles' man-of-the-match, ten Doeschate, to add the icing.

Hove 22 June: Sussex (165-4) beat Surrey (164-8) by 6 wickets
Any lingering hopes Surrey might have had of reaching the last eight of the 2008 Twenty20 Cup were extinguished by Sussex. As was the case at Chelmsford, everything was going according to plan until the thirteenth over. But then the Brown Caps suddenly found runs hard to come by and, from being 119-3 on a flat pitch, they collected just 45 off their last seven overs. Needing 165 to win, the Sharks lost Chris Nash and Chris Adams in each of Jade Dernbach's first two overs. Nash edged behind for a second ball duck and in the third over Gary Wilson, deputising for the rested Jonathan Batty, was on the end of Adams's skied pull. But with Murray Goodwin, who hit an unbeaten 79 off 46 balls, and Matt Prior combining to put on 117 in 12 overs for the third wicket - the best stand for any wicket against Surrey in the history of the Twenty20 Cup - Sussex cruised home with 16 balls to spare to keep alive their own hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. Earlier, Alistair Brown helped his side overcome the early loss of Scott Newman by teeing off in style. The 38-year-old bludgeoned 51 in just 21 deliveries before losing his middle stump to Dwayne Smith in the ninth over. Brown's alliance with Mark Ramprakash brought 84 runs in eight overs for the second wicket. But after Ramprakash was run out by a direct hit from Robin Martin-Jenkins in the 11th over the visitors lost their way. Apart from Usman Afzaal, who made a breezy 38 and was going well until he was struck on the hand by a beamer from Smith, the Brown Caps lower order failed to do justice to themselves with the bat.

Rose Bowl 23 June: Hampshire (151-4) beat Surrey (147-7) by 6 wickets
Surrey's disappointing run in the Twenty20 Cup continued against Hampshire. Once again, the Brown Caps got off to a promising start, only to then lose their way. Michael Lumb and Ian Harvey, answered the visitors' 147-7 with a first wicket partnership of 80 in ten overs that left the home side needing just over a run a ball to lay claim to victory. Lumb, who made an impressive 45 when the two sides met at the Oval, played with even greater aplomb on this occasion. His 65 came off just 45 balls and included two sixes. The former Yorkshireman's first maximum arrived in Jade Dernbach's first over, which cost 21 runs and included a no-ball that came about because Pedro Collins was considered to be outside the close catching circle. Harvey's entertaining 34 contained six boundaries, including two in the fourth over, bowled by Abdul Razzaq. The Australian all-rounder was the first to perish when Matthew Spriegel held on to a low tracer bullet of a return catch. With Lumb being caught behind off Chris Schofield in the 15th over, Michael Brown losing his off stump to Dernbach in the sixteenth and Sean Ervine being caught at extra cover by Jason Roy in the 17th over, Surrey managed take the game to the penultimate over, but the eventual outcome was never seriously in doubt. Earlier, the Brown Caps were gifted a good start by Scott Newman and Alistair Brown, who put on 52 in seven overs for the first wicket. Ramprakash helped Newman maintain the momentum, but when he cracked a ball from Nante Hayward for what appeared to be another maximum, Lumb pouched a good catch inches inside the rope at square leg. Usman Afzaal collected two fours off Greg Lamb's solitary over of spin, but thereafter it was an all too familiar story.

Canterbury 25 June: Surrey (166-7) beat Kent (160-9) by 6 runs
Surrey suggested that they might still have a say in terms of who went forward from the ultra-competitive South Division. The Brown Caps' dramatic six-run victory - only their second success of the 2008 campaign - left the defending champions needing to win at Hove two days later to be sure of remaining in the competition. Requiring fourteen runs off the final over with three wickets in hand, the Spitfires were shot down by brilliant catches from two young guns, Chris Murtagh and twelfth man Jason Roy. Roy's catch at deep mid-wicket to dismiss Ryan McLaren off the penultimate ball was the champagne moment on a sultry evening at the St Lawrence ground. Azhar Mahmood's pugnacious 55 off 31 balls was another highlight, but the party atmosphere was soured somewhat when the former Surrey man had a contretemps with Jade Dernbach. When Mahmood came the crease in the tenth over of Kent's reply, his side were 55-5 needing another 112 for victory. His partner, Yasir Arafat, was dropped twice in one over from Matthew Spriegel and it looked as though the visitors were going to pay the price when the Pakistan duo added 68 in six overs for the sixth wicket. Abdul Razzaq, who earlier top-scored for the Brown Caps with 39 off 33 balls, eventually had Arafat trapped leg before. In the 17th over Mahmood picked Dernbach up over square leg for six, but with Spriegel going for just seven runs it was advantage Surrey with the hosts wanting 25 off the last two. With both of his eyes on the short leg-side boundary, Geraint Jones lost his off stump to James Ormond, which left the final say to either Mahmood or Razzaq. The latter rose to the occasion, although in collecting figures of 4-17, he was indebted to Murtagh and Roy's capacity to remain cool under pressure.

Brit Oval 27 June: Middlesex (140-3) beat Surrey (139-8) by 7 wickets
With Alistair Brown missing, having taken a blow on the arm from a full-blooded drive by Scott Newman against Kent, Mark Ramprakash promoted himself to the top of Surrey's batting order with regrettable results. The stand-in skipper struggled for fifteen deliveries before perishing at deep backward square leg off Steve Finn, though not before the loss of Newman, who was bowled looking to pull Tim Murtagh. With Chris Murtagh being run out by a direct hit from backward point before he could square up to his older brother and Abdul Razzaq giving David Burton a return catch the Brown Caps were 38-4 in the seventh over. Usman Afzaal and Jonathan Batty steadied the Surrey ship, but had it not been for 27 runs coming off the 17th over, bowled by Dawid Malan, which included straight sixes by Batty and Chris Schofield, the visitors might have been left to chase less than a run a ball for victory. In reply, Middlesex began tentatively. Billy Godleman was dropped at slip off Jade Dernbach in the third over, but departed three overs later to a leading edge off Razzaq. That brought Tyron Henderson to the crease and in the next over the 33-year-old South African put his side back in the driving seat by twice launching Schofield for maximums. With Dan Housego being pinned on the crease by Afzaal and Henderson holing out to long-on, it was left to Eoin Morgan and Ben Scott to see the Crusaders home with nine balls to spare. The fourth wicket pair put on an unbeaten 70 in nine overs and victory was sealed when Morgan swept Dernbach for six. The result meant that Middlesex topped the South Division, whereas Surrey were left holding the wooden spoon.

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