Hamilton-Brown inspires Surrey victory

Surrey skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown hit 92 to lead his side to a thrilling two-wicket victory over Lancashire with one ball to spare in their Clydesdale Bank 40 opener. Lancashire had set Surrey a formidable target when Stephen Moore, playing in his first one-day game since joining them from Worcestershire, led them to a total of 290 for 6 with 118 off 96 balls.

Hamilton-Brown, who had never reached fifty in his 37 previous one-day games, responded by sharing a rousing opening partnership of 133 in only 15 overs with Steven Davies. Davies had made 59 off 43 balls with three sixes and seven fours when he played on heaving at Tom Smith but Hamilton-Brown, in his first one-day game as captain, kept Surrey on course in a second-wicket stand of 49 with Usman Afzaal.

Then Hamilton-Brown was caught at wide long off trying to hit the ball out of the ground for a fourth time and Surrey began to lose their way. Afzaal was bowled trying to run Sajid Mahmood to third man and Mark Ramprakash was caught low down in the gully.

A brief stoppage for rain, which meant that the target was revised to 283 off 39 overs added to the tension and Surrey reached the final over still needing five to win. Stewart Walters and Andre Nel scrambled three singles, Nel was run out trying to steal a single to the wicketkeeper and in fading light Iftikhar Anjum edged the penultimate ball from Mahmood for four to bring Hamilton-Brown leaping down the pavilion steps punching the air.

Surrey put Lancashire in and were rewarded when Nel had Paul Horton brilliantly caught in the gully in his first over but Moore and Tom Smith were soon taking advantage of the short boundaries at the school ground.

Smith helped Moore put on 63 for the second wicket and Ashwell Prince and Steven Croft joined him in successive stands of 89 in 15 overs and 87 in 11 overs before he tried to hit Iftikhar for his fourth sixth and was caught in front of the sightscreen. He also struck 14 fours.

Prince scored 48 off 46 balls, Croft 44 off 43 and Mark Chilton provided a sting in the tail by hitting three sixes and a four off the penultimate over from Stuart Meaker to lift Lancashire to their highest score against Surrey in limited-overs cricket.