Ramprakash makes sure of Surrey's first Championship win of the season

Mark Ramprakash, in magnificent form, took Surrey to their first CricInfo Championship victory of the season as he led the way during the second session on the final day, chasing a target of 209.

During those two most entertaining hours play, while he was at the crease, the London side thrashed Somerset's bowling, hitting 143 runs with Mark Ramprakash at his best. He came in at the start of the session and was out in the penultimate over before tea, which was taken on 184 for four with Surrey only 25 runs away from victory.

Ramprakash fell just ten short of what would have been his second century of the match. Had he achieved it, it would have been the fifth time in his career, having completed the feat on four occasions for his previous county Middlesex.

It had been a wonderfully aggressive knock, he hit fourteen boundaries and a six from the 99 balls that he had faced. After putting on 65 with Mark Butcher for the second wicket, he added 60 for the next with Nadeem Shahid.

He brought up the 50 in confident fashion, with a straight six off left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell and later got to his own 50 with a stylish cover drive for four. With dark clouds threatening at that stage, he scored quickly, at the rate of a-run-a-ball. It was a marvellous exhibition of batting, featuring perfectly timed cuts and beautiful drives, particularly in the cover area.

After tea, it was just a formality, with Gary Butcher hitting the winning boundary in the fifth over to bring about a six-wicket victory.

Earlier, it had taken Surrey an hour and ten minutes this morning to claim the remaining two wickets after Somerset had added 44 runs in 18.2 overs to their overnight score of 190 for 8.

Martin Bicknell had Richard Johnson caught behind for 21 in the sixth over and finally Ian Salisbury took a return catch from Matthew Bulbeck - who had come out to bat with a runner, still suffering from a back injury - after the last pair had put on 27 to take their side to 234. It left Steffan Jones not out with 29.

Salisbury, who seems to enjoy bowling against Somerset, finished with his first five wicket haul of the season for 95 runs from a long spell of 35.2 overs. His best bowling figures last season were also against Somerset.

Afterwards Surrey skipper, Adam Hollioake, showered Ramprakash with praise.

"His innings made the tough target really easy," he said. "He played positively and took out all the close catches. If a guy can average 50 in all his cricket he can play; you don't do that without being a class player. He can score runs anywhere.

Commenting on the fact that this win was achieved without several key players, either injured or on England duty, Hollioake said: "If you look over the years we have performed as well or better without our international players. I don't know if it's because when they are here it is early season but it has been a long time since we have been beaten without our internationals."