Surrey defied all the odds to pull off an astonishing two-wicket victory at Canterbury, one that sees them maintain their grip on Division One of the Frizzell County Championship.

The visitors were indebted to a career-best 168 not out by Ian Ward, not to mention the high quality support provided at the other end, first by Saqlain Mushtaq then by Jimmy Ormond. But had they not avoided the follow-on on Saturday, it is debatable whether Surrey would have taken the game into a fourth day let alone gone close.

It must be equally galling for Kent to know that had they pressed home their advantage, the hop county would now be in title contention. As it is, the Oval outfit extend their lead over second placed Leicestershire to more than the maximum number of points available for a win.

Needing to record their highest ever fourth innings total to win, few would have given the visitors any chance when they resumed at 264 for seven, still requiring another 146 runs for victory. The authorities at Kent certainly didn’t, allowing everyone into St.Lawrence Road for nothing.

For Ward, his chanceless innings bettered the 158 not out he made on the same ground two years ago. The left-hander was content to take the gifted singles and allow his less practised partners to play their shots.

Saqlain Mushtaq, one of only three players in the Surrey side with a Test match century to his name, proved precisely why he belongs alongside the elite by striking six fours and two sixes contributing sixty in 98 deliveries to the eighth wicket stand of 105 in 32 overs.

The Pakistani’s intent was clear. He reached his half-century in the thirteenth over of the day with a four off Martin Saggers. Despite being dropped at mid-on off the seventh delivery with the new ball, he straight drove Amjad Khan for six later in the same over.

The off-spinner brought up the 300 with a drive through extra cover, which he followed up with a four through wide mid-on. But those who live by the sword die by the sword and Saqlain was eventually out in the 97th over, going for another ambitious yahoo.

Ian Ward and Jimmy Ormond then enjoyed an undefeated ninth wicket alliance worth 97, beating the county record for the fixture (the previous one being Tom Hayward and Herbert Strudwick’s 66 at Blackheath in 1906).

Flicking the ball through square leg and powering it through the covers, Ormond looked every inch a batsman and at lunch the visitors needed just 41 runs to win. When they resumed it seemed a curious decision by Kent to attack with James Golding and Mark Ealham, each having only taken one wicket in the match.

Min Patel replaced Golding for the 120th over. In the 122nd the result became a formality when Ward took what he later described as his “only calculated risk”, sweeping the slow left-armer for six to post his career best before late-cutting him for four to take Surrey’s total past the 400-mark.

At 2:35pm, the 31-year-old handed the visitors their first victory at Canterbury since 1989 when he straight-drove Ealham in a manner reminiscent to when Surrey clinched the County Championship against Nottinghamshire in 1999.

Ian Ward’s extraordinary 168 not out lasted 490 minutes, took 367 balls and included 19 fours and one six. Meanwhile, James Ormond’s highest score for his new county occupied 118 minutes, 110 balls and was infused with six boundaries.

GO TO:

BACK TO: