An unbroken fifth wicket stand of 61 in 21 overs between Mark Ramprakash and Alec Stewart has set-up a thrilling end to the Frizzell County Championship match currently taking place at the AMP Oval between Surrey and Lancashire.

With six wickets remaining the home side need 105 runs for victory. It does not sound like much, but other than when Andrew Flintoff was sending the ball to all parts on Wednesday, the seamers have generally had things all their own way.

For the handful of spectators who turned up it was a great day if you were a neutral observer, but an extremely tense one if your team was one of those involved. From the first ball to the last, which was delivered at 5:58pm, anyone with a vested interest in their side going clear at the top of the table could not, and probably would not wish to tempt fate by claiming any advantage.

It would be interesting to know what odds the Ovalites’ ‘odds-man’ Irving Harris was quoting on the outcome, no doubt with his customary unwaveringness, round at The Beehive after play ended early due to bad light.

If ‘Irv’ has done his homework - which you can be sure he has - he will know the most Surrey have ever made batting fourth against Lancashire is 302. So, when the bar was raised slightly higher due to Warren Hegg’s determined 43 off 96 balls it was clear the home side would have their work cut out against a versatile seam attack.

Coupled with the overcast conditions, the pitch has not behaved as one might otherwise expect. But Azhar Mahmood did not complain when it yielded him the first eight wickets to fall in the visitors’ second innings. The Pakistani all-rounder’s 8-61 represented a new career best.

With five to his name overnight, the modest 27-year-old accounted for Stuart Law, leg before, plus Glen Chapple and Kyle Hogg to catches behind the wicket. Law clearly had a difference of opinion with umpire Jeremy Lloyds, while Chapple and Hogg must have been flabbergasted to see the oldest man on the pitch throwing himself around to bring about their downfalls.

Alec Stewart’s ten dismissals in the match fell one short of his personal best, which was set at Leicester in 1989, but it must have done his chances of an England recall no harm whatsoever. The 39-year-old will know for sure later today.

When James Ormond trapped John Wood lbw, a groan of disappointment went out around the ground. Ormond was as apologetic any bowler could be after taking a wicket. But Azhar was not overly upset. Afterwards he said: “When I was taking my eighth wicket it was in my mind to go for ten. I was looking for ten wickets, but we needed early wickets so whatever anyone got we needed a wicket at that time. It was all about getting them out as quickly as possible.”

When it was Surrey’s turn to bat Kyle Hogg produced a superb delivery to trap Mark Butcher leg before, even though the England left-hander looked well forward. Ian Ward looked very organised until he drove Wood to backward point. Thorpe, who passed 10,000 championship runs for his county, also looked in fine fettle until he was superbly caught at long leg.

Having just punched John Wood over extra cover for six, Alistair Brown hung his bat out to dry and was caught in the slips, but then Ramprakash - who reached his fifty in 85 deliveries - and Stewart brought all of their years of experience to bear.

The home side only went into this game with two batsmen who had made championship hundreds against Lancashire. Both of them are currently at the crease and much will depend on how they negotiate the first hour. Anyone going to a football match in London today, would be well advised to pop into the AMP Oval on the way.

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