Akram destroys sorry Gloucester

Surrey 639 for 8 (Ramprakash 292, Benning 112, Newman 81, Ball 6-134 ) beat Gloucestershire 207 and 135 (Akram 6-34) by an innings and 297 runs
Scorecard

Mohammad Akram has Stephen Adshead caught behind to start Gloucestershire's final collapse © Getty Images

Six wickets from Mohammad Akram helped Surrey romp to a thumping innings-and-297-run victory over Gloucestershire at a sun-drenched Oval. Barring something remarkable, this game was only heading one way when play resumed today, but Surrey were clinical in disposing of a disappointing opposition.

The early exchanges were all about Mark Ramprakash, who only added 16 to his overnight 276, but that was enough to enable him to post a career-best score. He made his intentions clear from the off, smacking Martyn Ball for six, before holed out to long-leg off the same bowler.

Facing a massive deficit of 432, Gloucestershire needed to show more fight than they had on the first day. If anything, they were even more feeble.

They reached 20 before Akram swung one in to trap Craig Spearman leg-before, and it was one-way traffic from then on in. Although Surrey did bowl well, some of the batsmen contributed to their own downfalls, none more than Matt Windows who perished to an ugly shot off James Benning.

The last remnants of hope - and there still was a glimmer as heavy rain was forecast for tomorrow - disappeared immediately before lunch when Nayan Doshi had Chris Taylor caught behind for 0 and then Phil Weston, who had been dropped three times, well caught for 28 by a diving Mark Butcher at silly mid-off. At 45 for 4, that was that.

Alex Gidman and Stephen Adshead frustrated Surrey for over an hour with a fifth-wicket stand of 71, but the return of Akram at the Vauxhall End brought a swift conclusion to proceedings as he took the last five wickets to finish with 6 for 34, his best figures for Surrey.