Saqlain spins Surrey to victory and almost certain safety

With a comfortable innings and 46-run defeat of Yorkshire at The AMP Oval, Surrey have made their position safe from relegation in the CricInfo Championship barring any extraordinary turn of events in the last round of matches next week.

The cause of Yorkshire's batting debacle on the final day was a remarkable 49-ball spell of off-spin bowling by Saqlain Mushtaq, which gave him six wickets for six runs. With Martin Bicknell claiming the other two that fell today, taking his first-class aggregate this season to 70, Yorkshire's last eight wickets had tumbled for 40 in 19 overs. Saqlain finished the innings with seven for 58.

Yorkshire, who have already won the CricInfo Championship title, had begun the day reasonably well. Resuming their second innings on a very solid 171 for two they seemed set to further frustrate the Surrey bowlers, as they had done on the previous evening. Anthony McGrath, the centurion in the first innings and Michael Vaughan looked quite at ease in adding 24 runs in just over half an hour.

But with the total reaching 195 things began to happen for the London side. The stand between McGrath and Vaughan, having been extended to 130 was broken with the former edging Martin Bicknell behind the stumps. His 96-ball innings of 73 included twelve boundaries.

His partner in that fine stand, Vaughan with 61 from 107 balls, did not last much longer becoming the first of Saqlain's six victims today. He chipped the ball to short mid-wicket for Ben Hollioake to hold the catch and Yorkshire were 207 for four.

Surrey's Pakistan off-spinner then proceeded to claim the next two wickets. After having Vic Craven caught behind for seven, he had Richard Dawson snapped up at leg slip for one. Yorkshire were 212 for six and Saqlain had taken three wickets for two in a 23 balls.

With Bicknell removing Andy Gray three overs later, Saqlain all but ended the Northern visitors' innings before lunch, sending back the captain David Byas with four after having him dropped on nought and then accounting for Steven Kirby without scoring.

He took a brilliant return catch from Byas, parrying the ball from a firm drive towards mid-on before holding it and then bowling Kirby. The eighth and ninth wickets fell on 223 and Saqlain had amazing figures of five wickets for four in 45 balls.

At lunch, an over later, Yorkshire were 229 for nine with an innings defeat pending until after the break and it, inevitably, came from the fourth ball with Saqlain drawing Matthew Hoggard out of his crease to be stumped for two after four leg byes had been added to the Yorkshire total of 235. It also happened to be their total in the first innings.