Linley's best sets up Surrey win

Tim Linley claimed career best figures as Surrey beat Leicestershire by 10 wickets with a day to spare in the Division Two match at Grace Road. With opener Will Jefferson hitting his first century of the season Leicestershire totalled 286 in their second innings, with Linley taking six wickets for 57 runs.

It left Surrey a victory target of 111 and they made light work of the chase knocking off the runs in fewer than 17 overs. Captain Rory Hamilton-Brown hammered an uneaten 75 off 56 balls, with 54 of his runs coming in boundaries against a lacklustre Leicestershire attack. It was Surrey's fifth win of the season and the 22 points they collected lifted them to third in the table, maintaining their promotion hopes.

Although Leicestershire offered sterner resistance in their second innings it was never enough to deny Surrey victory. Jefferson held the innings together and kept the visitors at bay for a time with a determined 205-ball 121 which included 14 fours and a six.

He shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 119 in 24 overs with Ned Eckersley to give the home side hope that they could at least build up a big enough lead to give Surrey a few problems. But when Eckersley, who contributed 24 runs to the stand, edged a catch to slip off India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha it signalled the end of the home side's resistance.

Jefferson, who had reached his 50 off 180 balls and looked in fine form, followed five runs later with the total at 198 when he was lbw to the same bowler. Then in the next over first innings hero Rob Taylor was also out edging a catch to wicketkeeper Steven Davies to leave Leicestershire 198 for 7.

Fast bowler Linley, who had claimed three earlier wickets, then ran through the tailenders after the new ball was taken at 231 for 7. He had Paul Dixey lbw and bowled both Jigar Naik and Claude Henderson to finish with 6 for 57 off 21.2 overs.

It left Surrey with 25 overs plus an extra half hour to clinch victory on the third day, and they did it well inside the distance. Some wayward bowling was punished with gusto by Hamilton-Brown, with Nathan Buck conceding 20 runs off his second over and the 50 total arriving in the sixth over.

Hamilton-Brown reached his own 50 off 32 balls with 10 fours and clinched the win with a cover drive to the boundary off Taylor off the third ball of the seventh over.