Surrey got to top of championship

Surrey, the defending title-holders, crushed Leicestershire by an innings and 178 runs in their championship match at Oakham School and moved to the head of Division One.

Off-spinner Saqlain Mustaq completed the rout with 5-35 in 15 overs. The last three wickets fell in 11 deliveries as Surrey applied the coup de grace just before the skies opened. Leicestershire began the morning at 134-9 and added only 9 more runs before they were following on 362 runs behind. The home county's hopes until the weather intervened were frustrated as they lost four batsmen for 42 by lunch.

Darren Maddy, caught at the wicket to the first ball, started the trend which Vince Wells, Iain Sutcliffe and Aftab Habib followed. Although Alex Tudor could not bowl because of a side strain, Surrey did not require his services. There still seemed to be runs in the pitch, but Leicestershire batted like a side fore-doomed to failure. Darren Stevens (68) with 11 fours in 80 balls was the one exception.

Chris Lewis seemed to help him extend his former county - then after putting on 62 runs for the sixth-wicket he, too, was caught at the wicket by Batty. Saqlain spun out the lower-order without much further ado.