Surrey celebrate championship title

Surrey were celebrating at Old Trafford today after retaining the county championship. But they did not play like champs on the opening day of the final match, allowing Lancashire to fight back from 154-7 to reach a total of 323.

Even coach Keith Medlycott admitted: "It wasn't one of our best performances. There was a lack of basics - and we have excelled in doing the basics all season."

But it was a mere blemish on another triumphant season for Adam Hollioake's side and, appropriately, it was the Surrey captain who clinched it, with a brilliant slip catch to dismiss Sourav Ganguly. That earned Surrey their first bonus point, the only one they needed to retain the title.

As the champagne flowed in the Surrey dressing-room, Medlycott touched on the factors behind Surrey's success, saying: "I've heard a lot of talk about Surrey's showboats and you tend to get that when you are becoming a successful side. It means you are doing something right and people are probably fearful of you.

"We are a quality squad. We can pick from 18 or 20 players and they can all come into first-class cricket and produce match-winning performances. The majority of the side are in their prime and that usually lasts three or four years."

On the influence of Hollioake, he said: "I can use a boxing term for him. If we get a side down he knows how to knock them out - that makes him a fantastic leader."

Saqlain Mushtaq claimed 4-81 from 34 overs on a hard, shiny pitch - the sort on which England might have to face him in Pakistan - but Warren Hegg followed up his century against Leicester last weekend with another acting captain's innings for Lancashire, hammering an unbeaten 93.

Surrey lost a couple of early wickets and Hollioake was hurt by a ball from Glen Chapple but he recovered to lead his side to 28-2 before accepting the championship pennant and going to the other Old Trafford with his team-mates to watch Manchester United's European tie.