Azhar Mahmood to the rescue for Surrey

Sussex 75 for 0 trail Surrey 304 (Azhar Mahmood 84) by 229 runs
Scorecard

Last week, England won a series in the West Indies for the first time since 1968. But that success has not quelled debate about whether to reform the County Championship, which began today. The Brit Oval hosted the tie of the round, the champions Sussex versus the biggest club Surrey. Sussex ended the day on top, 75 for no wicket after bowling Surrey out for 304. But was it, as some reformers claim, just pie-chuckers bowling to South Africans on dodgy passports, watched by what Ally Brown once called "a few dogs and some coffin-dodgers"?

No. A mixed crowd of nearly 2000 saw good, hard-fought cricket. In the morning, the Sussex seamers zipped the ball around, which has been happening in English Aprils for a long time. In the afternoon Surrey's tailenders batted doggedly and well, which has been happening for not very long at all.

It was a big match in the county calendar. Surrey ended last year with two one-day trophies, a £400,000 profit, and yet a feeling of disappointment. A squad full of internationals was difficult to keep happy. Plus there were England call-ups. Part of Sussex's success was in producing players good enough to win a first-ever Championship, but not quite good enough to play for England. So it was the established top dogs, Surrey, against the young pretenders.

Sussex's seamers grabbed hold of the morning session. By lunch Surrey had fenced their way to 84 for 5. James Benning and Mark Ramprakash both spooned forcing shots and were caught. The rest were undone by aggressive and disciplined seam and swing bowling.

Last year it was spin, particularly Mushtaq Ahmed's 103 wickets, which transformed Sussex from contenders to champions. That netted him £10,000 in bonuses. (Winning the Championship proved pricey for Sussex, who recorded a loss after paying out promised win bonuses.) But today the accountants could rest easy: Mushy took only one wicket and went for more than five an over.

The pitch eased after lunch, and Surrey were saved by their late order. They punished Mushtaq and added 220 for the last five wickets. Azhar Mahmood of Pakistan hit 16 rifle-crack boundaries in his 84, and put on a brisk 106 with tailender Martin Bicknell. He survived both a big lbw shout and an attempted run-out by the keeper from the same ball in the 57th over. The ninth-wicket pair kept up the jaunty tempo, adding 59. Surrey finally reached 304, with Sussex replying with 75 without loss in the evening sunshine.

During the Surrey fightback, Ian Salisbury launched a straight six which disappeared into the foundations of the space-age £22million stand being built at the Vauxhall end. The debate about the County Championship still rages. The ECB is considering proposals and it might look very different by 2006. But one long-established part of English cricket is definitely on its way out. The new Vauxhall Stand will house the Test Match Special box. And from that angle Blowers definitely won't be able to spot the double-deckers on the Harleyford Road.

Paul Coupar is assistant editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.