Relegated Surrey finish with win

County Championship D1, The Oval (day four)
Surrey 686-5d beat Middlesex 404-5d & 243 by an innings and 39 runs
Surrey 20 pts, Middlesex 6

Match scorecard

Azhar Mahmood's 204 was easily his best in first-class cricket

Surrey's spinners wrapped up victory against Middlesex on the final day at The Oval to show they will be the team to beat in Division Two in 2006.

Relegation had been confirmed for Surrey on the day two, but they were determined to sign off on a high note.

Mark Ramprakash and Azhar Mahmood hit double centuries in a stand of 318, a Surrey record for the fifth wicket.

Then Saqlain Mushtaq and Ian Salisbury each took three wickets as the hosts won by an innings and 39 runs.

The day started with Surrey on 607-4 and Ramprakash just missed his highest score of an illustrious first-class career as he was bowled by Owais Shah for 252.

There was just time for Azhar to get past 200 for the first time in his career before the declaration came at lunch on 686-5.

Middlesex's second innings lasted for just 50 overs and three balls.

Rikki Clarke collected two early wickets before the spiners got to work. Only Jamie Dalrymple put up a fight before he was last man out for 75.

In the end, the difference for Surrey between relegation and survival was the eight-point penalty they picked up for ball-tampering in the match against Nottinghamshire in early May.

But it is doubtful whether Middlesex captain Ben Hutton would have opened the game up - by declaring with five wickets down in the first innings - had it not been for the 15-point advantage his side had going into the contest.

At that point he knew his bowlers only needed to take three Surrey wickets to ensure Middlesex's survival in the top flight.