Clarke hits double ton for Surrey

Rikki Clarke hit a maiden first-class double ton before rain ended Surrey's Championship clash with Somerset.

Clarke, on 165 overnight, soon got the single for a career best as the hosts resumed on 632-6 at Guildford.

His 214 took just 258 balls in all, with 30 fours and three sixes as Surrey were finally bowled out for 717 - their highest total for 97 years.

Ian Salisbury joined him in a stand of 135 for the seventh wicket before the last four wickets fell in 16 balls.

Somerset's Aussie captain Cameron White finished with figures of 5-148, the second five-wicket haul of the 22-year-old spinner's career.

Surrey captain Mark Butcher said he believed Clarke could be an ideal replacement in the England side for injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.

Butcher said: "Rikki took over as skipper of Surrey while I was injured and took over brilliantly this season. "He is a great all-rounder with a terrific pair of hands and is a genuinely quick bowler. He also averages almost 60 for us. "Rikki is a guy who has the class to possibly fill in for Andrew."

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