Dogged Surrey hold out for draw

Surrey's Mark Ramprakash and Mark Butcher produced a dogged batting display as Durham were denied an unlikely victory at Chester-le-Street.

Resuming on 76-2, Durham were pegged back by Saqlain Mushtaq (6-50) but Dale Benkenstein (63) and Phil Mustard (53) helped the hosts to 228-9 declared.

Steve Harmison took two wickets as Surrey, chasing 270, slipped to 45-3.

But Ramprakash and Butcher lead the visitors to 83-3 when the draw was called amid deteriorating light.

Earlier, Benkenstein had scored his second half-century of the match as he and Mustard put on 114 in 29 overs before Saqlain removed them both.

Surrey's chase began in grim light and when Batty fell to Graham Onions in the second over, survival looked the best option.

But Ramprakash had made only two when he cut Harmison for six and, although the paceman had Scott Newman caught at long leg, Usman Afzaal pulled him for six and two fours before being trapped lbw.

Ramprakash and Butcher scored slowly in the face of some disciplined bowling, but it would not be long before the captains shook hands.

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