Cricket: Ramprakash Goes on Rampage to Seal Surrey Win

For Surrey the start of the midseason Twenty20 jamboree signaled a repopulation of their stands and, more surprisingly, an end to their previously dismal form.

The only thing left unchanged was the batting of Mark Ramprakash, whose 85 not out from 52 balls won the game almost single-handedly. Surrey have a confidence in this format that stems from having made it at least as far as the semi-finals in every year of the competition.

An impressive opening spell from Chad Keegan, who took two for 14, saw Middlesex go close to beating them for the first time in this form of the game but Ramprakash produced a brilliant innings, sharing a 110-run stand with Jon Batty (49), to take his side all the way from 14 for one, past a perilous 24 for three and on to victory.

Having reduced the target to 17 runs from 12 balls, Ramprakash was further encouraged by a misfield from substitute Nick Compton that turned a single into four. The next ball was hit through mid-wicket for four more. Tim Murtagh then dropped Ramprakash at short fine-leg to Tyron Henderson's great dismay. Murtagh, who bowled the final over, suffered most, his first ball being hit for four and his next for six to end the match.

Middlesex had made 163, largely thanks to 61 from Jamie Dalrymple, whose contribution with the ball was less impressive as he and Murali Kartik later failed to match the economy and effect of Surrey's Chris Schofield and Nayan Doshi.

But, given Ramprakash's form of late, they could hardly be blamed for failing to contain Surrey.