Ramprakash Hits Unbeaten Double Century As Surrey Refuse to Fold

After his traumatic crawl from 99 first-class centuries to 100, Mark Ramprakash notched up No101 at the earliest possible opportunity and then doubled it for good measure.

A washout at Chester-le-Street between Durham and Nottinghamshire, second and first in the top division, reduced the pressure on third-placed Somerset to contrive a result, which meant Ramprakash had all day to build on his overnight 11. Despite five wickets for Andrew Caddick, he ended up with an unbeaten 200.

Ramprakash was in danger of becoming a curiosity of Victorian-circus proportions while he spent 10 championship innings spread across three months failing to score even a fifty. But the unbeaten 112 he made against Yorkshire at Headingley on August 2 has visibly relaxed him and yesterday, in his very next first-class knock, he made sure Surrey would not fold to defeat in a game ravaged by the weather.

At 62 for three there remained scope for embarrassment, but Ramprakash - freed of his statistical burden - was in the watchful mode of old while adding 139 with the more cavalier Usman Afzaal. Caddick removed Afzaal for 65, caught by the wider of two gullies, then persuaded Matthew Spriegel to edge to third slip.

But Ramprakash responded by easing to his seventh first-class hundred against Somerset, then, with Justin Langer gifting him his final single, turned it into a double after his side had already claimed maximum batting points.

Somerset have five matches left to push for what would be a maiden county championship title. Since they must travel to Nottinghamshire, whom they trail by just three points, and then host Durham, whom they trail by two, their fate is in their own hands.

Surrey, meanwhile, need to start winning if they are to avoid relegation after just two seasons back in the first division. The pressure may be back on Ramprakash sooner than he imagined.