Middlesex settle for draw with Surrey

Middlesex extended their unbeaten County Championship run to 19 matches after they shook hands on a draw in the London derby at Lord’s.

The hosts were set an unlikely victory target of 242 off 39 overs and turned down the thrill of the chase after losing two wickets either side of tea.

Earlier, Surrey’s Kumar Sangakkara was out for 120 – following his 114 in the first innings – while the spin of Ollie Rayner and Dawid Malan curtailed the visitors.

Veteran Sri Lankan Sangakkara was the first casualty of the final day, adding only four to his overnight score before edging behind off James Franklin.

Ben Foakes (67 not out) and Sam Curran (51) then combined to see off the new ball and add 83 for the sixth wicket.
Rayner removed both Curran brothers either side of lunch – he induced a feather from Sam to end the impressive stand, before having Tom (22) bowled.

With a lead of more than 230 and the game seemingly as good as safe, Surrey skipper Gareth Batty departed lbw to a shooting off-cutter from Toby Roland-Jones and Stuart Meaker was bowled by Malan, who also accounted for last man Mark Footitt.

It left Middlesex with an improbable run-a-ball victory chase that would prove well beyond their compass.

They lost opener Nick Gubbins in the fourth over when, in pulling a short one from Sam Curran, he was adjudged caught behind by Foakes.

Soon after tea Nick Compton pulled a Footitt bouncer down the throat of the long-leg fielder to put paid to any lingering hopes of a late afternoon run chase.