IN A remarkable run-chase, Kent turned around this county championship match in the final session, beating Surrey in a thrilling finish with only five balls to spare. Wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien hit the first ball of Azhar Mahmood’s final over through the covers for four to snatch a victory which takes Kent to the top of the First Division.

At the start of play yesterday the match seemed certain to peter out into a draw, but Kent bowled out Surrey for 350 and then achieved their target of 231 off 35 nail-biting overs.

The final day began in the most languid manner with Graham Thorpe, who on Friday had announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket, failing to snub the England selectors further with a big innings.

Resuming on 15 not out, Thorpe hit two fours off the first over but then became becalmed and was out for 47 shortly before lunch when he edged Martin van Jaarsveld to Darren Stevens at slip.

Mark Ramprakash then succumbed for 62, and Min Patel’s patience paid off in his 42nd over when he bowled Rikki Clarke. Kent immediately put four catchers around the bat and the tactic paid off: Patel got three more wickets as Surrey collapsed and he wrapped up their innings when Van Jaarsveld snapped up Mohammad Akram at silly mid-off.

Kent’s openers, David Fulton and Robert Key, got them off to a good start, quickly reaching the required run-rate of six-and-a-half an over. Key was at his muscular best, hitting well off his legs and striking the straighter ball with great power. Fulton struck 31 off 44 balls before he fell in Ian Salisbury’s first over, lofting a catch to Richard Clinton on the midwicket boundary.

In the next over, Key fell leg-before to Akram when the opener was three short of his half-century. Matthew Walker, who scored 173 in the first innings, brought up the hundred for Kent with a thumping cover drive and then immediately survived being bowled by a no-ball by Akram. The stocky left-hander then belted a six off Salisbury to reach 18 before being judged leg-before.

Andrew Hall hit a quick 17, including two sixes, before O’Brien and the tall South African, Justin Kemp, steered Kent home.