IT IS ten long years, and eight matches, since Surrey last beat Gloucestershire in the championship. If that is a surprising sequence, Surrey must bring an end to it if they are to have a realistic chance of escaping relegation. Tough games against Hampshire, Warwickshire and Middlesex follow this one, making it a must-win encounter.

Captained by Mark Butcher, who was making his first championship appearance of the summer after injury, Surrey could not have begun the match much better, reducing their opponents to one for three in the fifth over. In such good batting conditions, however, Gloucestershire should not have been bowled out cheaply and thanks to Steve Adshead’s maiden hundred and Alex Gidman’s cultured 84 off 118 balls, they achieved respectability.

Adshead, 25, has blossomed this season, and his unbeaten 148 off 209 balls was an excellent innings, containing 25 fours. Like many stocky batsmen of medium height, he cuts and pulls pugnaciously well. His shot selection impressed, as did Gidman’s until he played across a straight one.

Some early movement and an overambitious drive from Ramnaresh Sarwan to his first ball explained Gloucestershire’s initial mishaps. Azhar Mahmood slipped an off cutter through Craig Spearman’s defences before Kadeer Ali edged to third slip. Matt Windows fell trying not to play at a ball he nicked to Jonathan Batty.

Adshead and Gidman, who put on 110 in 29 overs, appeared in little difficulty. In his first championship match for 15 months, Saqlain Mushtaq, happily recovered from operations on his knees, had a long bowl but did not threaten. Nayan Doshi claimed his 50th wicket for Surrey when he had Ian Fisher caught off bat-pad.