PERHAPS inspired by their Twenty20 form, Surrey won only their second totesport League game of the season in a thrilling finish to a match reduced to 34 overs because of rain. Surrey remain bottom but, perhaps, they will not go down without a fight.

Surrey needed 39 off the last five overs with Adam Hollioake set. Ian Butler went for only three, leaving 36 off the last four overs. But Hollioake (41 off 31 balls), aided by Alex Tudor, swung to such effect that they needed only three runs off the last over. Tudor, in his first game since April after an injury, carved the winning runs away with a broad grin spread across his face.

It seemed as if Surrey were on their way to another defeat as Martin Saggers had Ally Brown caught behind off the first ball and then James Benning bowled in his next over. Benning had been dropped by Geraint Jones off Saggers two balls earlier.

Ian Butler then had Rikki Clarke slashing to point. Surrey were 45 for three and in trouble. But Kent lacked back-up. Andrew Symonds is to Kent what Andrew Flintoff is to England and with him rested because of an Achilles problem, Kent were a bowler light.

Mark Ramprakash, ever the rock, was joined by Jonathan Batty and they took the game by the scruff of the neck, showing the value of two quick men being able to hustle twos. They put on 77 in 13 overs but Amjad Khan returned to swing the game. Khan induced Batty to play on with a slower ball and then had Ramprakash caught by Matt Walker at point.

Kent’s innings moved in fits and starts. Michael Carberry edged the second ball of the game to be caught behind. Ed Smith seemed on a mission to show that he should have been picked for the Twenty20 side. He is seen as a bit pedestrian but Kent could have done with some stability and a man in form. Smith scored his fifth consecutive one-day fifty.

Kent dawdled through the middle of their innings slipping from 83 for one in the nineteenth over to 118 for five in the 26th with Robert Key and Matthew Walker run out. But Geraint Jones, David Fulton and James Tredwell helped to add 69 off the final eight overs.