BRIT OVAL

(Day three of four, Surrey won toss)

Nottinghamshire (22pts) beat Surrey (5pts) by an innings and 143 runs

Lunch

Graeme Swann's highest score of the season, 82, helped Nottinghamshire to extend their first-innings lead to 265 before Stuart Meaker claimed the last two wickets with catches on the boundary behind square. Swann had perished attempting to sweep as he sought quick runs rather than the personal glory of a hundred.

Although Shoaib Akhtar yet again went wicketless in yet another short four-over spell, Pedro Collins had made early inroads to give the relegated side early encouragement. Gary Wilson, a 22-year-old Ireland international, became the fourth player to keep wicket in the innings and took a smart catch to his right to remove Chris Read.

Tea

Surrey, with Jon Batty unlikely to bat because of a broken finger, barely managed to see out the second session as they offered flimsy resistance to the Nottinghamshire bowlers. Charlie Shreck and Darren Pattinson made good use of the new ball, reducing the home side to 17 for 3, and the back-up proved as hard to combat.

Only Matthew Spriegel, a tall left-hander using his reach effectively, denied Nottinghamshire for long after Mark Ramprakash edged a good ball by Pattinson to second slip. Usman Afzaal and Stuart Meaker were weak in defence while Graeme Swann found enough turn from the pitch to trouble some inexperienced players.

Close

Surrey were ultimately bowled out a second time for 122, Spriegel top-scoring with 42 before he has out leg-before just after tea to a quicker ball from Graeme Swann.

A second Championship title in four years now sits within the grasp of Nottinghamshire, who meet Hampshire at Trent Bridge next week with strong prospects against a side lacking Imran Tahir, the wrist-spin bowler who has been inspirational in recent weeks.