Defeat by Nottinghamshire in a thriller at the Kia Oval all but wrecked Surrey’s dreams of a fourth successive Rothesay County Championship title.

They went down by 20 runs to a side who now need just ten points to claim top spot for the first time since 2010.

It was Surrey’s first loss of the season and only the second time they have been beaten on home ground since 2021. Needing 315 for victory – the highest score of the match and a tough task on a pitch which favoured seamers throughout, offering inconsistent bounce – Rory Burns’s side went into the final day at 66 without loss.

But the skipper was trapped leg before wicket for 45 by Josh Tongue just eight runs later and Notts struck a crucial blow when opening partner Dom Sibley (25) edged Brett Hutton into the slips.

Every time Surrey appeared to be edging ahead, they suffered another blow but at 244 for five were beginning to look favourites as Dan Lawrence and Tom Curran added 51. But the sole over of spin in the match proved crucial, Curran (33) lured down the pitch by Liam Patterson-White to be stumped, Lawrence (50) departing an over later when he was leg before wicket to Dillon Pennington.

It was England fast bowler Tongue (five for 100) who finished off the champions, though. Gus Atkinson (11) was caught in the slips, Matthew Fisher was bowled four balls later and Tom Lawes (33) – left with only last man Dan Worrall for company – caught at deep cover as he attempted a desperate rearguard.

“It was a cracking advert for the County Championship but that won’t be any consolation for the foreseeable future,” admitted Surrey’s head coach Gareth Batty, congratulating Nottinghamshire, who were then hit with a one-point deduction for a slow over-rate.

Just two bonus points plus eight for a draw against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge will be enough for them to secure the summit, fewer should Surrey fail to take maximum points against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl.

Surrey paid dearly for conceding a deficit of 58 in the first innings, Burns having sent in the visitors and seen them bowled out for 231 with Atkinson (four for 41) and Fisher (five for 61) doing most of the damage.

When Burns (47) and nightwatchman Lawes (22) took the reply to 101 for one early on day two, it seemed the hosts were set for a healthy lead but a disastrous eight overs saw them decline to 129 for six, Lyndon James and Tongue claiming three wickets apiece in finishing off the hosts for 173.

Fisher, signed from Yorkshire last winter, proved Surrey’s ace with the ball again as he added six for 73 to claim 11 wickets in the match – a career-best – but Nottinghamshire had James (47) and Patterson-White (58) to thank for lifting them from 89 for six in a crucial alliance worth 91. Hutton’s unbeaten 42 would also prove vital – getting off the mark by edging through a vacant third slip – to push their side into a strong position.

It was their sixth victory of the season while their opponents have only managed four.

There was some compensation for Surrey when they won the Second XI Championship at Loughborough, beating Worcestershire by 201 runs under the captaincy of Ollie Sykes.

By Richard Spiller