Brown praises Butcher foresight

Mark Butcher set up a declaration on the final day of the game © Getty Images

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Hampshire's Michael Brown swallowed his disappointment at having to settle for a draw to praise Surrey captain Mark Butcher for the declaration which set up a thrilling finish at the Rose Bowl.

Opener Brown added 94 to his first-innings 66 as Hampshire closed on 247 for eight - just 34 runs short of the target set by Butcher when he ended the visitors' second innings on 229 for eight.

Hampshire had 75 overs to make 281, and it was only in the final five overs of the LV County Championship Division One match that they called off a chase which was undermined most by Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq's 5-74.

"I was a bit surprised when 'Butch' called them in," Brown admitted.

"But it was good for cricket and probably about the right amount to chase - because it meant we obviously would have to take a few risks against the turning ball.

"I don't think it was doing quite as much as he expected with the new ball - so we managed to get off to a reasonable start and get a chance to go for the total."

Brown had mixed feelings nonetheless, because Hampshire had chances throughout the four days to prevail in a topsy-turvy match which ended instead with both teams still searching a first championship win of the season.

"It was frustrating, because we had a good chance in the first innings to try and get past them and probably had opportunities to win the game," said the 28-year-old, who hit 10 fours from 163 balls but fell to Saqlain just when he and Sean Ervine were preparing to begin a final assault.

"We just lost a few wickets at crucial times," he said. "Sean Ervine and I were probably just about to put the foot down for the last 17 or 18 overs.

"But Saqlain bowled very well throughout the second innings, and I was lbw - which was a shame.

"But we gave it a good go, and a draw was probably a fair result."