Honours even at Brit Oval

Clouds loomed over London

Persistent rain prevented any play on the final day of Surrey’s LV County Championship fixture with Lancashire at the Brit Oval.

The bad weather meant only 55.3 overs were possible on Friday, during which Lancashire slipped to 241 for six, needing 388 to avoid the follow-on.

Although umpires Peter Hartley and George Sharp announced the match would resume at 1.45pm and even got to the pitch, they immediately checked their light meters and aborted the Surrey players’ dash down the steps from the dressing rooms.

Further drizzle meant groundstaff covered the entire square and after several visits to the middle, the officials made their decisive ruling at 4.30pm.