Schofield's five ends Surrey drought

Chris Schofield wasted little time in running through Northamptonshire's tail to seal an emphatic innings victory

Chris Schofield picked up his second five-wicket haul of the season as Surrey eased to their first LV= County Championship win by an innings and 95 runs against Northamptonshire.

The 30-year-old leg-spinner claimed two of the last three wickets needed at Wantage Road to record figures of 5-40 off 21 overs and end a run of 21 championship games without a win for his county.

Northants added 37 runs to their overnight score but victory for Surrey never looked in doubt with Murtaza Hussain finishing the Division Two match off less than half an hour the start of play.

Northants began the last day needing 132 runs to make the visitors bat again but never got close as Mark Butcher’s men went about travelling home as quickly as possible.

Schofield was a thorn in the home side from the outset and was unlucky not to have struck in his opening over with three lbw appeals turned down.

However the former England spinner did not have to wait long to pick up his third wicket of the innings, trapping David Lucas in front for four an over later.

Lucas was adamant bat was involved but was nonetheless shown the finger by umpire Vanburn Holder.

With only England spinner Monty Panesar and David Wigley left to stop the inevitable defeat Johan van der Wath took it upon himself to bow out with dignity.

The South African all-rounder sent Hussain and Schofield over the boundary for six in successive overs.

But he tried one shot too many on 35, lured into a false shot by Schofield with Usman Afzaal – whose double century for Surrey in the first innings set up this comfortable win – taking a comfortable catch on the mid-wicket boundary.

Panesar picked up where van der Wath left off, looking seemingly comfortable against Surrey’s all-spin attack, but he was not supported by Wigley.

The 27-year-old seamer was the last man to fall for Northants, misreading a ball from Hussain and lofting straight to Andre Nel for one at mid-off.

Panesar – who hit 38 during Northants’ first innings total of 209 – carried his bat for six.