THREE early wickets for Mitch Claydon prevented CB 40 League holders Surrey from romping to a huge total against Durham at the Oval today.

But sensible consolidation, led by Tom Maynard’s 77, allowed Surrey to launch an onslaught in the last six overs, which yielded 62 runs to take them to 221 for seven. Claydon’s last two overs cost 23 runs when Paul Collingwood entrusted him to bowl during the batting powerplay, even though Liam Plunkett had bowled five overs for 13 runs.

Surrey’s dangerous top three all raced into the teens, hitting eight fours between them. But Claydon removed them all and only six fours came off the next 26 overs before 20-year-old all-rounder Zafar Ansari led the late charge with two sixes in an unbeaten 60 off 55 balls.

Graham Onions, released by England, got off to a bad start when the first ball of the match was clipped to the mid-wicket boundary by Rory Hamilton-Brown.

Onions conceded 28 in his opening four-over burst, while Claydon had figures of three for 20 at that point.

Steve Davies had already stepped away to carve a four over the off side when he tried it again and edged to Phil Mustard, then Hamilton-Brown drove at a ball which removed his off stump.

Jason Roy hit the first two balls of the eighth over for four but Claydon found some extra bounce with the third and had him caught behind.

Plunkett came on for the ninth over and after opening up with a maiden the only runs he conceded in his second over came from an edged four by Maynard.

After coming together at 47 for three, Maynard and Zander de Bruyn settled for consolidation, putting on 58 in 13 overs.

That included eight off Scott Borthwick’s first over, but he and Gareth Breese struck in successive overs to keep the brakes on.

Breese clipped de Bruyn’s off stump when the batsman tried to work him to leg then Borthwick turned one to hit left-hander Matthew Spriegel’s leg stump and bowled straight through his eight overs to finish with one for 40.

Collingwood bowled four tight overs himself, but recalled Onions and Claydon when the batting powerplay was taken with Surrey on 159 for five with six overs left.

The left-handed Ansari, a Cambridge student who bowls left-arm spin, lofted both bowlers over the short leg-side boundary and Onions finished with one for 55 in seven overs.

His sole success came when Maynard drove a catch to Borthwick at cover.