Surrey win County Championship for third year running

Surrey have won a third straight County Championship title after Somerset’s defeat by Lancashire.

Somerset had to win at Old Trafford to keep their hopes of a first ever county title alive heading into the last round of games, but they suffered a 168-run defeat on the final morning.

Surrey, who become champions for the 23rd time overall, beat Durham by 10 wickets on Thursday.

Lifting the trophy in 2022, 2023 and 2024 means this group of Surrey players have etched their name into County Championship immortality.

They have become the first team since Yorkshire 56 years ago to win three titles in succession.

Surrey won seven in a row from 1952 to 1958 having also won the very first three, and five of the first six, in the 1890s.

But they are still 10 short of Yorkshire, who have won 33 in total.

“It’s a whole squad, group of staff coming together and putting in a heck of a lot of work over a long period of time,” Surrey head coach Gareth Batty told Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.

“To do it three times in a row is very satisfying. We shall enjoy today and then start the hard work tomorrow to do it all again.

“Every time you get over the line it’s the hardest one because other teams are trying to close the gap, trying to improve their squads, improve their players.

“I feel like we are still keeping some distance, in a healthy, confident way, not in an arrogant way, because we’re working incredibly hard trying to improve our performances year in and year out.

“The T20 Blast we used 25 players in 15 games and in the Championship it was 24 or 25. Some counties don’t have that size of squad.

“So to have the rotation of players, to have the tenacity, the belief, the skill set, to come in and still be playing as a wonderful XI is a credit to every single person. It’s the staff, it’s the players, it’s the drive.”

Batty said the triumph was also a fitting way to mark the end of Alec Stewart’s tenure as Surrey director of cricket at The Oval.

“He is irreplaceable,” Batty added. “Anyone who thinks they can do what Alec Stewart has done here is delusional.

“He is the heartbeat, he is the brains – everything here comes through Alec. Three on the bounce is fitting.

“Alec will be here for years and years, just in a slightly different capacity we hope, but I think it’s very fitting for a man who has dedicated a huge proportion of his life – and his family also – to this club.

“You don’t often get a cuddle and a bit of a tear from Stewie, but when the Lancs boys got the final wicket there was a big outburst of emotion.

“It was wonderful to see an iconic English cricketer get some rewards for his dedication and the club will forever be thankful to him.”

Former England skipper Stewart reassured Surrey fans this won’t be the last they see of him at The Oval.

“I’ll still be around the place, sat in the stands watching, or if I’m involved in some capacity, very much in the background, then fantastic because you know what this club means to me and my family,” he told Radio 5 Sports Extra.

“But it’s about the boys. I thanked each and every one of them.

“Three in three hasn’t happened since Yorkshire in the 1960s, it doesn’t happen too often and that’s what I’m proud of.

“Led by Gareth Batty and his coaching staff, led by Rory Burns and the players and everyone else associated with the club.”

He added: “Winning one is tough. This is probably the hardest one we’ve had to win for so many reasons.

“Yes we’re the team to beat, you always want to beat the champions, and providing a number of players to England, which we’re very proud of, has made it very challenging at times.

“But to win in the way we’ve won, especially having slipped up at Taunton last week, to come back and beat Durham in the way we did and now to lift the trophy is something very special, so I’m very proud of everyone.”

As one might expect from a squad packed with internationals, Surrey were without the services of numerous players at one point or another throughout the season.

They have used 23 players in this campaign, with only captain Rory Burns, fellow opener Dom Sibley and all-rounder Jordan Clark playing all 13 matches.

Burns has led the way with the bat, scoring three centuries and 1,057 runs – helped largely by his career-best 227 in a thumping win against Lancashire at The Oval in August.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith catapulted his way into England’s Test side with some dazzling batting displays to average north of 56 in his nine matches, while Dan Lawrence has averaged just under 50 following his high-profile switch from Essex.

More than a dozen bowlers picked up wickets across the season – paceman Dan Worrall leading the way with 52 at an average of 16.15.

Clark showed why he is one of the most valuable assets in county cricket, taking 38 wickets along with scoring 467 runs down the order.

Cameron Steel set an incredible pace back in the spring, leading all bowlers in the first three rounds of the Championship with 20 wickets – though the leg-spinner has only picked up three since.

But next season will see a huge change in south London as director of cricket and Surrey legend Stewart steps down. How big an effect that has remains to be seen.