Finals day for Surrey at Lords

Gloucestershire kept up their incredible winning record in finals at Lord’s as they pulled off a thrilling six-run One-Day Cup win over Surrey.

Playing in his final game, 39-year-old Jones came to the rescue, raising a 64-ball 50, striking 4 fours and a six and sharing in restorative stands of 52 and 49 with Smith and Taylor for the sixth and seventh wickets respectively. Azhar Mahmood (2-28) picking a couple of the five wickets.

Jade Dernbach had taken a career-best 6-35 including a hat-trick.

Klinger said he had feared the worst when Gloucestershire were bowled out 14 balls left in the innings, but experience in tight games proved key.

Taylor hit two leg-side sixes as 20 were plundered off Tom Curran, in the 45th over – but there was to be no telling late push, thanks to the returning Dernbach.

However, just as Taylor was cutting loose and turning the tide for Gloucestershire, he was out, caught superbly by Sam Curran off the bowling of Dernbach for his third wicket.

The ex-England seam bowler, whose tattoed arms, Surrey swagger and inconsistency in an England shirt has made him the subject of much criticism in the past, finished off Gloucestershire with a hat-trick albeit concluding with a awful full toss that number eleven David Payne ducked into and was given out LBW by umpire Rob Bailey – replays showed it wasn’t going on to hit the stumps. It will reach its climax tomorrow with the final matches during the interval in the Royal London One-Day Cup Final between Surrey and Gloucestershire at Lord’s.

Nevertheless, Sangakkara and Rory Burns played their way into the game and moved the scoreboard along, with the pair bringing up their 50-run partnership from 61 balls.

The four teams qualified for tomorrow’s final after winning their way through regional rounds which included an on-field county final taking place at a Royal London One-Day Cup group match at each of the 18 First Class Counties.

Burns followed suit in the 34th over, with his 50 coming from 64 balls, while the hundred partnership soon followed as Surrey looked to be on course for victory.

Looking back on his career, he joked that he will probably be remembered only for ‘that catch’ at Edgbaston during the 2005 Ashes series.

And when Gary Wilson departed for eight to leave Surrey 165-5, there was still work to do in the final ten overs. Sam Curran then thumped a length ball down long-on’s throat and Gareth Batty was well taken right on the boundary line at deep midwicket to spark Gloucestershire’s celebrations.