Surrey survive as Lancashire's search for first win goes on

The Red Rose required six wickets after tea at Old Trafford but could only claim two as Surrey closed on 199-6 in their second innings, still five behind Lancashire’s first innings total of 439-9dec.

Lancashire had earlier enforced the follow-on but had to settle for 12 points from the match.

Resuming on 231-9, still 59 adrift of the follow-on target, Surrey added just four to their total before Graham Onions removed Amar Virdi with the 16th ball of the morning.

The visitors were asked to bat again but opening pair Rory Burns and Mark Stoneman saw them through to lunch at 53-0.

That would still be the total five overs later but Lancashire had claimed two Surrey wickets as Stoneman and Scott Borthwick both fell victim to Tom Bailey.

Burns had to battle hard to make 33 but he was the next man to go.

Lancashire skipper Liam Livingstone found some bounce and the ball looped off the shoulder of the bat to Keaton Jennings at slip.

Dean Elgar would also be on his way before tea came, edging Jordan Clark to Dane Vilas behind the stumps as Surrey headed to the interval at 103-4, still trailing by 101 runs.

Just 50 runs had been added in the 30 overs between lunch and tea for the loss of four wickets, with Lancashire’s bowling unit making life difficult for the Surrey batsmen.

While the draw remained the most likely outcome, Lancashire knew a couple of early breakthroughs after tea would give them a chance.

The biggest opportunity came in the sixth over, when Ollie Pope edged Onions behind to Vilas, who put down the simplest of chances with Pope on 12 and Surrey 114-4.

Pope and Ben Foakes shared a half-century stand for the fifth wicket.

Foakes reached his half-century from 102 balls as the England hopeful produced a string of superb shots all around the ground.

Lancashire gave themselves a chance as Bailey took two wickets with the new ball, dismissing Foakes for 57 and then Pope for 41. Surrey were 177-6, trailing by 27 with eight overs remaining.

But Sam Curran and Ryan Patel saw Surrey to the close as Bailey finished with impressive figures of 4-13 from his 18 overs.