County Championship: Surrey kept waiting for title by Hampshire and weather

Liam Dawson has had his best Championship season with both bat and ball

Surrey's title confirmation was delayed as England's Liam Dawson moved to 45 County Championship wickets for the season with his fourth five-wicket haul for Hampshire.

Left-arm spinner Dawson, who has had his best batting season since 2015, took 5-44 to make this also his best-ever summer as a bowler as Surrey were bowled out for 207 - 12 runs in arrears of their hosts.

Sai Sudharsan went on to complete an exceptional 73 before Jordan Clark hit 50 not out - but that was 93 runs short of the 300-run mark they needed for the two batting bonus points that would have guaranteed a second successive County Championship crown.

But Surrey's failure to reach 300 may not matter as Essex are stuttering on 125-4 against Northamptonshire and, if they do not reach 400 and claim four batting points, Surrey will automatically be champions.

Beginning the day on 47-2, in reply to Hampshire's 219, Ryan Patel hoicked to deep midwicket off Dawson to end his involvement in the match as Jamie Smith, back from England duty, will now replace him for the rest of the match.

Ben Foakes never looked comfortable before being given out lbw going back to Dawson, but 21-year-old Sudharsan, who struck a stunning 96 in the IPL final earlier this year, accumulated runs at a workmanlike tempo.

He reached his maiden Championship fifty in exactly 100 balls after being joined by Will Jacks, who was also back from England duty to replace Tuesday's five-wicket hero Lawes.

Sudharsan finally gloved Dawson to short leg, before Jacks was lbw to James Fuller in the following over, Cam Steel was lbw and Holland bowled a swinging Jamie Overton.

Clark belligerently scored a 75-ball half-century, his 21st in first-class cricket, as he put in 32 with Kemar Roach before the West Indian was caught at first slip with the second new ball and Dan Worrall was bowled by Dawson - his 17th wicket in September.

When Hampshire replied, despite 18 overs still remaining, only 20 balls were bowled and only a single run scored as bad light prevented any further play.