Hampshire escape despite defeat by Surrey

Rahul Chahar finished with match figures of 10-118 for Surrey

Rothesay County Championship Division One, Utilita Bowl (day four)

Surrey 147 & 281: Albert 63; Abbott 5-72, Wheal 3-58

Hampshire 248 & 160: Orr 48; Chahar 8-51

Surrey (19 pts) beat Hampshire (3 pts) by 20 runs

Match scorecard

Hampshire were given an unlikely reprieve from relegation to County Championship Division Two after Durham fell apart at Yorkshire.

The south coast county were resigned to the drop after losing to Surrey by 20 runs, which left Durham only requiring a draw at Headingley.

But less than four hours later they were sensationally slumped to be bowled out for 85 to allow Hampshire to stay in Division One for the 2026 season.

Ironically, Hampshire's last brush with relegation – in 2016 – saw them finish in the relegation places but they were reinstated after Durham were sent down over financial issues.

Surrey only needed one wicket on the final day, which Rahul Chahar claimed with the 42nd delivery of the day when he had James Fuller caught behind.

In doing so, the India spinner claimed a career best 8-51 – Surrey's third best bowling figures of the 21st century – and 10 wickets in the match.

Requiring 33 runs to win on the final day, or 32 runs for a tie would have been enough to see Hampshire remain in Division One on their own steam.

Fuller and Brad Wheal were their final pair – the former had with Chahar carefully for 29, while Wheal had stoically blocked 22 balls before bad light brought an unsatisfactory end to the third day.

Chahar bowled the first over of the day and Fuller swept a four to ease the nerves, before Wheal nicked his first delivery to first slip – but it narrowly fell short.

The pair looked relatively at ease, albeit turning down a bounty of singles, until Fuller attempted to cut Chahar and edged behind to Ben Foakes.

Chahar's figures were the third best for Surrey since the turn of the Millennium after Kemar Roach's 8-40 and Martin Bicknell's 9-45.

The defeat looked like it would compound Hampshire's horror September.

The county had been deduced eight points in the Championship for breaching the ECB's pitch regulations, before losing in two men's white-ball finals and a women's final.

They also saw popular head coach Adi Birrell announce he would leave the club after seven years at the helm - the South African was gifted a bull for his farm back in his homeland by the players on the final morning of the Surrey match.

Instead of Hampshire, though, Durham will now join Worcestershire in playing in Division Two next season.

Match report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay

Hampshire head coach Adi Birrell took charge of his final game at the club

'A challenging year' - reaction

Hampshire captain Ben Brown:

"We should have made a better fist of it. The new hard ball spun quite a lot and we didn't deal with it. We were a lot of pressure in the run chase and we couldn't stem the tide of wickets in the middle of the innings.

"It has been a really challenging year, off the field as well as on it. There has been a lot to manage.

"Then there is the point deduction on the wicket which I stand by that it was unjust. You want sport to be decided as sport not someone deciding whether grass is right or wrong.

"We have been playing under pressure for the last month with no time to think or train, and it has ended up with us losing two finals and looks like we will be going down.

"Everyone will need time to get their head around it before making a plan to make things better."

Surrey head coach Gareth Batty:

"Ultimately it was pleasant to finish with a win but we are still hurting from last week, there is no getting away from that.

"We showed there is more from this team going forward and we will lick our wounds and be good to go again next year. Notts are the right and true champions, but it will take time to process that.

"We did our groundwork with Chahar. He is one of those guys who comes and fits in with the DNA of what we are about.

"Hopefully it isn't the last we see of him because that was a wonderful performance and you saw what he added value-wise to our group.

"The dust needs to settle, we need to see what we have, before we start to move forward and get some plans into how we do better than last year."