THE short boundary by The Cricketers pub was peppered all through an overcast day, but Surrey's high-octane batting exploited the facility more effectively in defence of their Benson and Hedges Cup title, victory arriving with almost 2.5 overs in hand.

Not even the surprise appearance of Jack Russell at No 3 for Gloucestershire and his innings of 83 could disturb Surrey's progress at the top of a weak group.

Russell's elevation yesterday was a tactical team decision - ``to work the angles,'' as their coach John Bracewell put it - rather than a gesture to David Graveney, the watching chairman of England's selectors. The plan succeeded to the extent that he gave Gloucestershire a much-needed batting backbone.

Russell made a slow start and did indeed accelerate by working the angles and hitting only four boundaries, but the left-hander's scuttling effort proved to be not enough. Surrey were far superior over the crucial first 15 overs of the innings.

Alistair Brown's idea of working the angles was more to do with elevation and, with Stewart as his partner in an opening stand of 88, Surrey hurtled along at eight runs an over.

This typical Surrey start allowed Graham Thorpe to progress at his own pace, which was rapid enough, and embellish an impressive start to his English season with a fluent 85.

There was one distraction, when a delivery from Martyn Ball shot backwards out of his hand and cracked umpire Dickie Bird on the leg, but Thorpe motored on and departed to fine catch by Tony Wright at short extra cover with the match all but won.

Brown's hitting reduced a challenging Gloucestershire target to comfortable proportions with 74 in 68 balls, which including three sixes towards The Cricketers off Jonathan Lewis.

Stewart seemed to tire of milking the bowling at will and was bowled attempting a reverse sweep to a full-length delivery from Ball, an unnecessary stroke that ended an innings of mesmerising quality.

Courtney Walsh's crafty change of pace might have picked up wickets on a luckier day, but there was little even a superb fielding side such as Gloucestershire could do.

Gloucestershire's innings built up a steady head of steam as Robert Cunliffe and Russell upped a slow starting rate to around five runs an over. Cunliffe had scored cup hundreds against Surrey in the previous two years, each on the same date as yesterday, so his 58 off 59 balls could be described as a surprise failure.

Gloucestershire's scoring rate really took off when Bobby Dawson slogged 29 in 17 balls before Ben Hollioake bowled him after conceding 14 in the same over.

Mark Alleyne swung a six off Ian Salisbury to the long midwicket boundary, which carried more than 100 yards.