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Surrey (175-7) bt Durham (186) by two runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method

Adam Hollioake might have wished he had joined Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe in extending his post-Sharjah break as the trek to the North-East brought him a third-ball duck yesterday.

His misery seemed certain to be extended when Durham began the final over needing only four runs to record their first victory of any kind against Surrey.

They had three wickets standing, but Hollioake's guile proved too much for them in a panic-stricken finish and four balls later Surrey had won by two runs with the help of two run-outs.

Hollioake's brother Ben also showed that the family star is showing some signs of returning to the ascendant, striking four sixes in a 33-ball cameo.

A hailstorm after 10 overs of the Surrey innings reduced the match to 26 overs a side and under the Duckworth/Lewis method Durham had to make 189 to win.

David Boon set them on their way with a 39-ball half-century, then Martin Speight shone in the deepening gloom, improvising his way to 33 off 23 balls.

Durham needed 51 off 7.4 overs when Speight scampered a single and looked surprised to be given run out when Martin Bicknell followed up and kicked the ball onto the stumps.

Jon Lewis and Jimmy Daley got the target down to 19 off three overs when Adam Hollioake had Daley lbw for 41, but Melvyn Betts glanced the next ball for four, a wide followed and Durham looked to be coasting home. But the fact the match did not finish until 7.55 clearly counted against them.

Surrey were 52 for one when the hail arrived, completing a week of extraordinary weather at The Riverside. Play resumed at 4.45 and it was soon clear that a scheduled finishing time of 7.40 is too late at this time of year. In Surrey's innings it had been left to Ben Hollioake to ensure a testing target as he profited from Boon's gamble in bringing on the medium pace of Paul Collingwood.

Having made 45, Hollioake went down the pitch to off-spinner Nicky Phillips and was stumped. It seemed he had done more than enough, but, with Boon taking Alex Tudor apart, Surrey struggled to justify their status as promotion favourites.