The unique run of success that Gloucestershire have enjoyed in limited-overs cricket for the last two years was brought to an end by a side that has enjoyed similar success in the longer version of the game. Surrey, the winners of the Championship for the last two years, registered a convincing 47-run victory over the west country side in the Benson & Hedges Cup final at Lord's.

Gloucestershire's batsmen struggled all along after taking a cautious approach in their attempt to reach the winning target of 245. Scoring at the rate of three an over, they had scored 35 in the 12th over when when they lost their first wicket.

Ed Giddens, having replaced Alex Tudor, whose five economical overs had cost only seven, struck straight away by bowling veteran batsman Kim Barnett with his third ball. Barnett, who first played in a Lord's final 20 years ago, managed just three from 30 balls.

In the next seven overs, Gloucestershire, the cup holders, added 33 runs before losing their second wicket. Dominic Hewson, 11, was caught at mid-off from a leading edge off Saqlain Mushtaq.

Surrey were quick to strike again, seven balls later with the total on 71. This was a major setback for Gloucestershire as their Australian signing, the limited-overs specialist Ian Harvey, was dismissed for one, lbw to Giddens who then knocked back the off stump of Matthew Windows for ten to reduce them to 89 for four.

Jack Russell, meanwhile, who had aopened the innings, kept picking up the runs steadily, reaching 48 after 25 overs, when the total was 92 for four. At that stage Gloucestershire's only substantial partnership took place with Russell and Mark Alleyne adding 42 in 47 balls.

But with Russell's determined effort ending on 62 off 96 balls and two runs later with Alleyne offering a return catch from a full toss to Saqlain Mushtaq, there seemed little hope for the champions of one-day cricket.

Saqlain went on to claim the next wicket, the seventh, on 161 and then the last three fell rapidly in 16 balls for seven runs with 4.1 overs still remaining. Tudor's, Giddens' and Saqlain's excellent bowling gave them three wickets apiece.

Earlier, in an uninterrupted day's play, despite the threat from dark clouds for most of the morning, the Hollioake brothers had taken on the task of reviving Surrey halfway through their innings after their side had faltered to 118 for five. They had been largely responsible for Surrey reaching 244 before being dismissed with just one ball remaining.

During their stand of 84, Ben reached his half-century in style with a six to wide mid-wicket, from 54 balls, and with the next ball he brought up the 200.

The stand was broken when Martyn Ball, with his off-spin, had Adam Hollioake leg before for 39, attempting a reverse sweep, and then he struck again in his next over, getting another lbw decision, against Tudor. He had taken two in four balls without conceding a run and Surrey were 204 for seven.

Ian Ward and Mark Ramprakash had ensured that Surrey did not suffer too much from the loss of Mark Butcher's wicket after they had decided to bat first when play began half-an-hour late owing to wet conditions.

With Butcher trapped leg before wicket, without scoring, in the third over, Ward and Ramprakash put on 64 from only 60 balls before Ramprakash, 39, was caught at deep square leg from a pull off Alleyne. It was an entertaining knock, containing six boundaries and an all-run four from the 33 balls that he had faced.

But Surrey then lost three wickets for just 26 runs with the Gloucestershire captain Alleyne, whose first over was hit for 13, inflicting the damage. He had Alec Stewart caught at mid-off for eight from a casually played drive and eight runs later, on 97, Surrey lost Alistair Brown for three with Ian Harvey taking the catch. It was a poor shot; he drove well away from his body and edged to slip.

With that wicket Alleyne had three for eight in a superb spell of 24 balls. The big blow then came in the 25th over when Mark Hardinges, with his second ball, had Ward caught behind for 54. It was a fine knock, from 59 balls and contained five boundaries.

But the invaluable innings for Surrey was the Gold Award winner Ben Hollioake's 73 from 76 balls. He was eventually dismissed in the penultimate before Surrey lost their last two wickets off successive balls.

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