Surrey Lions' battle for promotion suffered a major setback as they were swept aside by the Middlesex Crusaders at Croydon, with Owais Shah once again proving to be the star of the show. The 23-year-old played a beautiful innings to record his fourth limited-overs hundred, including four sixes.

This followed 74 from opener Andrew Strauss. Aaron Laraman (7) and Sven Koenig (9) didn't last long but Strauss more than compensated for their early departures.

Shah entered with the score at 60 for two and made an immediate impact, sharing a valuable 90-run partnership with the destructive Strauss. When Shah was eventually dismissed for his 93-ball 110, courtesy off an Alastair Brown catch off the bowling of Ed Giddins (three for 59), Middlesex were in command at 248 for five. Jamie Dalrymple (1) and Paul Weekes (20) followed shortly afterwards. Simon Cook (10) was caught by Tim Murtagh off the last delivery.

Replying to the visitors 274, Surrey's batsmen made hard work of the chase, with Ian Ward (4) falling in the first over. But Ali Brown hit every bowler to all corners of the park. His 63-ball 94 was pure class, and his clean hitting brought 15 fours and four sixes. Mark Ramprakash (10), Rikki Clarke (10) and Nadeem Shahid (6) all partnered the flamboyant Brown but never really settled.

Brown was finally caught by Sven Koenig just before he could celebrate what would have been his 17th one-day hundred. Weekes (three for 32) and Dalrymple (two for 29) turned the game around as the rest of the Surrey line-up each scored below 20 on a batsman's paradise. Phillip Sampson (16) struck Dalrymple twice for six to score at a run a ball, but the day belonged to Shah as Middlesex won by 65 runs.

In the other Division Two clash, Lancashire Lightning beat Hampshire Hawks at Old Trafford by four wickets to condemn the visitors to their sixth straight loss. Chasing 188 for victory the home side were shaken when David Byas (4) was caught by Will Kendall off Dimitri Mascarenhas (one for 38) early in their reply. It proved only to be a blip as Stuart Law scored a half-century and Mark Chilton 66 in a partnership of 116 for the second wicket.

Then came Hampshire's spirited fightback. Law was run out on 64 and Neil Fairbrother suffered another wretched one-day outing when Kendall caught him off Shaun Udal (one for 26). Graham Lloyd scored only ten as he fell lbw to Chris Tremlett (one for 21) as the situation got more tense by the over. Chilton was caught by Zimbabwean Neil Johnson for 66, and with the score on 155 for five with seven overs to go, the balance of the match had swung back in Hampshire's favour.

Glenn Chapple (20) was bowled by the left-arm medium pace of James Tomlinson (two for 37) but Warren Hegg (12*) used his experience to calm the situation. With seven required off the last over the Lancashire wicket-keeper and Gary Yates (7*) saw their side home with two ball to go in what turned out to be a thrilling encounter.

Earlier Hampshire produced another below-par batting display, making 188 for eight off their 45 overs. Jason Laney top scored with 71, and Will Kendall made 33. James Anderson (three for 42) was the main wicket-taker as three batsmen were run out to some excellent fielding. Hampshire lie second from bottom after their latest loss.

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