Classy hundreds from Steven Davies and Kumar Sangakkara propelled Surrey to a 77-run victory over Derbyshire in a high-scoring Royal London Cup match at Guildford.
A crowd of 3000 saw some rich entertainment as Davies and Sangakkara added 204 in 31 overs for Surrey's second wicket to set the hosts on their way to 326 for 6. Wes Durston led the chase with a thrilling 129 from 98 balls, which contained five sixes and 16 fours, but no other Derbyshire batsman could give him much support and they were despatched for 249.
Surrey were given a fine start by Jason Roy, who twice drove Mark Footitt wide of mid-on for fours in the paceman's opening over on his way to a bright 24. Footitt then made one bounce at Roy to have him taken at the wicket in his fourth over but, from 40 for 1, the Surrey innings was then dominated by Davies and Sangakkara.
The two left-handers built their partnership expertly, with Davies twice pulling Alex Hughes' medium pace for six and Sangakkara beating his partner to three figures with a thrilling assault on Footitt when the paceman returned for his second spell.
From successive balls, Sangakkara square drove Footitt for four before flicking him over the midwicket ropes for two sixes. And spectators were on their feet again in the next over, when Davies pushed a ball from offspinner Durston to deep cover to complete his own hundred from 96 balls, two less than it had taken the Sri Lankan.
Sangakkara scored 109 from 104 balls, with two sixes and nine fours, before he was stumped off the bowling of Durston - and Surrey lost another four wickets while adding a further 82 runs.
Rory Burns fell for 11, mishitting a full toss from Hughes to extra cover, and Davies was held on the deep midwicket boundary off the same bowler after an enterprising 115 from 117 balls, taking his competition tally to 351 runs at an average of 87.75.
Footitt had Tom Curran caught at deep cover for 29 in the closing stages and Gary Wilson lofted Ben Cotton to long off to depart for 2 in the final over - but Zafar Ansari scored a useful unbeaten 25 as Surrey posted their highest List A total against Derbyshire. It was a chastening 10 overs with the ball for Footitt, the left-arm fast bowler who has been added to England's fourth Ashes Test squad, and his final figures were 2 for 86, with his second spell of three overs costing 38 runs as Davies and Sangakkara cut loose.
Derbyshire's openers then enjoyed a stand of 115, although Billy Godleman contributed just 27 to that as Durston quickly stole the limelight. Chesney Hughes, Wayne Madsen and Shiv Thakor also fell cheaply but Durston continued to pile on the runs, passing the hundred mark in 74 balls.
He had just swung his fifth six, over wide long-on off Tom Curran, when two balls later he tried to repeat the stroke and skied to Curran's younger brother, Sam - who took a well-judged catch at midwicket.
Durston's exit left Derbyshire on 203 for 5 and their lower order quickly fell away. Scott Elstone made 39 in a late cameo but no one else troubled the scorers as Surrey allrounder James Burke finished with a one-day career-best of 5 for 28.
(espncricinfo)
