SURREY at last began to shed their Janus-like reputation with this final-ball win over Middlesex in the AXA League. The County Championship leaders were still without a win in the 40-over game and had to wait to run Keith Dutch out off the final ball before their supporters could celebrate.

At 169 for two, after 29 overs, a 5,000-strong festival crowd had every reason to think that Surrey were on the verge of posting an impregnable score.

But they then lost three wickets in four overs for just seven runs, batsman finding increasingly daft ways of being dismissed.

And yet it was all so different while Ian Ward and Nadeem Shahid were at the crease. After Ally Brown had gone for a brisk 16, well caught at long off by AXA debutante Ian Goodchild, Ward and Shahid shared a stand of 116 from 115 balls.

All that has been missing from Ward's season is a century and he almost made amends yesterday. Having surpassed his previous AXA best of 68 made last Monday against Leicester, Ward went on to 91 before he was caught behind off Alastair Fraser.

Scarcely less impressive was Shahid, who celebrated the award of his county cap with a run-a-ball 58.

But once he was out madness set in Adam Hollioake going next ball after Ward before brother Ben was run out in the next over.

Mark Butcher, due to face the new ball menace of Donald and Pollock, bizarrely came in at number six making just five before being stumped off the medium pace of Justin Langer. But Surrey's eventually 223 for nine was still their highest AXA League score of the season.

While Langer was at the crease a Middlesex win looked assured, but when he was well taken at third man for 60 Middlesex lost their way.

Dutch ensured Middlesex reduced the arrears to 18 off two and then eight off six balls as those around him began to lose their head.

James Hewitt ran himself out first ball and Fraser left Dutch stranded mid-pitch as Surrey completed a nervy win.