Sussex came agonisingly close to beginning their Championship defence with a coveted win over Surrey at The Oval yesterday.

Having established a first innings lead of 189, they reduced Surrey to 88-7 second time around and were still favourites despite an eighth wicket stand of 100 between Scott Newman and Martin Bicknell.

Bicknell became Mushtaq Ahmed's 1000th first-class victim in the final over before the last hour, but James Ormond and Newman stayed together for another seven overs and Surrey had a lead of 40 when Mohammad Akram' had Ormond caught behind to claim his fourth victim of the innings.

Newman, who opened for England A during the winter, had to come in at No. 7 after receiving treatment for a hamstring injury and what a crucial contribution he made.

He found another reliable partner in No. 11 Tim Murtagh and had taken the score to 254-9 when Adams shook hands with five overs remaining and Surrey 65 runs ahead, Newman having just deposited Akram into the building works to reach 86 not out.

The Sussex players were no doubt disappointed as they headed back down the A23 last night, but it was still a good effort by Chris Adams and his side considering that they had spent the whole of the third day in the dressing room watching the rain fall.

It is still early days of course but they already have the look of a side in no mood to surrender their hard-earned first Championship title without a fight. If they can maintain this level of performance they will again be the side to beat.

The tone for a day of almost total Sussex domination had been set in the first 30 minutes when Jason Lewry and Akram plundered another 48 runs for the last wicket as the county tried to make up for lost time.

Their stand of 87 broke a tenth wicket county record against Surrey which had stood since 1900 while both batsmen made career-bests.

Lewry's uncomplicated hitting has earned him the nickname 'Garfield' in the dressing room in honour of Garry Sobers.

The legendary West Indian would doubtless have approved of the way Lewry launched into the leg spin of Ian Salisbury and Alistair Brown yesterday in making 72 off 82 balls with eight fours and three sixes before Salisbury had him caught at the wicket.

Akram played a few wristy strokes of his own in an unbeaten 31, but Sussex have not signed him for his batting prowess and he was soon showing what a shrewd new ball operator he can be.

He was unlucky to take just one wicket in a pre-lunch spell of 1-10 from nine overs including five maidens. Stand-in opener Salisbury lost his off stump to one which nipped back sharply but in the afternoon came belated reward when sheer pace accounted for a creasebound Mark Ramprakash before fellow Pakistani Azhar Mahmood was bowled for a duck aiming one expansive drive too many through the off side.

As tiredness took its toll, Akram's analysis was spoilt when his last two wayward overs went for 29, one more than he had conceded in his first 15 but the prospect of him and James Kirtley operating in tandem with the new ball this season is one to savour.

At the other end the rhythmical Martin-Jenkins got consistent seam movement and extra bounce. Late inswing accounted for his first victim, Surrey captain Jonathan Batty while the dangerous Brown was undone by a lifter.

It seemed that Sussex's momentum might be stalled shortly afterwards when the umpires, following guidelines introduced this season, took the players off with thunder and lightning threatening.

Adams and his players were clearly disappointed and hung around on the boundary's edge, but their mood improved five minutes later when they returned and Martin-Jenkins immediately had Adam Hollioake caught shoulder-high by the captain at second slip.

Jason Lewry chipped in with the wicket of Jamie Benning, but Sussex were frustrated after tea as Newman and Bicknell, who made 45 in the first innings, played with increasing fluency in a stand of 100 in 13 overs.

Newman hit 15 boundaries while Bicknell, who had held up Sussex on day one with 45, struck six fours before he was bowled through the gate by Mushtaq's googly, a fate that has no doubt befallen a significant number of the previous 999 who have perished in the same way.

Akram returned to remove Jimmy Ormond with a brutish lifter, but Adams went for broke with attacking fields for both his Pakistani bowlers, Newman was able to steer his side to safety.