As Rory Burns swatted a part-time lollipop from Yorkshire’s Jonny Tattersall to the rope, the Surrey captain was, briefly, the only person inside the Micky Stewart Oval who didn’t realise he had just secured a 21st County Championship title for the club. “Maths is not my strong point,” Burns joked afterwards, the captain otherwise basking in the afterglow of a crushing 10-wicket victory that, with heel-nippers Hampshire having already lost to Kent, meant the trophy was again Surrey’s with a round to spare.
This was probably the only miscalculation all summer from Burns, who, after being dropped in the aftermath of England’s Ashes misery last winter, dusted himself down commendably and masterminded a second title for his boyhood club in the space of five years.
Gareth Batty, the head coach, described his captain’s return as “gold”. Much like their last triumph in 2018, Surrey have flexed their collective muscle, a band of 22 players delivering an impressive eight wins that could yet become nine at Old Trafford next week.
The trophy will be presented to Burns after that match – the Sky cameras are expected to be present – and, despite Hampshire’s fine summer, few can quibble about its return to the Oval’s well-filled cabinet.