Mark Ramprakash steered Surrey Lions to a four-wicket triumph over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road, breaking his side's duck in the Norwich Union League at the third attempt.

Replying to the hosts 213-6, Surrey were struggling on 155-6 only for Ramprakash and Jonathan Batty to settle the issue with an unbroken stand worth 62 in only six overs.

Ramprakash finished 85 not out off 100 balls, featuring eight boundaries, and the Lions reached their target with two overs to spare.

Northants got off to a dismal start when Mal Loye went for a duck to Ed Giddins' second ball, but Mike Hussey (80) and Jeff Cook (47) hit back by adding 96 in 23 overs for the second wicket.

Hussey hit four fours in his 121-ball knock, but it took a late flourish from Alec Swann – who notched 28 from 30 deliveries – to guide the Steelbacks past 200 in the face of tight bowling from Giddins and Martin Bicknell, who conceded only 56 runs between them in 18 overs.

Mark Butcher (55) and Alistair Brown (15) gave Surrey a purposeful start, but Butcher's departure to Jason Brown triggered a collapse from 90-1 with Tony Penberthy claiming 3-43 including his 150th wicket in the competition.

It looked as though the Steelbacks had turned the match around, only for Ramprakash and Batty (21 not out) to tilt the balance back in the Lions' favour and condemn Northants to a fourth successive defeat in all competitions.

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