Last Friday, when Surrey appeared to be powering to victory over Leicestershire, the notion that their chances of retaining the County Championship title could be in tatters a week later was unthinkable. But in that time the Oval outfit have been out of sorts in every sense of the phrase. As well as missing five key players – including the likes of Martin Bicknell and Mark Ramprakash – their inspirational captain, Adam Hollioake has been struck down by a virus.

Hollioake was clearly in no condition to bat yesterday, but there was enough quality preceding him in the Surrey line-up that he may not have expected to when he awoke to a gloomy weather forecast. It was typical Manchester – dank, dreary and a feeling that it could rain at any time. The way things turned out, the visitors were thankful that a total of 62 overs were shorn from the day’s play due to rain and bad light.

When the drizzle rescued them at 3.20pm, they had reached 137 for eight – just 133 ahead on a pitch still decent enough that the home side would back themselves to make anything less than 200 to win.

What play there was yesterday turned out to be a tale of two collapses, as Surrey lost three wickets for 23, then, following a partnership of 70 between Graham Thorpe and Alistair Brown, another five for 29 in the face of an excellent spell of slow left-arm bowling from Lancashire’s Gary Keedy, who took four wickets in 12 deliveries for four runs to leave the Oval outfit facing their first championship defeat of the season.

Had Thorpe and Brown not combined for a face-saving stand either side of lunch, the defending champions could have been driving back down the M6 last night. But for an extraordinary reprieve, the fourth-wicket pair would have been allowed to do what they did.

When Surrey’s second innings total had reached 26 for three, umpire Barrie Leadbeater gave Brown out caught behind when he had made just three. But Peter Martin’s lifter had clearly clipped Brown’s helmet on the way through to Warren Hegg, and, despite having raised his finger, Leadbeater announced that he was rescinding his decision.

Earlier, Martin enjoyed a superb 11-over spell with the new ball that saw Jonathan Batty edge to first slip, Ian Ward squared up by a leg-cutter and Thorpe play and miss on several occasions.

For the second time in the match, Rikki Clarke started nervously and was palpably leg before to Glen Chapple when he played back and missed. But Brown and Thorpe added combined well for an hour and a quarter before the latter fell, chasing wide long-hop from John Wood. The former England left-hander had every right to look disgusted with himself as he exited the scene.

Brown then completed a 70-ball half-century, which contained five fours and a straight six. But two balls after Azhar Mahmood lifted Keedy for six over long-off, the Pakistani all-rounder perished in an attempted repeat of the stroke. Hollioake and Ian Salisbury then fell as they pushed forward to turning deliveries and Brown, who must now wait until next season to complete his full set of championship hundreds, was bowled in Keedy’s next over as he stepped away to cut.

If, as expected, Lancashire do win today the championship race opens up with these two, plus Sussex, Kent and Middlesex, all contenders. But even if Surrey overcome Kent at Canterbury next week, they will be left hoping that Sussex also falter when it is the Martlets turn to visit Old Trafford on 10-13 September.

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