Sussex were failing their trial by spin as they battled to save the Championship match with first division leaders Surrey at The Oval today.

Azhar Mahmood made the breakthrough for Surrey with the new ball when he bowled Murray Goodwin via an inside edge as the Sussex opener tried to pull him in the tenth over.

Goodwin and Richard Montgomerie had put on 45 as Sussex chased an unlikely 406 for victory on the final day and Surrey skipper Adam Hollioake's decision to switch to an all-spin attack in the 20th over soon paid dividends.

Montgomerie and Michael Yardy had taken the score to 83 when Montgomerie pushed forward to Saqlain Mushtaq and was superbly caught one-handed by substitute fielder Nadeem Shahid at short leg.

Saqlain struck again two overs later, bowling skipper Chris Adams for a duck with a quicker ball which he was trying play off the back foot.

And Sussex were firmly up against it when Tim Ambrose lost his leg stump in Saqlain's next over after getting an inside edge to a delivery he was trying to work through square. Saqlain now had three wickets for no runs off 12 balls.