SURREY’S third successive County Championship title was confirmed today when Lancashire took just 32 minutes and 7.1 overs on the fourth morning to complete a 168-run victory over Somerset at Old Trafford.

Resuming on 204 for six, Somerset were dismissed for 224 with Luke Wells taking two of the wickets to finish with four for 36 and Anderson Phillip the other two to finish with three for 81.

While the result ends Somerset’s hopes of winning a maiden County Championship title, it does little to boost Lancashire’s chances of avoiding relegation after next week’s concluding round of matches.

Keaton Jennings’s side will be playing Division Two cricket next season regardless of the result of their game against Worcestershire if Nottinghamshire take at least 10 points from their final match at home to Warwickshire, who would also need five points from that game.

Somerset lost a wicket to the first ball of the day when Lewis Gregory was deceived by Wells’s googly and bowled for a golden duck.

Lancashire enjoyed more success in the next over when Craig Overton was leg-before wicket to Phillip for four and Brett Randell was bowled for nine by Wells.

The game ended and Surrey’s hat-trick of titles was confirmed when James Rew was bowled by Phillip for 31.

Somerset’s defeat also saw them slip behind Hampshire, who beat Worcestershire, in the race for second place.