AARON Finch headed back down under after helping Surrey to maintain their powerful charge at the top of the Specsavers County Championship.

The 31-year-old Australian enjoyed a remarkable Vitality Blast campaign, 589 runs in nine innings at an astonishing 147.25 still not enough though to earn his adopted county a place in the T20 competition’s quarter-finals, given that Surrey failed to win any of their five matches without him.

Finch’s final contribution was helping Surrey to a thrilling Championship victory by six runs over Lancashire at the Kia Oval last week, which sent them into their clash there with Nottinghamshire – which started on Wednesday – 32 points clear at the top of Division One.

On a pitch which favoured bowlers throughout, his 43 and 32 proved highly valuable, inching past a side who are now in a desperate fight to avoid relegation.

It was Surrey’s sixth victory in a row and seventh in nine matches overall, Morne Morkel’s 6-57 on the final day being the key performance.

“That victory was as good a game as I’ve been involved in,” reckoned Finch, who was awarded his county cap on the second day of the match.

“It was unbelievable stuff. There’s a great belief in the team that we can win from any position. Morne Morkel bowled incredibly, of course, with his six wickets. It was his spell in the first session of the final day which really opened up their tail.”

Lancashire had gone into the final day of the day-night match narrow favourites at 177-5, needing another 94, and it took a fiery spell from paceman Morkel to split a sixth-wicket partnership worth 78 when he had Steven Croft (43) caught behind, Josh Bohannon (32) following a run later and Joe Mennie edging to the wicketkeeper for a single.

Lancashire wrestled back the advantage through a ninth-wicket stand of 47, but, finally armed with the delayed new ball, Morkel bowled Graham Onions for a hard-hit 29 and then forced last man Matt Parkinson to fend off a short delivery for substitute fielder Will Jacks to pull off a remarkable one-handed catch as it flew to his right.

Somerset appear to be the main threat to Surrey’s chances of ending their 16-year wait for the Championship title, third-placed Notts starting this week’s match 60 points adrift and having played one more match.

But Rory Burns and his men still have home and away dates with defending champions Essex (fourth) – the first leg coming when they head to Chelmsford next Tuesday – followed by trips to relegation-threatened Worcestershire and then Somerset before entertaining Essex at the Oval in the final week of September.

The departing Finch, who is scheduled to return for next year’s T20 after signing a two-year deal last winter, has been replaced in the overseas player slot by South African left-hander Dean Elgar, who made valuable runs in the early stages of the season.

“Dean’s experience and proven qualities at the business end of the season will add real depth to our squad,” said director of cricket Alec Stewart.