Gareth Batty, Surrey's head coach, dedicated his team's third consecutive County Championship title to the outgoing director of cricket, Alec Stewart, describing him as "irreplaceable" and adding that it was "delusional" to think that anyone could emulate the influence he has wielded across his five decades at the Kia Oval.

Surrey have won the County Championship for a third successive year. They edged closer to taking the Division One title on Thursday after claiming a 10-wicket win over Durham, earning their eighth victory of the season.

Surrey has become the first team to win three straight English County Championship cricket titles since the 1960s when closest challenger Somerset fell to defeat.