Surrey capped a fine weekend by winning promotion to Division One of the one-day National League after securing a thrilling two-run win over Essex at Chelmsford.

Crowned winners of the County Championship on Saturday after results went their way, the Lions showed signs of a hangover but recovered well to win a gripping encounter.

They bowled well in the closing stages to make amends for a poor batting performance, dismissing Essex for 160 in the 39th over.

The Eagles, who still harbour their own promotion hopes, looked on course for victory in reaching 137 for four with plenty of time remaining.

Good knocks from Ronnie Irani (41), Will Jefferson (29) and Paul Grayson (29) at the top and middle-order seemed to be enough to hold off the Lions.

But they lost their last six wickets for 23 runs, gifting victory to Surrey. Captain Adam Hollioake was instrumental in the collapse, finishing with three for 11.

Saqlain vital

Victory had looked unlikely when Surrey, who lost the toss, crumbled to 42 for four.

Ashley Cowan, who returned four for 16 from 8.3 overs, stifled the run-rate early on and captured the wicket of Ian Ward.

But a cameo 16-ball knock from Hollioake - in which he clubbed 27 runs - kickstarted a mini-revival.

Surrey were 82 for five when he departed, and Saqlain Mushtaq picked up where Hollioake left off despite wickets falling around him.

The Pakistani, batting at number nine, hit 28 to be Surrey's top-scorer - and it would not be apparent until later just how vital his contribution was.

Essex: D D J Robinson, W I Jefferson, J P Stephenson, A Flower (Wkt), R C Irani (Capt), A P Grayson, M L Pettini, J M Dakin, A P Cowan, G R Napier, J B Grant.

Surrey: I J Ward, A D Brown, M R Ramprakash, R Clarke, N Shahid, A J Hollioake (Capt), J N Batty (Wkt), M P Bicknell, Saqlain Mushtaq, E S H Giddins, T J Murtagh.

Umpires: J H Evans and J W Lloyds