A magnificently controlled second-wicket partnership of 146 between Surrey's Michael Brown and Stewart Walters could not prevent Lancashire Lightning from securing a thrilling eight-run victory in a floodlit Pro40 match at Old Trafford.

Set 222 to win, Surrey had been reasonably placed for victory on 168 for one in the 33rd over.

But with both sides handicapped by Old Trafford's floodlights, Lancashire's spinners managed to throttle Surrey's run chase in the final stages of the game.

Slow left-armer Stephen Parry claimed the wickets of both Brown, bowled for an 97-ball 87, and Walters, caught by Steven Croft at deep square-leg for 63, to leave the new batsmen needing to score at eight an over in the gloom.

Requiring 34 runs off the last four overs and 12 from the final six deliveries of their innings, Usman Afzaal and Chris Schofield just failed in their quest and the Browncaps have lost both of their Pro40 games this season.

For Lancashire's seven-man attack the victory was sweet and for no-one more so than Tom Smith, who conceded just five runs and took the wickets of both Afzaal and Matthew Spriegel in a disciplined final over.

In the first innings of the game Lancashire's batsmen had limbered up for next Tuesday's Twenty20 quarter-final against Somerset by posting a respectable 221 for seven off their 40 overs.

The centrepiece of the home side's effort was an enterprising second-wicket partnership of 129 in 24 overs between Paul Horton and Smith, who made light of a slow wicket and exploited the fragility of the Surrey attack with some inventive strokeplay.

Horton confirmed his development as a resourceful one-day batsman by making 84 off 102 balls, while opening batsman Smith hit 54 off 72 deliveries.

However, any notions the Old Trafford batsmen might have had that they could reach a total of 250-plus were effectively demolished by the former Lancashire favourite Chris Schofield.

The 30-year-old Rochdale-born leg-spinner, who left the county in acrimonious circumstances in 2004, ran out Smith with a fast, accurate throw from deep square leg and then dismissed both Francois du Plessis and Horton to stop the home side's acceleration in its tracks.

Schofield was comfortably the pick of the Surrey attack and finished with figures of two for 36 from his eight overs.

The slow bowler was given good support late in the innings by seamer Jade Dernbach, who claimed two for 46, and by the ever-aggressive Andre Nel, whose two wickets cost 47 runs.

The usual late innings exchange of wickets for runs saw Lancashire achieve a run-rate of a shade over 5.5 an over and set up an intriguing second innings in breezy conditions.