Niall O'Brien's explosive 81 not out helped Northants make short work of Surrey's meagre total of 134 in the Steelbacks' eight-wicket Pro-40 victory at Wantage Road.

The Irish wicketkeeper plundered his 81 off just 73 balls including 12 fours and three sixes to steer Northants home with over 24 overs to spare.

The stage had been set for O'Brien's fireworks by the Northants bowlers with only three Surrey batsmen edging past double figures.

David Lucas finished with three for 43 while Johan van der Wath, Monty Panesar and Nicky Boje all claimed two wickets apiece.

Surrey got off to a poor start from which they would never recover when Lucas claimed an early victim bowling Michael Brown (8).

And things got worse when Stewart Walters (9) went in the same fashion in the next over to van der Wath.

Usman Afzaal, who hit 204 earlier this season when the two sides met in the County Championship, only made nine before he was trapped lbw by Lucas.

Van der Wath took a good low catch off his own delivery to dismiss Gary Wilson (9) before Lucas claimed his third wicket when he had Chris Schofield (7) out lbw to leave Surrey fighting to salvage their innings on 46 for five.

Rangana Herath and Matthew Spriegel had a lively partnership of 58 before Spriegel (18) got himself out by badly mistiming a reverse sweep off a Panesar delivery and was bowled.

Herath, Surrey's top scorer with 39, then edged to O'Brien to become Boje's first victim.

Jade Dernbach (8) ran himself out, Tom Jewell (1) was bowled by Boje and Pedro Collins (2) was stumped by O'Brien to leave Surrey on 134 all out.

Defending such a modest target, the Brown Caps needed quick wickets to have any chance and Jade Dernbach provided one.

Stephen Peters (7) edged one in the fifth over and Wilson took an easy catch.

This briefly raised Surrey's hopes, but Northants were halfway to their target by the end of the ninth over as they looked to be in a hurry with O'Brien reaching his half-century off just 33 balls to take the game away from Surrey once and for all.

His knock included three huge sixes hit towards the members' area at Wantage Road and although Andrew Hall (21) was stumped, Riki Wessels stuck around with O'Brien to see Northants home with ease.