IAN Salisbury has called on the Surrey players to remain positive despite suffering an innings defeat to Leicestershire.

The former England leg-spinner, who is now a coach at the Oval, said the team were not far off being a good side.

He said: "The Leicestershire game was more disappointing because we seem, at times, to take one step forward and two back.

"I just felt in the last two or three weeks, we started making steps forward without taking any back as we went unbeaten.

"You think we're turning the corner and, then, you get something like this.

"It hasn't gone for us in four-day cricket. I could give you an argument that we could have turned some of the losses into wins, a couple of draws into wins, but, ultimately, the critical moments we've lost.

"But I'm a big believer in what's done is done, we can't change it. It's the one thing you learn as a coach. Like in golf, it's always your next shot that's the most important."

As Salisbury admitted, he and Chris Adams will ultimately be judged on results.

So, it does not help that Surrey have lost three out of the four championship matches at the Brit Oval, in front of a membership that became accustomed to seeing a successful side when Keith Medlycott and Adam Hollioake were pulling the strings.

At Leicestershire, Surrey were about as far from the Hollioake era as possible. Only Jade Dernbach bowled with any real threat as the home side racked up a formidable 479 with Will Jefferson scoring a big century.

On a pitch that was increasingly taking turn Surrey would always have been up against it but the way they twice folded for little more than 200 will have been a real concern for Adams.

Salisbury said: "It's sad in a way that, on your home ground, the toss of a coin can have such an influence. Ultimately, Leicestershire bowled, batted and fielded better than us, but it was a great toss to win."