Looking at today’s dodgy weather forecast, if, as it now seems, Lancashire have done enough to avoid defeat in this match, they will be heavily indebted to Carl Hooper, who yesterday arrested his side’s decline by stroking a magnificent 114 off 147 balls.

Hooper’s staunchest ally proved to be a most unlikely one – the Red Roses’ number eleven Gary Keedy. The former West Indies captain was one shy of his half-century when Keedy joined him in the middle. But together they put on 79 in nineteen overs for the last wicket, even though Keedy’s only contribution was a riskily taken single.

Of more concern to Surrey, however, is what not taking a win from this match will do to their chances of retaining the County Championship. However, with the pendulum swinging away from the Oval outfit during the last hour, who can say that they cannot be beaten? The game could not be more finely poised.

The home side wasted no time finishing off their opponents. 17 balls into the day’s play Jonathan Batty became only the third Surrey player to carry his bat against Lancashire when Peter Martin flattened Tim Murtagh’s off stump. The last man to achieve the feat at Old Trafford was Harry Jupp in 1870, and the only Surrey opener to do it at The Oval was Tom Hayward in 1907.

Lancashire lost both openers before lunch. Iain Sutcliffe went tamely, tucking Azhar Mahmood into Adam Hollioake’s midriff at short leg, but the fifty arrived in thirteen overs and it looked for a while as if the pitch, which had pace and bounce as well as some turn for the spinners, was full of runs. Soon afterwards, however, Mark Chilton launched himself into a reckless pull at a ball of full length from Murtagh and was bowled middle stump.

That brought in Stuart Law, this season’s leading run-maker in the championship. In partnership with Mark Currie 109 runs were added in equal time for the third wicket. The Queenslander played some exquisite shots and reached the half-century-mark, in 57 deliveries, with his eighth boundary. Law gave just one half-chance, on 13, when a mistimed drive off Saqlain Mushtaq fell inches short of mid-on, before eventually toe-ending a loose ball from Ian Salisbury to the same man.

Following Law’s demise Lancashire wavered as three more wickets fell for eight runs in 14 balls. After three hours of occupation, championship debutant Currie provided Jimmy Ormond with his fiftieth first-class wicket of the season when the 23-year-old was caught at second slip, driving at an outswinger. It was not before time. Currie had been dropped twice, by wicketkeeper and slip, off the bowling first of Saqlain and then of Rikki Clarke. A comedy of errors also prevented him from being run out on 55 when he was stranded after being sent back following Hooper’s push into the covers.

Thanks to Lancashire’s benevolent nature these missed chances were made up for by some indisciplined shot selection, as the home side descended from the affluence of 169-2 to 183-6 and then to 262-9, which still left them 75 behind and beginning to face the prospect of defeat.

Chris Schofield was leg before without scoring when he misread a googly from Salisbury and Glen Chapple hung his bat out to Ormond. Then, shortly after tea, Azhar tempted Warren Hegg, who was caught at deep square leg, and cut one away from Martin before John Wood was lost his head and was bowled by Salisbury.

But then with Ormond off the field and Hollioake missing the last two sessions due the continuation of a virus, Surrey began to flag. Although they tried the visitors failed to starve Hooper of the strike. The 36-year-old, who was dropped at square leg off vicious pull off Saqlain on 88, hooked Azhar into the Members' Stand and soon added two more sixes to his tally as Salisbury was despatched over long off. His hundred arrived off 124 balls, and he soon added a fourth and fifth six from successive balls, this time over long on, when Clarke returned to the attack.

Hooper’s fifth maximum gave Lancashire an unlikely lead. But then he carved the first delivery with the second new ball down to Salisbury at third man.

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