Leicestershire may be destined for the drop, but perhaps yesterday saw the foundations being laid for next season’s campaign to come straight back up from the second division.

Brad Hodge’s highest score of the summer and a maiden first-class century from John Maunders denied the visitors a valuable day off in the defence of their title. The pair put on 281 in 61 overs, thus establishing a Leicestershire record for the second wicket against Surrey, beating the 239 set by C.J.B.Wood and H.Whitehead at The Oval in 1911. If the home side can show equal resolve today, this year’s championship title might just be beginning its journey down the A23 to the south coast.

With Jimmy Ormond seeking to add to his one-hundred first-class wickets in chocolate trim, Hodge went on the counter-attack in booming fashion following the loss of Darren Maddy, who fended Clarke behind for 20. The Aussie reached his fifty, as did Maunders, in the same over as the former Leicestershire seamer conceded 17 runs and the hundred partnership was raised.

Having reached his half-century in only 52 balls, the compact Victorian just needed another 35 more to post his third championship hundred of the season, which was also the 1,000th first-class century to be scored by a Leicestershire batsman.

Despite being struck on the hand by Ormond, the 28-year-old, who is in talks with the management at Grace Road regarding a contract for next season, then yanked his aggressor for the three leg-side fours in one over before driving him through extra cover and cutting him down to the third man boundary in his next.

With the spinners occupying one end, eventually Adam Hollioake was forced to turn to Rikki Clarke, Tim Murtagh and finally himself at the other in an effort to prize out the obdurate Aussie. But there was no budging him as Leicestershire reached tea with 257-1 on the board, having been 56-1 at lunch.

Playing the role of the straight man – metaphorically, if not always literally – all this time was John Maunders who overcame a sticky start to contribute a patient, yet at the same time confident 126 not out. The 22-year-old left-hander batted for nearly six and a half hours. Leicestershire will no doubt be hoping he has finally made the transition from being a Middlesex second-stringer.

The second-wicket duo were just as hard to dislodge after the tea interval, which saw the immediate return of Azhar Mahmood. Not one of the Surrey bowlers bowled badly as such, however none of them really looked like getting a wicket until the spinners were employed in tandem for the last fifteen overs (possibly because the visitors noticed they were heading for the loss of a bonus point due to a tardy over-rate).

Brad Hodge reached his 150 in 160 deliveries by hitting Ian Salisbury straight down the ground. The Australian celebrated the landmark by cutting the Surrey leg-spinner’s next ball to the boundary. Four overs later, however, Salisbury got one to spit and thanks to the athleticism of Jonathan Batty had his man.

The visitors’ frustration was in stark contrast to the morning’s proceedings, which saw the home side being skittled out in exactly twelve overs. Vasbert Drakes was run out by Batty when the West Indian was called through for a quick single off Ian Salisbury by Paul Nixon. After driving the former Sussex man through the off-side for two fours, the Leicestershire wicketkeeper, sweeping, was adjudged leg before.

By this time Charlie Dagnall had taken a liking to the bowling of Murtagh, who was unlucky to have had him dropped at second slip by Graham Thorpe. However, it was not long before David Masters top edged Rikki Clarke’s first ball of the day into the waiting hands of Ian Ward at backward point.

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