Yesterday, as Surrey moved watchfully to 157 for two in reply to Middlesex’s 437 all out, Richard Clinton provided his side a foothold in this contest by making an unbeaten 73 off 179 balls. However, the pace of events, not to mention the loss of 18.2 overs to bad light, already suggests this game is heading inexorably towards a draw. Only a lack of application this morning on the part of the visitors is likely to give the game a different complexion.

It would certainly be in keeping if things did finish with honours even. Four out of the last five championship clashes between Middlesex and Surrey have ended in stalemate for one reason or another. Last year, at the Oval, the combination of heavy overnight rain and vandalism to the outfield put paid to most of the second day’s play, and in 2003 not a ball was bowled on the third day at Guildford because of rain.

Back to this year’s encounter, though, Clinton has been nothing but durable. He had one let off, at second slip off Alan Richardson when on 26, but put that behind him to favour the back foot clip shot square and behind square of the wicket on the off-side. The left-hander made well over eighty per cent of his runs in that region, despite a deeper first gully being employed on occasions to plug the gap just wide of the three slips.

At the other end he lost Newman in the fourth over, to a good catch low to the left of third slip off Richardson, who, in tandem with Irfan Pathan, kept Surrey to just 18 runs in their first fifteen overs.

When the change came Mark Ramprakash was unable to lay a bat on the first three deliveries from Chris Wright, a 19-year-old seamer who, despite his flat-footed approach, has an action similar to James Anderson’s and like the Lancastrian is able to generate a fair degree of pace.

Wright almost had the Surrey skipper caught at short leg by Ed Joyce for 11, but the youngster accounted for him in another sense by wrapping the former Middlesex man on the right thumb in the 24th over. In the 25th, however, Ramprakash decided that he could not carry on and retired hurt with the total on 71 for one.

That became 82 for two when, two overs later, Graham Thorpe’s forward prod was adjudged to have given a thin edge to the keeper. Thorpe looked less than pleased, but nevertheless accepted umpire Graham Burgess’s instantaneous verdict.

Overcast conditions accompanied the whole of the final session, which saw 13.4 overs being bowled for the addition of thirty unflustered runs. It was a little surprising, therefore, that the visitors took the light. But with Ramprakash nursing a badly bruised hand, the promise of a fresh start today proved too alluring. Richard Clinton will no doubt have dreamt last night of a second championship hundred in four innings.

Earlier, the Middlesex tail added 118 to their overnight score to leave the Surrey openers needing to face an over before lunch. Pathan, who recorded a career best 68, and Ben Scott frustrated the visitors by putting on 98 for the seventh-wicket.

The day got off to a brisk start with 24 runs coming off the first three overs. The third saw the Indian reach his half-century off 71 balls. Pathan may have been fortuitous to collect a couple of fours off top-edged pull strokes, but when Scott played likewise to Bicknell the ball was met by the middle of the bat.

The second delivery of the day from Harbhajan saw Pathan charge down the pitch and rifle his compatriot through extra cover, but four overs later the left-arm seamer went to sweep a ball that kept low and paid the price.

His 24-year-old partner needed 111 balls to pass fifty for the second time in this summer’s championship seven overs later. Martin Bicknell had both Wright and Richardson leg before, leaving Scott unbeaten on 64.

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