Surrey, who were led in the field by Graham Thorpe in the absence of Ramprakash – who is likely to be out of action for two to three weeks after sustaining a hairline fracture to his right thumb on Thursday – ran out out of steam on a Lord’s pitch that, at the game progressed, offered nothing to the spinners and only occasional variable bounce to the quicks. Yesterday, apart from the wicket, their principal antagonists were Middlesex’s two Eds – Smith and Joyce – and latterly Scott Styris, who made an entertaining 55 off 66 balls.

From the moment Joyce was given a life, when umpire John Steele turned down a caught behind shout off Dominic Thornely – immediately after the Aussie had disposed of Owais Shah – the result became increasingly academic. Apart from the departure of Dalrymple and Styris in consecutive overs, the problem for the visitors was that their successes were evenly spread.

But all credit to Middlesex. Surrey were keen not to make it three draws in a row in the County Championship, so it was vital that the top order saw off the new ball, which was ten overs old when Ben Hutton was out to a skilful take at second slip by Alistair Brown and nineteen overs gone when Thornely unsettled Shah, who was out gloving to the keeper.

Just recently, third-wicket stands have been a worry for Surrey. Prior to yesterday, they were conceding them at an average of 90.18. It was hardly a surprise, therefore, when Smith and Joyce dug in. Their alliance, which lasted twenty overs, became the fourth 100-plus third-wicket partnership in nine innings against the Oval outfit in the championship. Two of them have been big ones as well – Stephen Fleming and David Hussey put on 206 for Notts at the Oval, but that was eclipsed by Robert Key and Martin van Jaarsveld’s 323 in the second innings at Tunbridge Wells.

Ed Smith took six fours off Jimmy Ormond’s opening eight-over spell and needed just 65 balls to bring up his second half-century of the match, in the 22nd over, when he despatched Tim Murtagh through point off the back foot. Five overs after lunch Joyce brought up his own fifty, in 47 balls, and the 150 in one stroke – an on-driven three off Harbhajan Singh.

Joyce was eventually leg before to the Indian’s quicker ball, delivered from around the wicket. Eight overs later Smith’s three-hour occupation was ended by the re-introduction of Thornely, who had the former Kent man playing lazily. Smith’s 88 was his highest score of the season. It lasted 139 balls and included fourteen fours.

At least the sparse crowd was treated to some clean hitting from Scott Styris, whose straight drive off Harbhajan prompted his withdrawal from the attack. Styris also cover drove two fours in Ormond’s first over back into the attack. The New Zealander brought up his half-century with his tenth boundary, a pull to backward square leg off Bicknell, in 60 deliveries.

The next over, the 60th, saw Jamie Dalrymple, driving, caught at second slip off Ormond. After tea Bicknell had Styris dabbing to point, but even though Ben Scott went on to make an unbeaten 61 the Kiwi’s departure was the last of the meaningful action.

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