Perhaps it is because having overdosed on Twenty20 cricket for the past month yesterday's proceedings at Wantage Road had a somewhat pedestrian feel about them. Notwithstanding that, the opening day of Surrey's first visit to Northampton since 2006 produced 326 runs and fourteen wickets. Andre Nel has not played here since September 2003. His unfamiliarity with the surroundings must have extended to the surface served up for this contest, which gave the seamers remarkable encouragement. So much so, in fact, there were only seven overs of spin. As a result, play did not finish until 7.10pm, by which point it was the visitors who had their noses in front, though only due to Nel's best return in county cricket and because Jonathan Batty and Usman Afzaal had both been handed reprieves.

The runs seemed to come in bursts. For Northamptonshire, who lost the toss and were inserted, only Stephen Peters came to terms with the conditions early on; though his penchant for playing the cut stroke was encouraged by Ryan Harris. Nel, however, made excellent use of the new ball, accounting for Robert White and Mark Nelson in his opening spell of 9-1-20-2.

Jade Dernbach's fourth over saw the downfall of Nicky Boje, who was caught out by some extra bounce. The 23-year-old struck again shortly after lunch when he had Peters caught at mid-off for 59. Three overs later David Willey's painfully slow innings came to an end when he drove loosely at Nel and was caught at third slip. Harris then got in on the act at long last by getting one to nip back sharply to Andrew Hall, who, having made and entertaining 23, chose to shoulder arms.

With Nel making short work of David Murphy, who hung out his bat, and David Lucas, who was undone by a full-length inswinging delivery, Northamptonshire looked unlikely to register any batting points. But thanks to Johann van der Wath and Monty Panesar their ninth wicket produced 58. The senior partner was Panesar, who played some attractive drives. As Surrey's frustration increased, Harris limped off with a knee injury, leaving Nel and Dernbach to finish the home side off.

In the 57th over, van der Wath, driving at Nel, was caught at backward point by Stewart Walters, who was on the field as substitute for Harris. Three overs later, Panesar was one run way from equalling his career best when he gave Batty his fifth catch of the innings.

Surrey's reply got off to a bad start when Michael Brown, with both feet planted, was bowled by an inswinging yorker from Lucas in the fourth over and Scott Newman, digging out a full-length ball from van der Wath, was caught behind to make it 24-2 in the fifth.

Mark Butcher got off the mark by driving the first ball he received through extra cover for four. Butcher, in partnership with Mark Ramprakash, helped to put on 49 for the visitors' third wicket. In the 21st over, the Brown Caps' skipper drove David Wigley to the boundary at extra cover, but, then, next ball, played him on the up to mid-off.

The unusual sight of Mark Ramprakash being bowled by a ball that appeared to creep between bat and pad made it 94-4 four overs later. In the 27th over, Batty, on four, was dropped at third slip off Wigley and four overs later Afzaal, driving uppishly on 16, was put down at backward point off van der Wath. The pair will no doubt be hoping their luck carries over into today.

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