Yesterday, when the visitors were faltering at 57 for three, it seemed as if they might throw away the advantage of winning the toss and choosing to bat first on a pitch that is likely to provide the batsmen with a severe examination as this match progresses. Instead, Mark Ramprakash and Jonathan Batty, who has risen to the challenge of playing captain’s knocks at number five superbly, took a deep breath and adopted a ‘thou shall not pass’ mind-set.

Ramprakash, who was in the twenties at the time, went on to score his 70th first-class hundred while Batty – who now has a championship average of 77.88 as a middle-order batsman this summer – made a valuable 61 in three hours from 150 balls. The pair shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 180 and when he reached 27 Ramprakash passed 1,000 domestic first-class runs for the tenth time in eleven years.

Afterwards the Surrey skipper reckoned Ramprakash’s 161 in 282 deliveries, which included 19 fours and a straight six off off-spinner Jason Brown, was one of the best innings he had ever witnessed. Batty said: “Ramps played one of the best innings I have ever seen, on a wicket that was turning. He is a run machine. I don’t know how he keeps doing it. He said to me earlier that the did not think he had been as ruthless as he could have been this year. But I think he has been excellent. He is just one of the best players and he has gone out and proved it again. I have not played on a wicket like that in my career. It was really tough going, but we have come through it and have got into a good position."

Ramprakash, playing everything on its merits and using his feet well, went to fifty off 115 balls and only needed another 77 to reach three figures for the fourth time this season. The former Middlesex man only had two moments of good fortune. The first when, with 66 to his name, he pushed the ball to mid-on and decided to take on the arm of Ben Phillips; and the second, on 115, when Tim Roberts should have done much better to get to a chance at short fine-leg.

Batty, who reached his half-century with a straight six off Graeme Swann, was stumped shortly after tea. Ramprakash finally went to the first delivery with the second new ball, losing his off-stump to Carl Greenidge. Adam Hollioake contributed a 68-ball fifty which contained five fours and two sixes to the Surrey total before being undone by Johann Louw’s slower ball. But visitors’ 380 for six puts them on course to make the second highest first innings total at Northampton since the beginning of last season.

Rikki Clarke fell very early, when his attempted drive through the on side went to Roberts at cover, and Scott Newman and James Benning perished in the same over, with Jason Brown - who was on as early as the twelfth – picking up two wickets in four balls. Newman gave Toby Bailey an easy stumping before Benning, driving at the third delivery he received, was bowled off-stump through the gate.

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