A day which started so promisingly for Surrey, turned into a trying one for the Oval outfit, a mildly satisfying one for Nottinghamshire, but, ultimately, a frustrating one for all concerned, given that just six more overs were possible after the rain made its first appearance at 2.10pm. Thanks to their skipper, Chris Read, who was abetted by Adam Voges, the hosts recovered from being 84 for five to close the opening day, which only saw 42 overs, on 178 for five.

Nottinghamshire fielded the same side as the one that was denied by the weather against Middlesex at Uxbridge. Not so the visitors, who stood down Gareth Batty, their acting skipper, for only the second time in the County Championship since the former England off-spinner rejoined Surrey at the start of 2010. Chris Tremlett, who was described as feeling "heavy legged", was also conspicuous by his absence from the starting line-ups. So, in came Chris Jordan and Tim Linley, while the Surrey captaincy passed not to Steven Davies - the official vice-captain - but Zander de Bruyn.

After losing the toss and being inserted, Nottinghamshire's opening pair collected five boundaries in the first two overs. In the fourth over, Riki Wessels despatched Linley for two successive fours, one of which was driven, classically, through cover.

The next over saw Alex Hales cut Jon Lewis to the rope at deep backward point, but then Linley squared up Wessels, who was snaffled at first slip by Jordan for 23. Michael Lumb's response was to drive the very next ball for four.

The former Hampshire man straight drove the last delivery of the tenth over back past Linley to make it 45-1. But, three overs later, Hales bottom edged a back foot drive off Lewis on to his stumps.

Samit Patel punched his first ball to the rope at extra cover to bring up the fifty for Nottinghamshire only for Lumb to go leg before to Jordan, who got one to nip back off the seam to the 32-year-old left-hander.

Patel was caught down the leg-side off Jordan, though not before edging Stuart Meaker's sixth delivery to third man. In the 20th over, Jordan, whose first four overs were maidens, was driven to the rope at cover by James Taylor, who then repeated the dose against Meaker.

Two overs later, Voges, on five, was put down at third slip. Had Matthew Spriegel held on to the head high chance off Meaker, Notts would have been 78-5. Later in the same over, Taylor glanced Meaker to the fine leg boundary, but departed next ball when, drawn into an edge, the 22-year-old was late in withdrawing his bat.

Surrey's tails were up at that point, but then Read and Voges more than doubled the score during the 19 overs that followed. In the 24th, the Western Australian unfurled a beautiful straight drive, which flew back past Jordan for four.

Then, in the space of three deliveries, Voges drove and pulled Meaker for boundaries. In the 26th over, Read brought the hundred up for Notts by clipping a full length ball from Jordan to the rope at deep midwicket. Two balls later, Read flicked the Barbadian through backward square leg.

With the Nottinghamshire captain straight driving Meaker and cutting Murali Kartik, the hosts dined on 118 for five. After the break, Read despatched both Linley and Lewis through extra cover for four, but, sadly, the weather then got in on the act.

When play resumed at 3.40pm, following an early tea, Read cover drove Linley, who was edged over the slips later in the same over by Voges. Another break for rain was followed by another three overs, by which time Read had advanced to 49 off 63 balls, with eight fours, and Voges to 38 not out from 70.

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