ROGERS IN COMMAND AGAIN by Marcus Hook
Surrey 352 v Derbyshire 451 & 161-3.

Coming on top of his double century in the first innings, Chris Rogers's chanceless 99 not out off 126 balls trumped Mark Ramprakash's 109th first-class hundred. Ramprakash, who forged a positive sixth wicket alliance with Gareth Batty, was central to Surrey avoiding the follow-on. But the true value of his 102 in 229 minutes is that it gives Derbyshire some thinking to do. The visitors are currently 260 ahead, but with the pitch showing no further signs of deterioration it would take a brave man to set Surrey less than 350 to win.

But first, the Derbyshire skipper Chris Rogers will have an eye on reaching three figures for the second time in the match. Barring a change to the existing Home Office regulations, this could well be Rogers's last season in county cricket, which would be a loss for all concerned; especially for his current employers, whom he has spared the complications that some counties have fallen victim to in their efforts to sign overseas players.

The 32-year-old picked up where he left off in the first innings by clipping Jade Dernbach through mid-wicket for four in the second over. On the stroke of tea Rogers drove Stuart Meaker to the rope at cover with such authority it is hard to believe he has only represented Australia on one occasion.

Rogers cut Tim Linley for four, but later in the same over, the 14th, Wayne Madsen was trapped leg before for fifteen. Nine overs later, 50-1 became 73-2 when Paul Borrington prodded at Gareth Batty and was caught at slip.

Earlier, with Surrey resuming on 189-5, Batty announced himself with successive boundaries either side of the wicket off Robin Peterson in the sixth over of the day. In the next over Mark Ramprakash square and then cover drove Tim Groenewald for four to move to 73. The introduction of Graham Wagg from the Pavilion End saw Batty unfurl some authoritative cover drives. Not to be upstaged, Ramprakash despatched Peterson to the third man fence twice in the 74th over.

Five overs later, the former Middlesex man reached his first championship hundred of the new season - the fourth year in a row his first knock in four-day cricket has produced a century - which came off 184 balls and included 18 boundaries. But in the 82nd over, having been handed the second new ball by Rogers, Mark Footitt made Ramprakash his first scalp for Derbyshire.

Meaker kept Batty company for ten overs before falling to a catch at short extra cover to give Peterson a second success. Batty, having brought up a 94-ball half century just before lunch, took Surrey past the follow-on target in the 95th over with a forcing shot to the rope at wide long-off off Groenewald.

But six overs later, having almost been caught at extra cover for 59 off Greg Smith's part-time off-spin, Batty, on one knee, slapped the 26-year-old all-rounder straight to Borrington in the covers to make it 326-8. Batty's 65 had come from 115 deliveries and it included 13 boundaries.

The ninth wicket stand between Andre Nel and Tim Linley was far from dull with Surrey striving to bag a fourth batting point and the Derbyshire seamers giving Nel a dose of his own medicine.

Nel rose to the challenge by hooking a short delivery from Footitt for four to take his side to 349, but the South African perished next ball when Linley called him through for a quick single to the wicketkeeper, Lee Goddard, whose shy at the stumps at the batsmen's end overtook Nel and cannoned into the timbers at the bowler's end.

With Linley being trapped leg before on the back foot in the next over, Derbyshire held a 99-run advantage going into their second dig.

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