At times at The Oval yesterday the cricket may have been as dull as the overhead conditions. But one thing you could say about Derbyshire's no frills approach was that it proves sticking to the basics often has its reward. Surrey looked impatient in the field and when their turn to bat did, finally, arrive the Brown Caps' top order were, with the exception of Batty, all guilty of contributing to their own downfall. With the visitors 236 runs in front, it is quite possible that those tipping Derbyshire to prop up Division Two this summer are already eating their words. If Surrey are to avoid an opening round defeat, much appears to hinge on their new vice-captain, Rikki Clarke building upon his unbeaten half-century; especially if the shoulder injury Alistair Brown sustained in the field late on Wednesday afternoon fails to clear up.

In reply to Derbyshire's highest ever total against the Brown Caps, the hosts made relatively slow progress initially, losing Jonathan Batty in the eighteenth over to one that kept low; though not before the Surrey stumper had gone past 5,000 first-class runs for the county. Scott Newman, however, took advantage of the unattended third man region and went to his half-century in 81 balls by pulling Steffan Jones for his ninth boundary.

The 26-year-old southpaw also brought up the three figures with a crisp drive straight down the ground off Graeme Welch. But, with the tea break approaching, the benefit of the visitors maintaining a steady line and length lured Newman into playing a ball from Jones that he could otherwise have left. Newman was snapped up low down at first slip by Steve Stubbings, who had earlier reprieved Batty, on 10, when the ball appeared to carry to him off the bowling of Ian Hunter.

With Mark Butcher departing in the fourth over after the break, to a straightforward catch at second slip, his side were in no small amount of trouble. But any notions Derbyshire may have had of making their hosts follow-on were dispelled by an entertaining fourth wicket alliance between Mark Ramprakash and Rikki Clarke that harvested 87 runs in just sixteen overs.

Ant Botha, operating over the wicket and getting enough turn to suggest that batting may not be so easy on day four, was punched through extra cover twice in three deliveries by Ramprakash, who reached his fifty in 87 deliveries by sweeping the slow left-armer to fine leg in the 50th over. Moments later Clarke danced down the wicket and lifted Botha over long-off for the only six of the day. But when Mo Sheikh replaced Hunter at the Pavilion End five overs later Ramprakash suffered a fate similar to Newman and Butcher's.

Azhar Mahmood, whose last innings for Surrey was a career best 204 not out, rounded off proceedings with an eye-catching 31, but it was Clarke, who progressed to an unbeaten 55 off 72 balls, who gave his team-mates something to smile about at the end of a long and frustrating day.

Earlier, Derbyshire achieved maximum batting points and then made certain that Surrey were denied a third bowling bonus point, despite losing David Pipe to the third ball of proceedings. Dropped at short-leg off the bowling of Nayan Doshi, Botha, who was on 83 at the time, reached the third century of his career off 246 balls. In partnership with Sheikh, who made 51 not out off 102 balls, 86 runs were added for Derbyshire's eighth wicket. On the stroke of lunch Ian Salisbury cleaned up the last two wickets to take his tally first-class tally for Surrey to three hundred.

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