They say that today's youth has worryingly a short attention span. Surrey's 23-year-old batsman James Benning seems to bear this out. So far this season he has scored 384 first-class runs at an average of 96, and at faster than a run a ball. However, his unbeaten 63 in 43 deliveries was just what the ambling Brown Caps needed yesterday as they approached the task of chasing down a target of 177.

The on ground bookmaker was offering a generous 13-1 for a spread of 81-90 runs in the days' opening session. Given the hard work Surrey initially made of things, the manager of the gambling establishment must have been sweating even more heavily than he would have been anyway as a morning of unbroken sunshine progressed slowly.

As it turned out the home side dined on 101 for three from 32 overs. Eight of the runs had been supplied by two boundaries by Benning, who went past 1,000 first-class career runs with the first, which skipped past wide mid-on off the bowling of Tim Phillips.

When Benning came to the crease Mark Ramprakash had 38 to his name. However, it was clear from the fourth over after the break that it would not take Benning long to catch up and overtake his senior partner. He took fifteen off the over from James Middlebrook, including a huge six that cleared the roof of Whitgift School's quaint pavilion.

Ryan ten Doeschate was also taken for three boundaries in an over by Benning, the third of which was a pulled six over mid-on off a no-ball. He reached his half-century in just 33 deliveries and is third maximum, over long-off, came in what proved the penultimate over. But, along the way, Benning lost Ramprakash and gained Rikki Clarke as his partner.

Earlier, ten Doeschate settled into a better rhythm after sending down three consecutive no-balls in the fifth over, having Scott Newman caught behind off an attempted cut-cum-slash two overs later.

Batty and Ramprakash's watchful modus operandi was occasionally broken whenever the Essex bowlers were guilty of dropping the ball slightly too short outside off stump. But the introduction of Middlebrook brought the next breakthrough, when Jonathan Batty, attempting the sweep that led to his downfall in the first innings, was bowled.

The 29th over saw Ramprakash take Tim Phillips for three boundaries. The first disappeared through extra cover off the back foot, the next was driven past wide mid-on and, to underline his domination, the former Middlesex man then reeled off a perfect cover drive.

Mark Butcher was not in such good touch. After off driving Middlebrook for four the Surrey skipper was out to the same bowler, caught off pad and bat.

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