It seems the end of the season cannot come soon enough for the deposed champions. In Surrey’s first match of the post Stewart era, there was also no Ward – not entirely surprising given his comments in yesterday’s edition of The Times – no Butcher, no Thorpe, no Hollioake and even no Bicknell. In fact it was easier to find the established names in their line-up, of which there were just four – Batty, Brown, Clarke and Salisbury.

The Oval itself had a real end of term feeling about it. Even the clock at the Vauxhall End had stopped. That was soon rectified, though the mind boggles at how big the replacement battery needed to be.

On the pitch, although Surrey made a respectable looking 318 after Ian Salisbury had won the toss, their first innings contained more than its fair share of injudicious shots and mental seizures. Unfortunately for the home side their fresh-faced seam attack were equally lacking in discipline late in the day.

Only two of their number could be spared any criticism – Jonathan Batty and Ben Scott (Surrey’s wicketkeeper and reserve stumper), both of whom made responsible half-centuries and in the process underlined why three accomplished glovemen in the same squad is one too many.

Apart from the early departure of Scott Newman to a catch behind off an attempted drive, the day started brightly for Surrey, with Batty and Shahid putting on 103 in next no time for the second wicket.

At one point the wicketkeeper cum opener cut successive balls from Mohammed Akram over the slips for four and six, either side of which Nadeem Shahid recorded a new personal best for this fixture courtesy of an entertaining 67 off only 54 balls.

Shahid was particularly severe on Andy Clarke, whom he took for five boundaries in two overs before opting to employ the reverse sweep against James Middlebrook, which resulted in a straightforward catch for Mark Pettini at backward point stroke short fine leg.

Middlebrook had two more successes before lunch. The first when Rikki Clarke rocked back in readiness to cut the spinner off his stumps, only to then play no stroke, and the second when Alistair Brown continued his hot and cold – though mainly cold – season by gifting a catch to Bopara on the deep mid-wicket boundary.

James Benning caught the eye briefly after the break, but somehow managed to break his castle before really setting himself.

Batty’s half-century came from 78 balls, and included one six and eight fours. But when the 29-year-old was almost within sight of his fourth hundred of the season, he pulled Graham Napier on to his stumps.

The Essex captain Andy Flower then produced a wonderful diving catch at first slip to dismiss Salisbury, which left the hosts on 241 for seven. But thanks to an eighth wicket stand of 59 in nineteen overs between Scott and Murtagh, Surrey reached the three hundred mark, whereupon Tim Murtagh holed out to straight mid-wicket.

Philip Sampson became James Middlebrook’s fourth victim, when he was palpably leg before playing back, and when Neil Saker had his off and middle stumps parted by Napier, Ben Scott was left stranded, but not unbowed on 58.

After losing Will Jefferson to the third ball of their reply, the already relegated Essex progressed confidently to 112 for one at the close. Alastair Cook made an eye-catching half-century, his third in as many championship games, from just 32 balls, despatching nine fours either side of the wicket while Flower moved to 47.

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