The new Surrey manager, Chris Adams has warned the Surrey members not to expect too much from the Brown Caps this season. On the evidence of this game, he could not have managed expectations better. Even when the likes of Ramprakash, Butcher and, as is rumoured, Harbhajan Singh come into the side it is hard to see them challenging for promotion come September. Of the seven sessions contested here, Gloucestershire, who did not won a single match in Division Two last term, had the upper hand in at least five, arguably six.

Surrey are no strangers to barren runs themselves. The Brown Caps have now equalled the second longest spell in their 164-year history without a victory in first-class cricket - sixteen; the longest being 22 matches straddling the end of 1901 and the beginning of 1902.

After making their lowest first innings total at the Oval since 1999, the home side, following-on, soon found themselves faltering once more at 24-2. Laurie Evans, shouldering arms to Jon Lewis, being claimed behind off a glove in the seventh over and, two overs later, Matthew Spriegel going to a catch at slip off the part-time off-spin of Chris Taylor. But with no realistic hope of winning the match, Gloucestershire repaired their flagging over-rate, so as to avoid losing any points from a game that they would, in all probability, have won had it not been for the loss of over a day and a half to the elements.

Earlier, the hosts began day four much as they had ended day two. Resuming on 18-3, Surrey were soon in even deeper trouble at 46-6 - 138 adrift of the follow-on target of 184. In the seventh over of the day, Jonathan Batty had any hopes of celebrating his 35th birthday dashed when, looking to force Steve Kirby through cover off the back foot, he lost his middle stump off an inside edge.

Four overs later, James Benning fell leg before to Kirby for a ten-ball duck and, in the 28th over, Chris Jordan, who survived a chance to third slip off Ian Saxleby before opening his account, edged James Franklin to first slip.

Usman Afzaal, who held firm for nearly four hours, then found a useful ally in Chris Schofield. Together they added 44 in the twelve overs before lunch, with, at one point, Schofield despatching Vikram Banerjee through the off-side for two fours in the space of three deliveries.

But the partnership only lasted until the third ball after lunch when Schofield, sweeping, bottom-edged Banerjee on to his stumps. Nine overs later Murtaza Hussain, who made a belligerent fifty against Yorkshire in similar circumstances a year ago, was reluctantly walking back to the pavilion after pushing Saxleby into the hands of Kadeer Ali at short leg.

Afzaal then opted to play with more freedom, twice cover driving Kirby to the extra cover fence in the 53rd over. But three overs later Banerjee tossed one up to Andre Nel to make it 133-9.

With Afzaal hoisting Lewis over third man for six, before backing away to despatch him through cover, and Jade Dernbach providing entertaining support, a modicum of respectability was brought to Surrey's batting performance. In the 62nd over Afzaal lifted Saxleby over mid-on for four, to go to 65, but next ball, trying to repeat the stroke Franklin held on to a routine catch.

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