Having spent the first two days at Guildford stationed on the boundary, Kevin Pietersen not only claimed centre stage at Woodbridge Road, but also made up for lost time by motoring to his first championship double century in over nine years, thus enabling Surrey, who ended day three on 430-5, to eat into Lancashire's 485-7 declared.

Even though this contest is heading for a draw, Pietersen's exhibition of strokeplay will live long in the memory. His unbeaten 234 in 286 minutes, came off just 190 balls and showcased 8 sixes and 30 fours.

By no means was it a lone hand. Zander de Bruyn, with whom he put on 181 in 35 overs for the third wicket, rediscovered his form. Since Pietersen is unlikely to feature again for Surrey in the County Championship, de Bruyn's 94 off 159 balls - his highest score of the season - comes at a welcome time with trips to Nottinghamshire and then Warwickshire looming.

On a blustery day, Lancashire added a further 60 in nine overs to their overnight position. Steven Croft contributed another 50 in 35 deliveries en route to a career best 154 not out.

Stuart Meaker was given the first over of the day and Croft duly edged him to third man. In the next over, Croft bettered the scores of 122 he made in 2008 and 2011, though not before Jon Lewis had been lifted over midwicket for a maximum.

Ajmal Shahzad brought up the 450 for Lancashire by despatching Lewis through the leg-side for four. But it was Croft, who climbed into anything short of a length, who left the visitors with the lion's share of the morning session to make early inroads.

Indeed, needing 336 to avoid the follow-on, Surrey lost Rory Burns first ball, when the 21-year-old left-hander shouldered arms to Glen Chapple. De Bruyn's response was to pull the Lancashire captain to the boundary.

In the eighth over, Zafar Ansari unfurled a classic straight drive off Kyle Hogg for four and repeated the shot off Shahzad three overs later. De Bruyn despatched Shahzad for two successive fours, the first of which was driven confidently through point. But, just before lunch, Shahzad, opting to go around wicket, had Ansari caught low and to the left of Tom Smith at second slip for 21.

After the break, Pietersen whipped Shahzad through midwicket for four. Two overs later, the former England captain despatched Shahzad to long-off, ran an all-run four to long-on and then gave a leg stump half volley just what it deserved.

Pietersen lifted Simon Kerrigan's first delivery after switching ends over the sightscreen at the Railway End for six. In the 29th over, Pietersen swept the slow left-armer for four to bring up a 42-ball half-century.

De Bruyn moved to his third championship fifty of the season, in 89 deliveries, with his eighth boundary - a cut to the rope at backward point off Chapple - though not before Pietersen had pulled the 38-year-old seamer disdainfully for four.

In the 34th over, Pietersen pulled Shahzad past mid-on and away to the rope, but for the next thirty minutes Surrey only mustered 26 in eight overs. It proved to be the calm before the storm.

Pietersen secured Surrey's first batting point of the match, and their ninth of the summer, with the first of two successive fours off Shahzad. In the 47th over, Pietersen joined de Bruyn in the nineties when he deposited Kerrigan in the car park at the Railway End.

Two overs later, the veteran of 86 Tests launched a long hop from Kerrigan over the trees and into the neighbouring Dapdune Wharf to bring up his hundred off only 93 balls.

Just before tea, de Bruyn, looking to sweep, went leg before to Kerrigan, who was brought back down to earth shortly after the break when Pietersen clubbed him over long off for a maximum to make it 259-3.

Pietersen only needed 37 deliveries to turn his first championship hundred for over four years into 150. Immediately he got it, however, Steven Davies, who had been dropped at cover point on 19, edged Smith behind to depart for 22.

In the 75th over, Pietersen moved to 196 by lifting a full toss from Kerrigan over square leg. But, three overs later, Jason Roy, who was just beginning to set about the bowling himself, hooked Shahzad straight down the throat of Kerrigan at deep fine leg to make it 391-5.

Pietersen brought up his double hundred, off 170 balls, with a single to deep square leg off Shahzad. It contained 7 sixes and 25 fours. But, still, Pietersen craved more. In the last five overs he clubbed a further five fours and drilled Kerrigan into the sightscreen, which left the 23-year-old to reflect on figures of one for 152 off 23 overs.

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