With James Taylor becoming the youngest Leicestershire player ever to make a first-class double-century, the Foxes racked up 593 for five declared - their highest total in five years as well as their highest score at the Oval - before bad light and rain put paid to any further action on day two with Surrey facing a follow-on target of 444.

Taylor’s unbeaten 207, which lasted seven hours, came off 329 balls and included 21 fours and two sixes was a faultless display, made even more remarkable given that the 19-year-old was still attending Shrewsbury School just over a year ago.

It is easy to see why he was named Schools’ Cricketer of the Year in 2008. Resuming on 52, Taylor collected two off-side boundaries off Jade Dernbach in the third over of the day. Just before lunch he brought up his hundred, in 224 deliveries, by scampering a two to mid-wicket off Tim Linley; though not before Tom New, attempting to cut Linley, had been caught behind for an 84-ball 53 to become Jonathan Batty’s 550th victim in first-class cricket, to make it 363-5.

Taylor and New had added 105 in 29 overs for the fifth wicket, but that was to be dwarfed by Taylor’s unbeaten sixth wicket partnership of 230 in 42 overs in harness with Jacques du Toit, who announced his arrival at the crease by hitting Chris Schofield straight down the ground for four before immediately smearing the former England leg-spinner over extra cover.

Having stuck their task manfully, a fifth session in the field proved to be a session too far for the Surrey bowlers as Taylor and du Toit put on 184 between lunch and tea. Shortly after the break, Chris Jordan had lbw shouts against both batsmen turned down and Taylor toe-ended a cut through the slips to third man off the unlucky 20-year-old, but, after that, it was hard to recall a time when the sixth wicket pair looked troubled.

In the 133rd over, Taylor went past his previous best of 122 not out, which came against Middlesex at Southgate back in May, by bi-secting Andre Nel and Usman Afzaal, who were both stationed on the rope behind square on the leg-side, off the bowling of Jordan.

Taylor, pulling out of a pull shot, was hit on the elbow by Dernbach, who then struck du Toit on the box two overs later. But, in the 141st over, there was a worrying injury to Michael Brown, who, fielding at short leg, took a full-blooded pull shot by Taylor off Schofield on the back of the neck.

Brown played no further part in proceedings. Two overs later, du Toit brought up his fifty off 79 balls, which was immediately followed by Taylor reaching his 150 in 288 deliveries, when the 19-year-old swept Schofield fine for two.

The next five overs saw five maximums being hit, Taylor taking two off Schofield - the second of which was caught over the rope at deep mid-wicket by Jordan - and du Toit hitting Afzaal for three sixes straight down the ground.

In the 156th over, Taylor brought up his double-century by hooking Jordan for four and shortly afterwards set the highest score by a Leicestershire batsman against Surrey, beating Ben Smith’s 204 against Adam Hollioake’s men in 1998.

Just before tea, du Toit marked his first championship appearance of the season with a three-figure score. As soon as it was reached Boeta Dippenaar called his men in.

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