In what is the third championship match of the new season for both of these sides, Surrey recorded their first batting bonus points. Middlesex already have ten, and they are yet to bat in this game. The visitors must wait until Mark Ramprakash gets out or until the 39-year-old runs out of partners. Yesterday, after taking guard for the first time in this year's competition, he struck a measured 126 not out against his former employers. For five and a half hours, the only false shot Ramprakash played came shortly after he had reached the 104th century of his first-class career, when a leading edge landed between the bowler, Alan Richardson, and mid-off.

In recent years Ramprakash has developed a knack of opening his championship account with a hundred. He did it in 2005, 2007 and 2008, each time in Surrey's first innings. His record at the Oval is such that he has now scored more first-class runs there in 62 appearances than he has done in 101 matches at Lord's - before yesterday he had made 106 more at the home of cricket. However, his record against Middlesex is even better - he averages over one hundred against them. In many ways therefore yesterday's masterful performance seemed inevitable.

But when Ramprakash came in his side were struggling to cope with a swinging ball. The Brown Caps lost their stand-in captain, Michael Brown, to the last delivery of the ninth over. Three overs later, Scott Newman, who had just driven Steven Finn to the cover point boundary, went to a brilliant catch at third slip to make it 31-2. But, initially, Ramprakash had to play second fiddle to Usman Afzaal, who raced to forty.

In the 13th over, Afzaal took two boundaries off Tim Murtagh, who, on yesterday's evidence, should never have been allowed to leave Surrey at the end of 2006, for he appears to be the most incisive member of the current Middlesex attack. But not even he had any answer to Ramprakash, although he did hit him on the helmet shortly before tea.

In the 14th over, Afzaal moved to 22 with three cover driven fours off Finn, the first two off the front foot and the third off the back. Ramprakash's first boundary came when he showed the full face of his bat to Richardson in the 17th over. Five overs later Afzaal brought up his fifty, which had taken him just 47 deliveries. At lunch the 31-year-old left-hander had 56 to Ramprakash's 20 off 51 balls.

Ten overs after the break Ramprakash posted the hundred partnership by driving Murtagh through extra cover for four. Four overs later, he brought up his own half-century, off 106 balls. With Finn needing to leave the field for treatment after bowling the 49th over, Shaun Udal, forced into making a change, brought himself on for the first time in the 51st and promptly bowled Afzaal, thus bringing the curtain down on a stand of 143 in 39 overs.

Thereafter, had it not been for Ramprakash's refusal to budge the Brown Caps would not now be eyeing up their first total over 400 in six championship matches. But they will need to move up a gear if they are to get there before the end of the 120th over and thus record maximum batting points. In yesterday's evening session the home side scored 89 in 32 overs for the loss of two further wickets.

Having gone to tea on 77, Ramprakash reached his hundred off 190 balls in the thirteenth over following the interval, with a single to long leg off Udal. Murtagh was handed the new ball in the 81st over and in the 83rd he trapped Jonathan Batty leg before for 29. Six overs later Richardson's accuracy was rewarded with the scalp of Grant Elliott, who was caught at first slip.

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