Many a promising batsman walks out to bat at the Oval for the first time having been quick to establish a huge reputation, but there can rarely have been an entrance as awe-inspiring as Philip Hughes's yesterday. Having seen Surrey crawl, for 34 overs, from their overnight 295-5 to 388, the diminutive left-hander from New South Wales teed off in the fourth over of the Middlesex response and never looked back. Of the visitors' 200-2, the twenty-year-old contributed a chanceless, unbeaten 134 off 166 balls; taking his first-class run tally so far this season to 456.

Some young players believe their own press and fail to live up to the hype. Hughes, however, looks like the real deal. Said to be absorbed and modest, certainly by Australian standards, the only question mark is whether his swashbuckling batting style will succeed at Test level. With the Ashes due to start in two months' time, we will soon find out. A fast eye and even quicker hands suggests he is tailor-made for the new era of Twenty20 cricket, but his technique contains two fundamental flaws - partial foot movement - except when he goes leg-side to smear the ball through point - and, at times, impetuous shot selection.

In 56 overs Middlesex's batsmen struck 27 boundaries and 21 one of them were supplied by Hughes. Surrey's Andre Nel was so enraged after being pulled for four by the Australian he tried to soften him up with a high full toss and a barrage of suggestions. But the over, which was reminiscent of Allan Donald's duel with Mike Atherton at Trent Bridge in 1998, ended with Nel putting an approving arm around Hughes, who had more than shaded their head-to-head battle.

At the other end Billy Godleman's only memorable contribution was an on-driven six off Chris Schofield. Godleman, who was put down at slip on nine off the bowling of Murtaza Hussain, faced 126 balls for his 37 - the same number as Hughes required for his hundred - before falling to Nel, caught low down at second slip, with the ball dipping in front of Grant Elliott. Ten minutes later Murtaza got one to turn sharply and bowl Neil Dexter for eight, but, thanks to Hughes, Middlesex ended day two the happier of the two sides.

Earlier, Mark Ramprakash, resuming on 126, went to 133 with a cover driven four off Alan Richardson in the sixth over of the day. But, in the tenth, the former Middlesex man top edged Steve Finn's first delivery to mid-on. Either side of a 25-minute break for rain, Schofield and Nel combined for useful eighth wicket partnership, though not before Murtaza was caught behind off Tim Murtagh without scoring.

Just before lunch Schofield slapped a loose ball from Finn to point. Ten overs after the interval Nel was caught low down at slip off Shaun Udal and it was no long before Richardson drew a line underneath Surrey's effort by getting one to nip back off the seam to Stuart Meaker to leave Jade Dernbach with a career best 16 not out.

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