This match has showcased two brilliant, if completely contrasting centuries. But the outcome may have been settled in yesterday's closing overs, which saw Middlesex drop three catchable opportunities. Having just nipped out Scott Newman, fourth ball for two, the visitors put down Mark Ramprakash, who was on one at the time, at second slip off Alan Richardson. Nine overs later the former Middlesex man gave another, sharper, chance to Billy Godleman at short leg off the bowling of Shaun Udal, though not before Tim Murtagh had dropped Michael Brown, on 18, at mid-on off the Middlesex skipper.

Those misses apart, the North Londoners had much the better of day three, which began at midday due to early morning rain. Resuming on 200-2, Philip Hughes converted his unbeaten 134 in 166 deliveries overnight into 150 off 183 balls in the sixth over of proceedings. In the next, however, Jade Dernbach angled one across Eoin Morgan. But, for the following 23 overs Hughes, in alliance with Dawid Malan, had the Surrey bowlers non-plussed. Other than Murtaza Hussain, the hosts' attack bowled just six first innings maidens, underlining the ease with which Hughes and Malan kept the scoreboard ticking over.

After they were called back from the steps leading up to the dressing rooms by the umpires, when a shower quickly relented, Malan drove Schofield to the backward point boundary. In the next over, the 69th, Hughes edged Stuart Meaker over the slips for four then despatched the 20-year-old fast bowler through extra cover. After stepping away to flick a ball from Meaker to the backward square leg boundary for four, Hughes went to lunch on 172.

Five overs after the interval Meaker was on the receiving end once more, well, twice more to be precise, as Hughes struck him for fours either side of the wicket to move to 185. Surrey opted to take the new ball in the 83rd over and three overs later the Australian left-hander revealed his weakness - bottling it in the 190's, as he was caught behind off Dernbach, just three short of equalling his career best 198. Not for the first time, Hughes was stepping away and attempting to smear the ball through extra cover off the back foot, but on this occasion he was undone by a touch of extra bounce.

Malan, favouring the off-side, reached fifty off 105 balls in the 94th over, and five overs later brought up the 350 for the visitors by cover driving Meaker for four. Nick Compton rarely looked troubled until he went back to a ball he should have smothered in the 106th over to fall LBW to Murtaza for 23. The Pakistan off-spinner immediately had Ben Scott caught at short leg, where Newman flung himself to his left to hold on.

In the seventh over after tea, shortly after his side maintained their record this season of achieving maximum batting points, Udal slog swept Murtaza over wide long-on for six. However, in the next over, the 115th, Malan drove Andre Nel sweetly on the up though straight to Michael Brown at mid-off. Tim Murtagh, with both feet planted, then gave Jonathan Batty his fourth catch of the innings and Steve Finn, pushing at Murtaza, was snapped up at slip by Grant Elliott. When Udal, heaving across the line to Meaker, lost his leg stump Surrey were left to negotiate the final sixteen overs of the day, which they went into 57 adrift.

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