On the day that Surrey announced the acquisition of another overseas recruit, Mohammad Akram’s five for 51 put the Ovalites in the ascendancy against Warwickshire at Whitgift School. The former Pakistan international marked his 100th first-class appearance by taking advantage of some poor batting by the defending champions. In the space of thirteen overs the visitors slumped from 168 for three to 209 all out thus giving Surrey a lead on first innings of 131, which grew to 145 despite Richard Clinton being dropped on nought by the keeper off the bowling of Dougie Brown.

It seems hard to think that Warwickshire’s reply had started so brightly. Knight and Westwood collected 38 off Martin Bicknell’s opening five-over spell. Ian Westwood forced the veteran all-rounder through the off-side three times in one over, while Nick Knight drove and flicked him square of the wicket for five boundaries of his own.

But, in the tenth over, Jimmy Ormond got the breakthrough the hosts were beginning to look desperate for when he angled the ball away from Westwood, who was claimed at first slip. With the introduction of Harbhajan Singh things calmed down, unsurprisingly, but it was Mohammad Akram who dealt the visitors a double blow by accounting for Knight, at second slip, and Michael Powell, who angled the ball into Newman’s midriff at third slip, in the space of five overs.

Alex Loudon opened his account with an edged four past third slip. He was then beaten all ends up three times on the trot before hitting fours to third man and straight back past Akram all in the same over. The next saw the former Kent man on drive Murtagh. Loudon moved to 24 when he helped Akram to the rope at fine leg and drove him past backward point.

Resuming after tea on 130-3, Jonathan Trott got into the thirties for the first time in the championship this season then watched as a succession of partners came and went. Loudon celebrated reaching fifty by driving Harbhajan Singh straight down the ground for six. But his euphoria was short-lived, as was any advantage the visitors held at that stage.

In the space of eight overs Loudon edged an in-swinging delivery to the keeper, Troughton was run out by Clinton’s direct hit from square leg, Brown nibbled at Akram and Frost became Harbhajan’s first victim for Surrey when he steered the Indian off-spinner into the waiting hands of Clarke at leg slip.

Trott’s 136-minute occupation ended ignominiously when he went to pull Akram, got the ball too high on his bat and presented Batty with an easy chance. Neil Carter went in the same over, bowled while trying to work the ball through mid-on, and three overs later Heath Streak cut Singh to point to bring the curtain down on Warwickshire’s first innings.

Earlier in the day Surrey added 126 to their overnight total thanks largely to Jonathan Batty who made an unbeaten 84 off 125 balls, his highest score of the season. Batty struck ten fours plus a six over third man off Streak and a straight six off Loudon, who claimed the wicket of Alistair Brown with his first delivery, in the second over of proceedings.

Martin Bicknell followed five overs later when he edged a lifting delivery from Streak to third slip. Tim Murtagh hooked and pulled to good effect before falling to Neil Carter, who also had Harbhajan driving off the back foot a couple of balls later. The last two Surrey wickets added 56, but Batty finally ran out of partners when Akram dodged a bouncer from Brown only to lose balance and brush his stumps.

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that 26-year-old New South Wales batsman Dominic Thornley will be joining Surrey as a temporary overseas replacement for Azhar Mahmood, who is not expected to be fit to play again until mid-way through the group stages of the Twenty20 Cup. Thornley has a first-class batting average of 48.55 and is regarded a useful one-day all-rounder.

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