A first day that ended in storms – although, amazingly, no watery deposits actually landed on The Oval – started with a storm in the shape of Richard Clinton’s debut innings for Surrey of 73 off 148 balls; in which an incredible sixty-six came in boundaries. The 22-year-old Loughborough University student, who was on Essex’s books a couple of years ago, became Scott Newman’s sixth opening partner in the County Championship this season. It is fair to say he has already outshone the five who went before him.

In truth, however, Clinton’s championship career best was made on an unforgiving surface, so it will be interesting to see how he kicks on. But both he and Mark Ramprakash took full advantage of a lightly grassed but flat pitch; though not before Surrey continued what seems to be a tradition of playing two left-handed openers, which goes back to before Grahame Clinton, Richard’s father, partnered Alan Butcher in the early 1980s.

The Ovalites’ first-wicket pair proceeded to put on 90 in nineteen overs, Surrey’s best opening stand since Edgbaston in mid-May and only their fourth over fifty this term. The highlight was Newman taking three fours off one over from Kabir Ali – the first through cover point and two, consecutively, backward of square on the off side. Clinton then lifted the ball over the mid-wicket fence in Nadeem Malik’s first over and collected a brace of boundaries off the same bowler’s fourth. But if Newman’s trademark is the cut stroke, then Clinton’s is the drive straight down the ground for four, which he unfurled on a couple of occasions later in Malik’s initial spell. By that time, however, he had lost his opening partner to a catch at first slip.

That brought Ramprakash to the crease after which the former Middlesex man never looked like being prized from it, apart from when the clouds massed enough to make it almost impossible to pick up the ball. Ramprakash announced himself with successive boundaries off Matt Mason and at lunch the home side enjoyed the unprecedented luxury of being 131 for one.

When Clinton and Ramprakash were compiling their 86-run stand in 29 overs a total well in excess of five hundred seemed on the cards. But even with as long a batting line-up as Surrey have put out in this match much will depend on the amount of prolonged support Ramprakash receives. He ended the day four runs short of what would be his fifth first-class hundred this year, and which seems likely to be his third in as many championship games.

Clinton’s departure was a case of six of one and half a dozen of another, brought about by a brilliant piece of fielding by Vikram Solanki, who dived full length to cut off an otherwise certain two runs before firing the ball back to the bowler, Gareth Batty, from point. Ten overs later Rikki Clarke was caught low down at extra cover. Jonathan Batty gave a rising catch to second slip not long after.

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