Since the County Championship was split into two divisions in 2000 the number of ‘no contests’ have reduced dramatically, but for Surrey to come across a team that have seemingly lost the stomach for a fight as early as the first half of July does not bode well for Warwickshire’s chances of spending a third successive season in the top flight.

Resuming at 85-1, the home side were going about their business nicely until, with the score on 114, Nick Knight holed out to Azhar Mahmood. The Pakistani has a habit of luring batsmen into hooking the ball in the air, but such gifts often open the door to further riches and Azhar prized out Mark Wagh and Jonathan Trott immediately afterwards on his way to figures of four for 61. When Ian Bell was caught behind off a Martin Bicknell outswinger an over later Warwickshire were reeling at 120 for five.

Tony Frost and Dougie Brown – who struck 61 off 70 balls – then shared in a sixth-wicket stand of 75 to take their side to the brink of saving the follow-on, which was avoided despite Bicknell and Jimmy Ormond doing a good job of polishing off the tail.

Frost went to a lifter, Brown was defeated by one that kept low, Graham Wagg was out to a forcing stroke, Neil Carter a top-edged cut and, finally, Smith to a catch at cover point.

Warwickshire’s below-par score made it imperative they bowled tightly and held their chances second time around. The home side made a good start by having Ian Ward caught early on when the left-hander’s top-edged hook was collected by Frost, who had to make up some thirty yards.

But for the next two and a bit hours Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash dealt mercilessly with their alleged attack. Not surprisingly a number heads were seen to go down. On the first day it was catches, now it was heads that dropped – though it was not helped by some caustic comments from various spectators, some of whom were probably looking forward to getting stuck in at last night’s members’ forum.

Butcher brought up the hundred with the third of three successive fours. The first was glanced to fine leg, the second pulled – a feature of Warwickshire’s bowling was their tendency to drift the ball down the legside – and the third was driven through the covers.

The England number three raced to his third first-class century of the summer in 103 deliveries, while Ramprakash studiously accumulated the runs that added up to the 67th of his career as the second-wicket partnership between the two realised 187 in 35 overs.

Neil Smith, in the side because it was rumoured that he was preferred to overseas signing Collins Obuya, suffered as much as anyone. He was lifted for a straight six by Mark Butcher and both of Surrey’s century-makers slog-swept him over the mid-wicket boundary for further maximums.

But as the day drew to a close Butcher edged an attempted cut to give Smith his first championship wicket since last August and Graham Thorpe followed when, having already been let-off the once, he gave a return catch to the off-spinner. But these twin successes failed to paper over the cracks that were already forming.

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