One suspects Surrey are now ruing their decision to bat first against Yorkshire in conditions that were helpful to the seamers; especially when, after being skittled out for their lowest first innings total since April the sun decided to put in an appearance for the final hour, which contributed to the Tykes' openers knocking 50 off the deficit in sixteen overs. All the same, the day belonged to Deon Kruis, who bagged his seventh five-wicket haul for Yorkshire, although it has to be said it was his first for nearly two years. Perhaps the fact that the South African's contract is up for renewal at the end of the season was an influencing factor.

No play was possible before lunch, which was taken half an hour early. After play eventually began under heavy skies at 1.30pm, Surrey had made a brisk start, scoring with 41 in eleven overs when Mark Ramprakash replaced Scott Newman, who was trapped leg before by Tim Bresnan. Ramprakash took 17 deliveries to get off the mark, which he did by guiding Richard Pyrah for two before edging the next ball for four through the vacant third-slip area.

Kruis took three wickets in 22 balls in the space of seven overs. Ramprakash was bowled by an absolute beauty for six and Jonathan Batty went without scoring to an outstanding catch at third slip by Pyrah before Usman Afzaal, another victim of some lavish inswing, was trapped leg-before for one.

Meanwhile Stewart Walters was flourishing, playing some fluent strokes either side of the wicket. Coming off a 161 for the second eleven last week against Sussex at the Brit Oval, Walters found his form again and cut, pulled and drove positively. He picked Pyrah up for one sweetly struck six over mid-wicket off the back foot. However, the same shot proved to be his undoing as he lofted Bresnan straight down deep-square leg's throat for 40.

At tea, Surrey were 121 for 5. After Adil Rashid removed Matt Nicholson, leg-before to his top-spinner, Kruis returned to account for Chris Jordan, who was caught at cover driving the ball on the up, and Matthew Spriegel, who was beaten by a combination of pace and lateral movement. Kruis should have had a sixth success, but Pedro Collins was dropped on nought at second slip.

After Jade Dernbach was lbw, playing back to a googly from Rashid, Surrey's tenth-wicket pair added 36 in 33 deliveries thanks to some adventurous batting. Collins went on to record his highest score in first-class cricket since February 2004. Saqlain Mushtaq finished with an unbeaten 22 from 26 balls, and at least Surrey had a crumb of comfort by registering a batting point.

But, to compound their problems, Andrew Gale and Chris Taylor replied with Yorkshire's best first-wicket stand for 13 months, which must have left the home side feeling somewhat relived after going into this contest without Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has a neck problem, Anthony McGrath (pulled hamstring), Matthew Hoggard (shoulder) and Joe Sayers, who sustained an eye injury in practice on Tuesday.

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