Batty leads Surrey down the slow lane

Surrey 251 for 4 (Batty 70*, Afzaal 57) v Kent
Scorecard

The switch back to the slow pace of four-day cricket after a couple weeks of Twenty20 fun was evident in Surrey's approach against a disciplined Kent bowling attack at The Oval. On a day when wickets tumbled across the County Championship, they preferred caution and the steady route, accumulating 251 for 4 by stumps.

Plenty, if not all, of the focus was on whether Mark Ramprakash would get to his 100th first-class hundred; he didn't, but there were hard-earned fifties from Jonathan Batty and Usman Afzaal as Surrey ground themselves to a position from where they could dictate terms on a pitch almost certain to assist spin as the match wears on. It was, as they say, a day for the purists.

Kent, with only one win from six games, had reason to be disappointed at losing the toss yet stuck to their task manfully. There was a little bit of swing from Yasir Arafat at the start, with a good breeze going across the ground, and the rest of Kent's four-pronged pace attack also bowled with control. Kent aren't a tearaway pace outfit, but they keep it consistent.

The first wicket came with Surrey on 22 when Scott Newman lobbed a tame pull off the persevering Robbie Joseph to Rob Key at mid-on, who didn't have to move an inch. Matthew Spriegel was dropped at third slip by James Tredwell, off Joseph with the score 33, and survived another close shout off Ryan McLaren. McLaren found some movement here and there, and one such inswinging beauty proved too much for Spriegel, who was bowled for 17.

Runs weren't easy to come by for Ramprakash. Very watchful - he's played a loose shot or two recently and thus his caution was palpable - and at times nervous, he struggled to time his drives. There were a few close calls, namely a chop in front of slip, chasing a short one, and a half-chance put down by McLaren at backward point when he was on 23.

A whipping flick off the pads for four and a gorgeous checked off-drive, full face, were typical Ramprakash and hinted at more as he closed in on a half-century, but it was all rather anticlimactic. Pushing at one outside off stump he edged McLaren behind for 48. It was a brilliant catch from Geraint Jones, initially going left but then diving to his right and taking it low.

McLaren had beaten Ramprakash during a classy spell and the wicket was a just reward. People have been debating Ramprakash's indifferent form since a hundred back on May 3, and this was another frustrating innings.

Afzaal joined Batty and the two continued in the same vein. James Tredwell did get a few deliveries to turn - something that Saqlain Mushtaq would've keenly noticed from up on the balcony - but neither Afzaal nor Batty fancied any shots against the slower bowler. Batty's fifty came off 173 deliveries after three and a half hours in the middle.

Singles dripped along during a 103-run partnership in 40 overs between Batty and Afzaal. The latter dominated in a brief passage after tea with a tuck to fine leg and another meaty punch through the offside. A four through the covers raised his fifty from 102 balls as the shadows crossed the ground. He too had his share of pokes outside off stump throughout the afternoon, and one such half-hearted flirt off Arafat sent him back with ten overs remaining. But the day belonged to Surrey, marginally, and only time will tell how their vigilant advance pays off.