Ramprakash rides the lightning

Surrey 299 for 4 (Ramprakash 96*, Clinton 73) v Worcestershire
Scorecard

As Surrey found out during their catastrophic defeat against Northamptonshire on Sunday, not even a Mark Ramprakash century is any guarantee of success in these uncertain times. But it remains one of their few elements of consistency. By the close of an extraordinary day, in which London was engulfed by electric storms and monsoonal downpours and yet The Oval remained bone-dry throughout, Ramprakash had moved serenely to 96 not out, four short of his fourth century of the season.

Throughout his Test career, Ramprakash never quite perfected that elusive art of batting in a bubble, in which he could stick to his natural game and remain utterly oblivious to the chaos reigning all around him. But his experiences as an England player in the 1990s appear to have prepared him well for life as a Surrey player in the 2000s. As the autumn of his career approaches, and as Surrey's situation becomes more desperate by the day, he no longer feels the need to rage against the dying of the light - these days he'll take it if offered, but otherwise he'll be quite happy to bat on regardless.

Ramprakash's effort was the cornerstone of a decent first-day total of 299 for 4, to which Scott Newman and the debutant Richard Clinton both made important contributions. But on a hugely lop-sided pitch, where even a miscued six is liable to dent a few bonnets on the Harleyford Road, Worcestershire did well to keep the run rate down to a manageable four runs an over. Two seasons ago, Alistair Brown plundered a similarly short boundary to score a double-century against Glamorgan in the C&G Trophy, and when he resumes on 17 not out in the morning, Worcestershire should be wary of offering up any long-hops from the Vauxhall End.

One coming and three goings were the talking point of the morning session, as Surrey won the toss and chose to bat first. On the bowling front, Alex Tudor was fit and ready to resume his first-class career after a lengthy injury layoff, but that was tempered by the news that Brett Lee had been called up by Australia, and would not be available to help rescue Surrey's season. Meanwhile, the batting was weakened by two notable absentees. Mark Butcher's dodgy thigh ruled him out of contention, and possibly out of the reckoning for the third Test as well, while Adam Hollioake, of all people, found himself dropped as punishment for his thoughtless dismissal in that Northants debacle.

Butcher's misfortune opened the door for Clinton, the son of Grahame, whose circuitous route to The Oval has taken him via Essex and Loughborough University, as well as 2nd XI cricket for no fewer than six different counties. But it was Newman who made the early running, cracking three consecutive fours off Kabir Ali before edging Nadeem Malik low to Andrew Hall at first slip for 46, as Surrey rattled along to an opening stand of 90 - their highest since mid-May, which is in itself an indictment of their season.

The Oval is currently midway through its much-needed facelift, and the builders at midwicket were grateful for their hard hats when Clinton clipped Malik for six early in his spell. He then followed up with a gorgeous straight-driven four, but for a while thereafter, miner's helmets might have been more appropriate, as Clinton became entrenched on 48 for 31 consecutive deliveries.

He eventually reached his fifty with an ugly miscue for four off Gareth Batty, but it was a cathartic moment, and suitably relieved, he cracked five more fours in quick succession. Batty, who has been mentioned in dispatches ahead of the spin-friendly Old Trafford Test, suffered an inauspicious start to his spell, as Ramprakash dumped his fourth ball into the building site for six, but he kept his discipline and was rewarded with a hand in the next wicket to fall, as Ramprakash sold Clinton a dummy, and Vikram Solanki's accurate return from backward point beat a despairing dive by two feet.

By now Ramprakash was flicking wristily through any available gap and dismissing the short ball with sledgehammer cuts, but once again, Surrey's middle order fell short of solidity. Rikki Clarke's bright and breezy 36 had included seven fours when when he lost concentration and whipped Andrew Hall to midwicket, where Batty swooped to his right to cling on to a firm two-handed chance, and the game's other Batty, Jon, didn't last long either. He had made only 8 when he drove loosely off the back foot at Kabir, and Graeme Hick plucked a sharp edge at second slip.

The spectacular forks of lightning that lit up the sky over Vauxhall and Westminster drove the players from the field for 30 minutes in mid-afternoon, and later returned to force an early finish. But none of it could faze Ramprakash, who currently seems to be the one man who can save Surrey's season.

Andrew Miller is assistant editor of Wisden Cricinfo