Ramprakash dominates...until Strauss and Newman dominate

Mark Ramprakash, not satisfied (as if he ever could be) with scoring his 110th first class hundred went on today to score his 11th first class double hundred for Surrey and in all his 16th first class double hundred - drawing him level with the greatest of Surrey batsmen Sir Jack Hobbs in the all time list - he'll have to go on for a few more years yet to approach Sir Jack's 199 first class hundreds though!

Yet another piece of humble pie is due to be delivered to my gob as well, "run machine" Gary Wilson did, to his great credit, notch his highest first class score today with 62, putting on a substantial partnership with Ramps and edging Surrey up towards 500 runs.  One swallow does not make a summer though, and 62 runs when the side already has 350+ on the board is not herculean, but what more can he do than score runs when called upon, well played Gary.

So 490 looked a formidable score, and it will be tough for Surrey to lose it from here, but Strauss and Newman displayed adequately quite what a docile pitch (and I'm told it is a docile pitch rather than terrible bowling) this is while putting on 148 runs in 36 overs, Dernbach continuing his worrying dip in form bowling 6 overs for 33 runs.  Nel's figures are also less than flattering and only Tremlett and Batty could keep the runs down, though no wickets for them either.

I've said this before and been proved desperately wrong, but this game has got draw written all over it, two days left and a very placid pitch, it should be a formality, what happened to the livelier pitches?!  Middlesex look certain to rack up something approaching Surrey's first innings score barring a collapse early doors tomorrow, and either side forcing a result from there would be miraculous.

An update on the Younis Khan situation, it turns out its not all that long term a deal, in fact he's only with us until mid-July, so perhaps they have another in mind for after that date.  It has also been confirmed that Piyush Chawla has been denied permission by the BCCI to come and play, spoilsports that they are, and also that Brian Lara won't be joining in any capacity.