ULTIMATELY, Paul Brind’s pitch was just too good for Lancashire to bowl out Surrey twice in two days. They came commendably close to such thaumaturgy after yet more charity from the Surrey top order yesterday, but were stymied by Ian Ward and Rikki Clarke, centurions in a partnership of 144 in 32 overs, a Surrey sixth-wicket record against Lancashire. Ward’s excellent 158 off 221 balls was the best innings of the match.

But for the loss of 80 overs to drizzle and bad light over the weekend, Lancashire would almost certainly have won. They had every chance of victory when Adam Hollioake was fifth out at 150 in the first over after lunch, with Surrey still 169 runs adrift. Clarke never looked like getting out, however, and was such an authoritative figure in reaching his second championship hundred off only 139 balls that it is very hard to see him suffering from second-season syndrome. His technique is too sound and his range of strokes too wide.

When Surrey resumed on 61 for two, it was important that Ward (40 overnight) and Graham Thorpe see off a ball that was still only 12 overs old. Both did so with minimal difficulty. After hitting James Anderson’s first and fifth balls of the day for four, Ward must have looked immoveable to the seamers on this pitch. The only two indiscretions of his innings came against Chris Schofield, whom he later punished severely. First, he offered a half-chance on 65 to short leg; then, on 74, he was bowled by the young leg spinner from what was the only no-ball of the innings. Vanburn Holder, the umpire, believed Ward was committed to his stroke before he heard the call.

Ward ensured that he did not waste the good fortune bestowed upon him. Moving his feet decisively, he played with his bat close to his body, determined not to repeat his fatal first-innings gaffe. That was more than could be said for Thorpe, who again fell pulling, despite the fact that two men were posted behind square for the top edge. This time, the squarer of the two took the catch after Andy Flintoff had extracted just enough extra bounce.

Thorpe, otherwise entirely convincing in his bright 35, had played his part by helping to add 76 with Ward. Gallingly for Surrey, however, two more wickets were gifted in rapid succession when Ally Brown, fretting after failing to score off his first 12 balls, ran himself out, and Hollioake checked an airy drive to be caught at backward point.

Not distracted by these losses, Ward contined to bat with impressive stoicism while punishing anything loose. His formidable strength through the on side enabled him to put away several respectable balls that most batsman would have defended. In the past 12 months, he has gone from being a fine county player to an outstanding one whose wicket opponents covet. At 30, he could yet come again for England and add to his five Test caps.

Clarke was seldom under much pressure in his first season, but he could hardly have responded to it more promisingly than he did here. Encouraged by a pitch that was, in the umpires’ view, playing as well as on the first day, he applied himself diligently while never missing the chance to unfurl his imperious straight driving and dreamy leg-side clips. When Kyle Hogg dropped short, he pulled him for six.

The match was all but safe when Ward drove Anderson to extra cover, having hit 24 fours as well as three leg-side sixes off Schofield. Although it was Anderson’s only reward after his heroics on Sunday, he had bowled well, being sensibly used in short bursts by Warren Hegg. The Lancashire captain took the new ball at 336 for six, but Alex Tudor (11 off 68 balls), like Clarke, could not be shifted.

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