Rikki Clarke, with a responsible 65, stuck an upstart oar in for the under-30s, but it was another day for veterans as Darren Gough, with six for 50, returned the best figures of his 39 championship matches in Leeds and Mark Ramprakash became the first Englishman to 1,000 runs this season.

Last year, Ramprakash was the first batsman since Mike Hussey in 2001 to continue to 2,000 runs and it was Hussey’s younger brother, David, who beat him to the lesser landmark by nine days this time. There could hardly be a greater contrast than between Hussey, a muscular, bottom-hand brutaliser of attacks in the modern Australian mode, and Ramprakash, who turns 38 in September but has barely once been capable of anything ugly at the crease.

He lost Stewart Walters, his overnight partner, after 30 minutes when the Australian was caught at long leg from a top-edged hook but, joined by the watchful Clarke, Ramprakash saved the follow-on with four wickets down. Yorkshire then claimed four men in nine overs either side of lunch before Clarke found the late support to secure Surrey’s single batting point.

Anthony McGrath’s underrated gentle outswing removed Ramprakash for 59 as he edged a drive and ended Richard Clinton’s first championship innings this year after one ball. After lunch, Gough, who did not achieve a six wicket haul in his three-season exile in Essex, seized one for the second time in 45 days when he had Matt Nicholson, Harbhajan Singh and Clarke, out hooking to the deep.

Gough said: “Both captains wanted to set up a finish but we knew rain was coming and settled for bonus points. With this weather, we’ll be ready to take risks for victories in the final push.” When Yorkshire batted again, the rain arrived after seven balls: too late for Craig White, who succumbed to the second. The county granted Matthew Hoggard a benefit next year and confirmed that Matthew Wood, their 30-year old former captain and opener, had been released.