Lancashire have spent a lifetime blaming the Manchester weather for their prolonged failure to win the county championship, but they will not be complaining if rain in the South East over the next two days deprives Sussex and Durham of victories that are within their grasp.

Either of them could pip Lancashire, whose chances of claiming the win they need to be sure of their first outright championship in 73 years were remote after they had been outplayed by Surrey, who have won the title 11 times since they shared it with Lancashire in 1950.

It was always going to be difficult for Lancashire once another majestic innings by Mark Ramprakash had enabled Surrey to declare at 427 for nine, and they were bowled out for 234 to concede a first-innings deficit of 193. At least Mark Butcher, the Surrey captain, spared them the follow-on, but they will face a massive task batting last on a turning pitch.

Ramprakash was finally caught, hooking at Glen Chapple, for 196 after facing 282 balls and hitting two sixes and 29 fours, before Matt Nicholson, the former Australia fast bowler, had Mark Chilton leg-before and Steven Croft caught behind in his first two overs, then returning to bowl Stuart Law off an inside edge.

Jade Dernbach chipped in with the wicket of Paul Horton, caught behind down the leg side, Murtaza Hussain and Ian Salisbury, an unlikely spin combination, picked up three between them and all V. V. S. Laxman and Dominic Cork could do was salvage a solitary batting point.

Laxman made 53 before becoming one of three victims for Chris Jordan, the emerging fast bowler from Dulwich College, leaving Cork defiantly unbeaten on 46.