Only when Matt Nicholson and Jimmy Ormond came together in a gritty and potentially match-winning eighth-wicket alliance did Hampshire suffer grievously for the back spasm which prevented Chris Tremlett from taking any part in proceedings at a grey, gloomy Rose Bowl yesterday.

The perennially unlucky Tremlett, England’s best bowler in last summer’s Test matches against India and threatening to push for more honours after impressing for England Lions last week before taking five for 67 in the first innings here, could not even bat after Hampshire had resumed on 204 for seven.

Yet Dimitri Mascarenhas, grabbing the new ball after his side conceded a 51-run deficit, immediately shook off the handicap of Tremlett’s enforced absence by winning leg-before appeals against both Jon Batty and Mark Ramprakash, who was well forward.

When Sean Ervine picked up three wickets for just one run in the space of 17 balls, accounting for Mark Butcher with late inswing, Alistair Brown with a leg-cutter and Usman Afzaal to a brilliant low diving catch by Tom Burrows, the wicketkeeper, Surrey were wobbling alarmingly.

James Tomlinson returned to add Chris Jordan’s scalp to that of Scott Newman – with both players smartly held at second slip – but from 75 for seven Nicholson and Ormond had doubled the score when bad light ended play 90 minutes early.

If Tremlett had been able to bowl it is conceivable that Surrey would have struggled to get past 100, leaving Hampshire with a gettable fourth-innings target despite the testing conditions.

Now, after Nicholson and Ormond’s superb 76-run stand, with power to add, it looks as if Surrey will be able to put the home side under enormous last day pressure with Saqlain Mushtaq’s classy off spin to supplement their excellent four-man seam attack.

Tremlett’s absence with the bat was also felt as Hampshire could only add another 23 runs at the start of the day after Greg Lamb had been bowled for 31 by a fiery Chris Jordan.

Hampshire are missing injured trio Nic Pothas, John Crawley and Shane Bond in this match – plus England’s Kevin Pietersen – but Tremlett’s untimely injury looks like undermining their worthy efforts to pull off a victory against the odds.

Scoreboard

Surrey: First Innings 278 (C T Tremlett 5 for 67)

Second Innings
S A Newman c Benham b Tomlinson 4
J N Batty lbw b Mascarenhas 8
M R Ramprakash lbw b Mascarenhas 9
*M A Butcher lbw b Ervine 27
U Afzaal c Burrows b Ervine 17
A D Brown c Burrows b Ervine 0
C J Jordan c Benham b Tomlinson 2
M J Nicholson not out 40
J Ormond not out 35
Extras (b 6, lb 2, w 1) 9
Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 151

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-22, 3-29, 4-65, 5-66, 6-73, 7-75.
Bowling: Tomlinson 14-3-55-2; Mascarenhas 19-7-49-2; Ervine 10-2-26-3; Lamb 7-0-13-0.

Hampshire: First Innings (overnight 204-7)
G A Lamb b Jordan 31
T G Burrows not out 13
J A Tomlinson b Collins 5
C T Tremlett absent injured 0
Extras (b 2, lb 9, w 5, nb 12) 28
Total (84 overs) 227

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-13, 3-146, 4-147, 5-152, 6-162, 7-174, 8-217, 9-227.
Bowling: Collins 19-4-57-2; Ormond 12-4-39-2; Nicholson 12-2-29-0; Jordan 20-3-50-3; Saqlain 21-5-41-2.

Umpires: B Dudleston and R T Robinson.