AS MARK RAMPRAKASH moved inexorably to his 69th first-class century, a girder among Surrey’s ruins, one could only reflect on what he might have achieved against the West Indies bowlers of today. Robert Key grasped his chance at Lord’s and Andrew Strauss continued in golden vein, but Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and the rest would have been a different proposition.

Ramprakash will be 35 in September, but he seems to get better and better, more dependable, even better balanced at the crease. Then again, no one ever questioned his technique. It is said that his temperament let him down as a young man, that he put too much pressure on himself, that he always got out in the 20s. It may be true — he was out seven times in his first eight Test innings in the 20s — but look at the different quality of fast bowling in world cricket today.

Marshall got Ramprakash in his first Test innings, at Headingley in 1991. In his next four Test innings, Ambrose dismissed him three times. Wasim Akram and Allan Donald were just around the corner. Ramprakash would surely have made runs against Tino Best and Pedro Collins. Indeed, he would make runs against them if he was picked now.

Hopefully, Ian Bell, a 22-year-old England hopeful, was watching him. They are not dissimilar, but Ramprakash gives the bowlers no encouragement when he is in this mood. Unfortunately for Surrey, they found plenty at the other end and the home side need an unlikely 81 to avoid the follow-on. After Scott Newman edged behind driving at a wide one in the third over — the last before lunch — there was a steady procession of wickets.

Rikki Clarke, Surrey’s latest makeshift opener, played on to Dougie Brown, but, on a good pitch, you felt that somebody had to dig in with Ramprakash. He likes playing against Warwickshire. In his ten previous innings against them he had scored 808 runs at an average of 134 and this was his fifth century against them (his first two were for Middlesex). He finished on an unbeaten, chanceless 138 off 218 balls , but Warwickshire went about their work resolutely, as they have all season, the bowling attack proving to be more than the sum of its parts.

Warwickshire were all out for 537, a record score on the ground, just before lunch. It was the eighth consecutive time they had taken maximum batting points. Brown completed his first hundred of the season with 106 off 145 balls, but Bradley Hogg ground Surrey’s nose into the decision to put Warwickshire in by smashing 67 off 41 balls.

Surrey have never played in the second division, but they might be this time next year. At the other end of the table, Warwickshire, 27 points clear at the top at the start of the game, are already looking like champions and should extend their lead over Kent, Ramprakash notwithstanding.

Surrey looked to be on track until Naqqash Tahir, a young swing bowler enjoying an excellent first season, was brought into the attack and had Alistair Brown caught behind with a perfect away swinger. Jonathan Batty, the Surrey captain, pushed at a ball he did not need to play in the next over from Alan Richardson and suddenly Surrey were 111 for four.

Adam Hollioake had 33 off 33 balls when, in the over before tea, he slogged at Hogg and was brilliantly caught by Michael Powell over his shoulder at mid-wicket. Ramprakash left the field for the break ahead of him, looking more angry than if he had been out himself.