AFTER an hour’s play, the ball moving as much through the humid air as off a pitch coloured like an unripe kiwi fruit, Somerset had mustered 38 for the loss of four of their upper order. Nothing seemed more likely than a further collapse and a two-day finish. What happened instead was that Peter Trego, the all-rounder who has returned to the West Country after spells with Kent and Middlesex, struck his second century of the season.

It seems that Trego has been underrated, at least with the bat. In addition to the movement, he had to contend with bounce steeper even than he has been accustomed to at Taunton, and a blow on an arm that caused a delay. When the ball was pitched up, he went through with his shots to marked effect. A decent crowd was in attendance to watch Surrey, inexorably bound for the first division of the championship, although their catching lacked sharpness: Trego was missed on 94 and James Hildreth, who struck 42, on two.

Martin Bicknell removed five batsmen, including Keith Parsons, who made 54. The last of these, Andrew Caddick, was his 1,000th championship wicket. Trego should have been another, Alistair Brown missing a skyer before he reached his hundred off 123 balls with three sixes and 12 fours.