Either side of heavy rain, the second day at Hove proved to be no less gripping than the first. A maiden first-class century from Sussex’s Michael Yardy was followed by an unforeseen clatter of wickets that left the crowd no closer to knowing who will end up grabbing the spoils when the stumps are drawn for the last time this summer.

Yardy’s 115 in 209 deliveries, which contained sixteen fours – including three in Doshi’s third over of the morning – beat his previous best, which was also set against Surrey, in the opening match of the 2002 season.

A total of forty overs were lost to the elements and ultimately poor light, four of them prior to the first session, which the home side negotiated for the loss of only one wicket.

Chris Adams made an eye-catching forty off 93 balls that included six boundaries, the most pleasing of which were his cut fours off Murtagh and Ormond. But fifteen minutes before the break the Sussex skipper – attempting a sweep – was bowled round his legs by Nayan Doshi.

The hosts then fell away with their last seven wickets going down for 61 runs in the space of eighteen overs. Matthew Prior guided the first ball after lunch through the covers for four and flicked the third legitimate delivery to the mid-wicket boundary, only to then come a close second to the bowler, Rikki Clarke’s nimble footwork.

Three balls later Yardy played back to Doshi and feathered a catch to the keeper. However, prior to the arrival of a prolonged shower that kept the players off the field for well over two hours, Robin Martin-Jenkins reeled off textbook cover drives off Doshi and Clarke – the first bringing up the Martlets’ second batting point.

It was Jimmy Ormond who gave Surrey a first innings lead they can hardly have anticipated by wrapping things up with four wickets for one run in 17 balls.

Mark Davis and Mushtaq Ahmed both went needlessly, Davis lofting the first ball after the resumption to Ramprakash at third man before Mushtaq toe-ended his second delivery to mid-on. Robin Martin-Jenkins then went to cut one that lifted a little more than he was expecting before Jason Lewry’s top-edged pull landed safely in the hands of the man posted at short leg.

Another twist saw the visitors lose both openers six overs into their second dig. Scott Newman played back and around a ball that disturbed his middle stump and Richard Clinton was leg before for the second time in the contest, choosing on this occasion to shoulder arms.

However, Butcher and Ramprakash brought some semblance of normality to proceedings, the latter bringing up the fifty with the third of his four fours off the unlucky Kirtley in the eleventh over.

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