Having spent Friday and Saturday putting Surrey through the mill, it was Leicestershire's turn to suffer a similar fate at the Brit Oval yesterday.

The home side's response to County's mammoth 593-5 was to cruise to 311-2 at the close of the third day.

Yet again Mark Ramprakash was a thorn in Leicestershire's side as he provided the backbone to the Surrey innings, making 174 not out. He and his captain, Stewart Walters who was unbeaten on 84 at stumps, looked pretty much immovable as they constructed an unbroken stand of 236 on a pitch which was near-perfect for batsmen.

It was always going to be a demanding test for a County attack which, for one reason or another, was some way below full strength.

Remarkably, given what was to follow, the day began in the best way imaginable. AJ Harris took just five deliveries to make the breakthrough, bowling Jonathan Batty with a delivery which left the right-hander and bowled him without a run on the board.

The wicket of Michael Brown, caught at slip attempting to sweep Claude Henderson, made it a satisfying morning for County with Surrey on 99-2 at lunch.

Sadly, from the visitors' perspective, the rest of the day was eminently forgettable as the bat dominated almost completely.

Had Leicestershire been able to include Iain O'Brien in their side it might have been a different story, such has been the Kiwi's form of late. It was not to be and, with nothing in the way of movement off the seam, swing or spin to encourage the bowlers it was an afternoon of toil for Boeta Dippenaar's men.

There was a glint of a chance when Ramprakash had made 84. He miscued a drive off Harris but James Taylor, at point, could not cling on to a difficult low chance.

He escaped and went on to complete his 107th first-class century, adding plenty more before the close.

Leicestershire's bowlers made Surrey work for their runs during the course of the day. Though he finished wicketless, it was probably 18-year-old seamer Nathan Buck who did most to catch the eye on his Championship debut.

Given the new ball, he conceded just seven runs in his first five overs and asked one or two questions of Ramprakash before he had settled in.

And, with the arrival of the second new ball, he produced a beauty late in the day that fizzed past the outside edge of Ramprakash's bat. The Loughborough youngster deserved some reward but it was to be a day of near total frustration for Leicestershire on all fronts.