The weather proved Leicestershire's greatest ally yesterday with almost two-thirds of the day lost to rain and bad light.

When a halt was finally called, Surrey had progressed steadily to 217-2 from 85 overs, having started the day on 121-1 in reply to County's meagre tally of 165 in their first innings.

There is no question that the balance of power lies with the visitors at the halfway stage of the game because they hold a lead of 52 with eight wickets in hand.

But the Leicestershire bowlers deserve praise for the discipline with which they went about their task in what play was available yesterday.

A couple more wickets would have been handy and, on another day, County might well have claimed them.

But keeping the Surrey batters on a tight leash was also well up near the top of the list of requirements after Leicestershire's first-day batting lapses.

With Michael Brown and Mark Ramprakash well set at the start of play, they could have cashed in on any loose bowling. Instead they had to wait for their openings – and that has not always been the case with Leicestershire attacks in recent years when far too many four-balls have been presented to opposing batsmen.

Indeed Ramprakash's 50 included just three boundaries, and he had a couple of narrow escapes before he reached that point. Substitute fielder Jacques du Toit was inches away from running him out, and the former England man also edged AJ Harris through the vacant second-slip area to pick up a boundary which moved him to 45.

Jim Allenby had a confident lbw appeal turned down as Brown continued to his 50 but, with the score on 179-1, rain set in and 56 overs were lost before the players returned to the field.

When they did, it was more of the same as County set about containing Surrey and the visitors concentrated on grinding out a substantial first-innings advantage.

Leicestershire did miss the chance of breaking through when HD Ackerman was just unable to hold a sharp catch at slip as Brown, on 75, attempted to cut Claude Henderson.

Five overs later, though, County did have their first success of the day. The second wicket stand had amassed 158 when Harry Gurney, armed with the new ball, had Ramprakash well caught behind for 85 by a tumbling Tom New.

There was time for Harris to go past the outside edge of Surrey skipper Mark Butcher.

But, as the light closed in, it quickly became apparent that the pavilion again beckoned for the players.

This time they were not to return, Brown closing on a carefully compiled 85 with Leicestershire negotiating the foothills of the mountain they still have to climb if they are to salvage anything from the game.