Surrey battle back after untimely duck for Ramprakash

Mark Ramprakash suffered an untimely failure as Surrey launched their reply to Northamptonshire's daunting 476 all out in the Division One contest at Wantage Road.

The 31-year-old, hoping to catch the selectors' attention ahead of next week's First Test against Pakistan at Lord's, was dismissed for a first-ball duck when he offered no stroke to seamer Tony Penberthy and saw his off stump flattened.

Ian Ward (58 not out) and England certainty Graham Thorpe (34 not out) steered the visitors to 126-2 from 43 overs at the close, still needing a further 201 to avoid the follow-on.

Northants resumed on 320-4 and ground on to record their highest total against Surrey on home soil. It surpassed the 430 all out they made in the celebrated 1920 match between the sides that more famously featured Percy Fender's sensational 35-minute century.

Alec Swann top-scored with 96 from 199 balls, missing out on a century when he edged a drive at Mark Butcher to Alec Stewart behind the stumps just before lunch. Best support came from Penberthy (75), who helped Swann add 161 in 51 overs for the fifth wicket, with handy contributions lower down the order from Toby Bailey (41) and John Blain (34).

The departure of Mark Butcher and Ramprakash to successive balls left Surrey on the back foot, but Ward and Thorpe saw out the day with some ease, adding an unbroken 75 in the last 25 overs of the session.