Anderson quick to impress

Surrey 292-7 v Lancashire

Solid half-centuries from Ian Ward and Mark Ramprakash gave Surrey the better of the opening rounds of this heavyweight First Division match, with the shadow of Saqlain Mushtaq looming large on a top-class pitch already taking spin.

But far more interesting, even than the discovery that the Surrey team had to travel south in a fleet of hire cars from Edinburgh airport on Thursday night because their C&G Trophy tie against Scotland dragged on after the last flight, were the performances of two championship debutants, one on either side.

Lancashire's Jimmy Anderson, a spindly 19-year-old from Burnley with the ability to bowl genuinely fast, was the first into the action, after Ward had won an important toss: Surrey batting first means that Saqlain will bowl last.

Anderson was reminded of his place in the pecking order as the old firm of Peter Martin and Glen Chapple shared the new ball. Then Kyle Hogg, Anderson's former England Under-19 team-mate who has already been one of the finds of the season, came on first change and had Michael Carberry caught in the slips.

But after 16 overs, with Surrey 19 for one - it was slow going - Anderson had his chance. He gave Ramprakash a chin-tickler with his first ball which might have troubled a lesser player. Ramprakash, though, swayed away serenely, and collected the lion's share of the 27 runs which Anderson went on to concede in his five-over spell.

That was no disgrace: Ramprakash was in super touch, not surprisingly after following a match-winning century against Lancashire at the Oval three weeks ago with a couple more against Cambridge University and Scotland.

But he lost some of his flow after gliding to a 78-ball 50, and then ran himself out for the second consecutive championship game, surprised by Hogg's flat return from deep square leg. That ended a second-wicket stand of 125 with Ward, and after Gary Keedy had trapped Nadeem Shahid lbw for a second-ball duck, Anderson was recalled.

Again he started with a bouncer but this time followed it with something more substantial, and finally a wicket, Ward caught behind off another throat ball. The members were delighted with their new paceman, and even happier when Keedy, immediately after being launched for a second straight six by Ally Brown, bowled him.

The next chunk of the day belonged to Surrey's championship new boy, Rikki Clarke. The tall 20-year-old from Essex confirmed the potential he had shown with a century on his first-class debut at Cambridge, straight-driving with grace and class. Surrey had been in danger of squandering their advantage at 177 for five, but Clarke put on 102 for the sixth wicket with Jonathan Batty - until Anderson returned for a blast with the second new ball, and had him caught for 41 at second slip.

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