Pressing On:

Dawid Malan and Owais Shah resumed on 179 for 2, looking to build on the most dominant day Middlesex have had all season at headquarters. Shah proved his detractors wrong, reaching an excellent half-century in just 62 balls with eight boundaries, including two maximum shots. Shah attempted to pull a delivery from Jade Dernbach, but edged it to wicket-keeper Steven Davies to depart after 89 balls for 63. He had added two more fours.

Meanwhile, Malan was approaching his fifty, which he reached with his ninth four. He had occupied the crease for exactly 100 minutes. After getting a start  Dexter threw his wicket away for 24 with an awful shot that simply provided catching practice to Tim Linley at mid-on within half an hour of lunch. Off-spinner Matthew Spriegel took the wicket. Malan continued after lunch converting a good knock into a much needed century for his team achieved with his fifteenth four. His hundred took 166 balls to reach and included a six.

“Any century is important,” former West Indies fast bowler Pedro Collins told us. “It’s how he batted. He would get starts and be frustrated. He’s one of the very best – first out there in the nets, hitting the ball. As a young player that's good to see and I know he’ll be one for the future – definitely. I rate him very, very highly already. Hopefully he can finish the season on a high.”

His 221 minute occupation of the crease ended after Surrey had taken the new ball. He had made 107 as his off-stump was re-arranged by a delivery from Chris Tremlett that swung a bit. Malan’s concern was his team, first, second and third. “From a personal side, obviously it’s a great achievement to have got a hundred,” Malan told us. “I’m over the moon with my own performance, but I think the way we played today as a team and yesterday is what we at Middlesex need. The bowlers supported the batsmen and the batsmen supported the bowlers.”

Completing:

At 343 for 5 he had helped to put his team well on top. “We’re just working on how well we can play and playing as well as we can in the team, because in situations like this we’ve either bowled them out for 160 and then been bowled out for 180 ourselves, so I think it was good for the team to learn and realise how important each player is and each individual performance is inside the team’s effort,” said Malan.

In his next over Tremlett repeated the dose, removing Gareth Berg for 45 and Shaun Udal in the same manner for a golden duck. 343 for 4 rapidly became 348 for 7. His hat-trick delivery was a no-ball that struck Roland-Jones, but brought up the 350.

Tremlett was denied his fourth when Hamilton-Brown, having an awful match, dropped a regulation chance at first slip. Roland-Jones was reprieved on 8. He was eventually bowled by Linley for 26, but helped stretch Middlesex’s lead to more than 200. “I like to think I can hold a bat,” said Roland-Jones. “I’m for going out there and showing a few people. I suppose I’m a little bit off with my batting [becoming an all-rounder], but with hard work, hopefully I can get there.” Josh Davey and Tim Murtagh steered the hosts to 412 before Davey was leg before wicket for 13.

Middlesex were dismissed for 423 just before 4 as an agricultural swipe by Pedro Collins resulted in an edge that was safely pouched by Usman Afzaal. Murtagh was stranded on 25 not out and tea was taken. Tremlett was the pick of the bowlers with an excellent spell with the second new ball. His final figures were 4 for 90 from 29.2 overs. Now it was up to the batsmen to keep a rampant Middlesex at bay