By D J Rutnagur at Trent Bridge
First day of four: Surrey (84-2) trail Notts (213) by 129 runs
AS championship leaders, Surrey will be eternally grateful to their hosts - who are placed in the lower half of the table - for having provided a pitch which almost guarantees a decisive outcome.
Exceptionally grassy considering the time of year, it lent itself to sharp movement off the seam and was uneven in bounce - most often on the high side. It was reminiscent of the debate-provoking pitches Ron Allsopp prepared in the heyday of Hadlee and Rice.
The umpires' report on the pitch should make interesting reading. Indeed, they do not have sufficient grounds for condemning it but having both been batsmen in their playing days, Dickie Bird and Trevor Jesty will not be too favourably disposed towards it. Whatever their view, let it be said that pitches such as this one defeat the purpose of playing championship matches over four days.
It was no surprise that Surrey decided to bowl first. If, after taking six wickets before lunch, they had to wait until after tea to begin their own innings, it was because Chris Read, coming in at No 8, led a brave rearguard, staying entrenched for 152 minutes for an unbeaten 66 which included 10 fours.
Until Read's arrival, the only Notts batsmen who held their ground for an hour or more were Jason Gallian and Graeme Archer, who made 37 off 77 balls and whose dismissal left Notts gasping for breath, at 112 for seven.
While Martin Bicknell, the spearhead of Surrey's attack, was luckless in his opening burst, Joey Benjamin loosened the foundations of the Notts innings, taking three for 25 in a spell of 10 overs. Just when he seemed to be tiring, he received a restorative by way of the wicket of Paul Johnson, who looked thoroughly displeased at being adjudged caught at the wicket.
Jonathan Batty's gloves had already closed round snicks by Guy Welton and Usman Afzaal. In fact, the first seven batsmen dismissed were all held in the arc between wicketkeeper and third slip. The last of them was Archer, whose wicket was the second of two Bicknell claimed on either side of lunch in an excellent spell from the pavilion end. Ben Hollioake took his due share of the spoils - three for 45.
The pattern of dismissals by edged catches was broken by Paul Strang getting himself run out, his departure ending what proved to be the most durable partnership of the innings. He and Read had added 45 for the eighth wicket. For one playing in only his 10th first-class game, Read showed immense maturity.
He was calm and staunch and sure in driving and pulling. Read's last two partners, Kevin Evans and Andy Oram, played stoutly in support while 56 runs were added.
The sun and the heavy roller had calmed the pitch somewhat when Surrey batted. Nevertheless, they lost Ian Ward and Jason Ratcliffe to slip catches before Mark Butcher, looking safe as houses, and Hollioake steadied the innings.
Day 2: Bicknell burst leaves Surrey poised for kill
By D J Rutnagur at Trent Bridge
Second day of four: Notts (213 & 79-7) lead Surrey (270) by 22 runs
THE MODEST first-innings lead of 57 that Surrey had acquired by dint of disciplined batting by Mark Butcher, Ben Hollioake, Nadeem Shahid and Jonathan Batty, was made to look a colossal advantage by the menace of Martin Bicknell. He delivered his opening spell in Nottinghamshire's second innings and captured three of the four wickets they lost before moving into the black.
Hollioake also struck twice to put the championship leaders in closer sight of a third win in consecutive matches which will ensure the preservation of the gap between them and their rivals, regardless of the outcome at Riverside and Colchester.
Returning for a second spell, Joey Benjamin took Surrey a further step forward towards victory. With six overs of the day remaining, Notts then were only 20 runs ahead and there was the distinct prospect that Surrey, by claiming the optional extra half-hour, might complete their triumph last night. But one over later, bad light compelled a truce.
When Butcher and Hollioake resumed Surrey's innings in the morning, the green in the pitch had faded and the impression that it was less bowler-friendly was enhanced by the composure with which they added another 44 runs, although it took them 23 overs.
Notts' seamers bowled a good line and length, but seldom got past the bat. Butcher's security was ensured by deep concentration and rigid technique. The younger Hollioake batted with a sense of responsibility thrust on him by promotion to No 4 enforced by England calls and injury.
Nevertheless, Surrey were still 83 runs adrift when Hollioake, attempting to force Andy Oram to extra-cover off the back foot, played on. Nine overs and 30 runs hence, Butcher, who had batted fautlessly for 251 minutes and faced 177 balls, was bowled through the gap by a ball of full length from Kevin Evans.
Evans also dispatched James Knott on the stroke of lunch, but Surrey were towed clear of turbulent waters by Shahid and Jonathon Batty, who added 85. Shahid, who scored 64 in 140 minutes, ensured that Surrey were under ballast again before he started to unfurl his shots - cover-drives and square-cuts.
Chris Tolley eventually found his edge and with Batty run out soon afterwards, the innings tapered away, the second new ball hastening its end. Surrey's last five wickets fell in the space of just 25 runs.
Notwithstanding another treatment with the heavy roller, the pitch came alive again when Bicknell began his assault. The high bounce he obtained in the first innings was indeed dissipated, but movement was still readily available.
Notts' top order found him unplayable as, bowling from close to the stumps and keeping an unerring line in the vicinity of the off stump, he cut the ball both ways. He had Jason Gallian missed behind the wicket, but soon produced a gem of an off-cutter to trap him leg before.
Day 3:Surrey tiptoe down the finishing straight
By D J Rutnagur at Trent Bridge
Third day of four: Surrey (270 & 72-3) bt Notts (213 & 125) by 7 wkts
SEEMINGLY on the threshold of an emphatic win when bad light intervened on Thursday, Surrey could not cross it yesterday until 20 minutes after lunch and experienced some minor alarms before achieving their modest final target of 69 runs.
A cloudburst within 15 minutes of the start caused a short hold-up but the more significant pause in the championship leaders' progress was imposed by a ninth-wicket partnership of 36, lasting 14 overs, between Chris Read and Kevin Evans.
Read's overnight partner, Paul Strang, who had helped him resuscitate Nottinghamshire's first innings, lasted only a couple of overs, square-cutting uppishly and becoming Ben Hollioake's fourth victim of the innings.
Hollioake's figures were the best of his career but this feat rather flattered him. He bowled with poor control over line yesterday and took his last wicket with a short ball.
Bicknell's fire died down at the opposite end and Surrey captain Mark Butcher eventually had to resort to the spin of Saqlain Mushtaq who, as in the first innings, instantly had Evans caught at short leg. Andy Oram, the last man, was no hindrance, losing his off-stump to Joey Benjamin.
With the pitch still amenable to lateral movement Notts inflicted two early blows, both struck by Paul Franks. He slanted one away from Ian Ward to have him caught at third slip before Butcher, playing him off his hip, was caught behind, having been missed earlier from a lofted hook at Oram.
But Surrey were within 14 runs of their objective when Hollioake holed out, trying to drive Paul Strang over the top - and that after surviving a caught-and-bowled chance off the previous ball.
Surrey, now 23 points clear of Lancashire, their nearest rivals, will have their full squad - minus the infirm Graham Thorpe available for their three remaining fixtures, against Yorkshire at Headingley, Durham at Riverside and Leicestershire at the Oval.