Surrey back batsmen

County Championship D1, The Oval, day two (close): Surrey 480 & 22-0 v Sussex 307

Match scorecard

Saqlain celebrates a Sussex scalp

Championship leaders Surrey chose to reimpose their batting dominance over Sussex, despite bowling the visitors out 173 behind on day two at The Oval.

Hopes of a quick victory were put on hold after half-centuries for Murray Goodwin, Tim Ambrose and Robin Martin-Jenkins.

The home attack plugged away on a baking afternoon to bowl the visitors out for 307, James Ormond taking 4-81.

But Surrey skipper Adam Hollioake opted not to enforced the follow-on and openers Ian Ward and Jon Batty reached 22-0 by stumps.

Earlier, Saqlain Mushtaq and Iain Salisbury shared a ninth wicket partnership of 75 to extend the hosts' overnight 401-8 to 480 all out.

Martin-Jenkins was the best of the bowlers with 3-86 and he then took part in the best partnership of the day - a fifth-wicket stand worth 91 with Ambrose.

Australian-born Ambrose top-scored with a patient 75 and the lower order was bolstered by a blustering 41 from Mushtaq Ahmed.

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Surrey: I J Ward, J N Batty (Wkt), M R Ramprakash, G P Thorpe, A D Brown, A J Hollioake (Capt), Azhar Mahmood, M P Bicknell, I D K Salisbury, Saqlain Mushtaq, J Ormond.

Sussex: R R Montgomerie, M W Goodwin, C J Adams (Capt), T R Ambrose, R S C Martin-Jenkins, M H Yardy, M J Prior (Wkt), K J Innes, Mushtaq Ahmed, R J Kirtley, B V Taylor.