Clarke displays new bowling form

County Championship D2, The Oval, day one (stumps): Leicestershire 251 v Surrey 64-1

Scorecard

Surrey's Rikki Clarke returned his best bowling figures for three years on the eve of England's squad announcement to bowl Leicestershire out for 251.

He bowled Darren Robinson to end an opening stand of 63, produced a return catch to dismiss Dinesh Mongia and had two tailenders caught behind for 4-25.

Ian Salisbury returned 3-35, including HD Ackerman for 58 before Claude Henderson clung on with 46 not out.

Surrey lost Scott Newman to end day one 64-1 in reply at The Oval.

Robinson, standing in as captain for the injured Jeremy Snape, decided to make first use of the dry, grassless pitch.

First-change bowler Clarke's first four overs costing only six runs, before he beat both batsmen outside off-stump.

He eventually claimed the first wicket, bowling Robinson between bat and pad after the batsmen appeared to have had a thin inside edge on the ball.

Ackerman, who had hit two boundaries in an over off Nayan Doshi before lunch, continued to play fluently in the second session.

But Salisbury's return for a second spell precipitated a collapse with four wickets falling for 10 runs.

Martin Bicknell - playing in only his second match having recovered from a groin injury - took his first wicket of the season when he had John Sadler caught low at gully by Clarke.

After Newman's dismissal, Jonathan Batty and Mark Ramprakash shared an unbroken 52-run partnership to cement the hosts' strong position.