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Azhar Mahmood unleashed the full range of his bowling armoury on day two at The Oval but it was Lancashire who emerged in the position to assert.

The Pakistani took five for 24 as Lancashire, like Surrey looking to retain their unbeaten record, reached 124 for five in their second innings.

But after dismissing Surrey for 216 earlier in the day, the visitors' lead stood at 228 when bad light in the capital forced an early closure to play.

Mahmood, warming the seat until compatriot Saqlain Mushtaq arrives, was superb in keeping the division one pre-season favourites in the hunt.

He first struck to remove Alec Swann with the score on 41, and then claimed three wickets in a brief spell that sent Mark Chilton (35), David Byas (12) and first-innings centurion Andrew Flintoff (six) packing.

Mahmood then had Graeme Lloyd caught behind to seal his 12th five-wicket haul at first-class level. Stuart Law, unbeaten on 21, and Warren Hegg, seven not out, are charged with increasing Lancashire's lead on the third day.

Earlier, tail-enders Alex Tudor and James Ormond saved Surrey from a first-innings blow-out.

Resuming on 106 for seven, Surrey were taken beyond 200 by Tudor, who fired 61, and Ormond, who blazed his way to 35 from 37 balls.

Ormond was left unbeaten when Tudor was trapped lbw to become Glen Chapple's fifth victim of the innings.

Surrey (from): I Ward, M Butcher (capt), M Ramprakash, G Thorpe, A Brown, A Stewart (wkt), Azhar Mahmood, A Tudor, M Bicknell, I Salisbury, J Ormond, E Giddins.

Lancashire (from): M Chilton, A Swann, D Byas, S Law, G Lloyd, A Flintoff, W Hegg (capt, wkt), C Schofield, G Chapple, K Hogg, G Keedy.