A match between a relegated side and this season's champions may be lacking much competitive buzz.

However, the day after Graham Thorpe made just 19 on his long-awaited return to cricket, fellow Ashes tourist John Crawley showed his form with a fluent innings of 82.

Crawley was in for 100 balls and lasted 12 minutes less than two hours at the crease in an aggressive knock.

The only other man to pass 50 in Hampshire's innings was the left-handed John Francis, who made 59.

The day began with Surrey 348 for seven and Saqlain Mushtaq hit 55 to take the visitors beyond 400, a very fine score on the Rose Bowl wicket.

Saqlain contributed three wickets when Surrey bowled, while Jimmy Ormond was the most successful wicket-taker, claiming four for 87.

Hampshire: N C Johnson, J S Laney, J P Crawley, J H K Adams, W S Kendall (Capt), J D Francis, N Pothas (Wkt), A D Mascarenhas, S D Udal, J E K Schofield, J A Tomlinson.

Surrey: S A Newman, I J Ward (Capt), N Shahid, G P Thorpe, A D Brown, J N Batty (Wkt), M P Bicknell, I D K Salisbury, Saqlain Mushtaq, J Ormond, T J Murtagh.

Umpires: J W Holder and J F Steele