It is only today we have hit back - so we have got away with it really Ian Ward

Ian Ward and Rikki Clarke helped themselves to centuries to snuff out any chance of defending champions Surrey starting the new campaign with a home defeat.

Lancashire were in confident mood after forcing their hosts to follow on and then reducing them to 61-2 by the close of play on day three.

But the pitch remained a good one to bat on and Ward took up where he left last summer by batting for over six hours to make 158, an innings which included three sixes and 24 fours.

Surrey suffered a wobble as they slumped from 124-2 to
150-5 with Graham Thorpe dismissed by Andrew Flintoff for 35, Ally Brown run out without scoring, and Adam Hollioake caught off Kyle Hogg for 10.

But Ward found a dependable ally in Clarke, who showed why he is regarded as one of England's brightest prospects in a stand of 144.

Ward eventually fell to the perservering James Anderson, but Clarke reached his hundred off 139 balls and went on to make an unbeaten 127, with Alex Tudor 11 not out when the captains called a halt.

Surrey: I J Ward, J N Batty (Wkt), M R Ramprakash, G P Thorpe, A D Brown, A J Hollioake (Capt), R Clarke, A J Tudor, I D K Salisbury, Saqlain Mushtaq, T J Murtagh.

Lancashire: A J Swann, I J Sutcliffe, M B Loye, S G Law, M J Chilton, A Flintoff, G Chapple, C P Schofield, W K Hegg (Capt Wkt), J M Anderson, K W Hogg.