There are two ways to approach the new day if you leave the field within one shot of a century. Both were displayed at The Oval today.

Alex Tudor, on the brink of a first century in what should be a long and successful all-round career was as nervy and excitable as he had been imperious on Day One. Alec Stewart, fast approaching his fiftieth hundred, simply hit the first ball of the day, admittedly a gift almost half-volley length outside his leg stump, to the ropes.

His partner looked to have slept little and worried lots and could only play and miss, and even attempted to give catching pratice to the slips (he couldn't even do this right, it fell well short) before an edge finally beat the cordon and he was safely a real batsman at last. Pressure relieved, Tudor could hardly miss a ball for a while - one cover drive would have stood out in any innings ever played, other shots were more brutal, but just as effective.

With the two-hundred partnership having been hoisted Stewart (106) missed a ball keeping low, and after an interval Tudor (116) was caught in the deep from a top edge. Essex may have breathed a sigh of relief but losing the eighth wicket does not signal the arrival of the Surrey tail (more commonly pronounced Giddins). Salisbury and in particular Bicknell looked set on hoisting 500 to make their bowling tasks later in the day simpler.

After the leg-spinner was caught off McGarry, the entire Essex team seemed to retreat to the fence to stop Bicknell scoring boundaries and offer him singles, a tactic which failed as they had but nine outfielders and would have needed twenty.

The second loudest cheer of the day (after Tudor's hundred) greeted a four to Giddins before Irani, strangely underbowled, ended the carnage by bowling Bicknell (38).

The game seemed to resume on a different ground. Whereas the Essex bowlers had struggled to achieve a hint of movement, though with occasionally variable bounce, Bicknell, faster than any of the Essex bowlers and getting much more bounce, could not control the ball at all in his first over, the ball swinging enough to have two wides called.

Tudor at the other end got little movement and seemed to be unable to hit the seam consistently - perhaps a symptom of a sleepless night - but generated alarming pace. The first runs from the bat came from an edge past third slip in his first over that reached the pavillion before any fielder had moved.

Bicknell soon had the measure of the swing and by the time he decieved Prichard (0) with a slower ball he had beaten him on both sides of the bat more than once. Robinson (7) left a beautiful inswinger, perhaps assuming it would bounce over the stumps. It did, but not over the bails.

The wicket bringing Law out to join Grayson. Law immediately looked more assured than his colleagues but hardly comfortable, clearing the slips with an uncomfortable edge, and playing and missing at Bicknell. Giddins replaced Tudor bowling as fast as I have seen him for his new county and getting much more movement than Tudor, finally getting Grayson (37) caught at point by Ward.

Ben Hollioake replaced Bicknell and the scoring rate improved, the young allrounder showing both sides of his bowling. Some unplayable away swingers were mixed with too many short balls and half-volleys allowing Law to get well underway.

Law, on the way to a classy but hardly chanceless hundred (he was dropped or missed either side of 50 and on 99, all hard chances). The rest of the Essex batting however seemed unable to cope with any of the Surrey bowlers.

Irani (17), surely over-promoted at number five in a first-class game, looked to slog the side out of trouble before pulling a fast shortish ball onto his stumps. Peters (23) was correct but not able to cope for long with Bicknell's return to the Vauxhall end.

Neither Foster or Anderson (who had earlier been the pick of the Essex bowlers) looked to be middle-order batsmen, Foster in particular looking very uncomfortable facing Tudor. From a stance inside the crease, a step back before the ball is bowled inspires little confidence.

Ilott however played well got into line and drove with some force before both sides seemed to decide that enough was enough and Salisbury and Ramprakash bowled a few overs to bring a long day to a close, not without Salisbury spinning the ball enough to suggest that the second Essex innings will be any easier.

At the close of day two of the CricInfo Championship Division One game at The Oval, Essex were 265 for 7 in their first innings, still 223 behind Surrey's first innings total of 498.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd