Ramprakash Eyes Landmark

Ramprakash - the hunt continues.

Surrey's Mark Ramprakash will resume his quest for his 100th first-class hundred on 19 not out after a rain-interrupted first day against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Only 30 overs of play were possible after a thunderstorm forced the teams off the field half an hour before lunch.

The bottom-of-the-table Brown Caps were invited to bat by home captain Chris Read and fast bowler Darren Pattinson removed openers Stewart Walters (nought) and Scott Newman (18) in an excellent first spell.

Play resumed at 5pm and Ramprakash and Jon Batty, who also moved to 19 not out, advanced the score to 59 for two before bad light and further rain ended the day 25 minutes later.

Ramprakash has not passed three figures in his last eight Championship innings but was soon at the crease after Pattinson dismissed Walters with the ninth ball of the match.

The 28-year-old, recently named in England's preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy after a superb start in county cricket, produced a lifting delivery which Walters could only edge to Graeme Swann at third slip.

Ramprakash almost followed first-ball in carbon-copy fashion but his edge fell just short of the waiting fielder.

And the veteran former England batsman was soon into his stride with a crunching drive to the boundary off Charlie Shreck.

Newman had trouble dealing with some sharp bouncers from Pattinson and eventually got a thin edge to an attempted cut, which was safely taken by wicketkeeper Read.

New batsman Batty saw off the new ball and some watchful defence from the pair ensured no further wickets fell before the premature close.