SURREY wiped out Kent’s first innings lead of 120 and eased into a modest 53-run advantage of their own as this Frizzell Championship clash in Guildford edged ever nearer a draw.

Having posted 572 - their highest total of the summer – built around season’s bests for Matthew Walker (173) and Justin Kemp (124), Kent struggled to take wickets on a sublime pitch at Woodbridge Road that enabled the hosts to canter to 173 for two at stumps.

Kent batted on for another 48 overs of day three in adding another 164 runs on another glorious day for cricket.

They lost Kemp to the second new ball, the tall South African lost middle and off stumps after missing an attempted drive at a swinging delivery from Azhar Mahmood to bring an end to his 186-minute stay.

Walker continued to reach his biggest score since the record breaking 275 not out against Somerset at Canterbury in 1996.

He hit two sixes and 24 fours in reaching 173 before his uppish pull against Akram picked out Nayan Doshi on the deep square boundary.

Soon afterwards Walker said: "It was my biggest innings since that day against Somerset yes, but it certainly wasn’t my best.

"It was such a flat pitch, you would score loads of runs if you rolled it up and took it around with you but you wouldn’t get many results.

"Even my mis-hits were going for four."

After that Niall O’Brien chipped in with 46 before carelessly giving up his wicket in the 130th over – had he lasted four more balls Surrey would have been denied a third bowling point.

Min Patel (27) and Simon Cook (13) went for their shots thereafter to help their side into a three-figure lead.

Surrey responded with a second innings opening stand worth 107 between Jonathan Batty and Richard Clinton (45) that ended when Clinton top-edged a pull off Amjad Khan high to David Fulton at mid-on.

Batty, who was dropped on 26 when Cook downed a skier off the bowling of Patel, went on to reach 50 from 114 balls but five runs on he flat-batted to Walker at backward point to make it 138 for two.

Acting skipper Mark Ramprakash (23) and Graham Thorpe (15) duly batted through to the close and will hope to fill their batting boots further on Saturday.

On a day when the cricket meandered rather aimlessly, Surrey and England supporters in particular were contemplating life after Thorpe.

The 35-year-old veteran of 100 Tests chose the second day of the Ashes series and the third day of this championship clash to announce his retirement from Test cricket.

Thorpe, whose partner Amanda is expecting their first child, said: "I thought about it for a few days but it’s more to do with things off the field and the fact our baby’s coming in 10 days’ time.

"Once England had overlooked me I thought I’d finish at the end of the summer anyway and concentrate on playing the rest of the summer with Surrey, but more importantly to be at home for the birth and be around fully.

"I’ve got to make sacrifices, start another life and take this opportunity for me to give a lot back.

"Amanda’s been very supportive of me throughout this period when I’ve been back in the England side. It's an opportunity now for me to give something back to her."

Asked whether he would be prepared to stand in should England suffer an injury crisis or a down-turn in form, Thorpe added: "I think that would be a pretty backward step by England.

"This is the best for everybody: it stops any speculation and it makes it clear and it draws the line for me as well.

"I said I was disappointed (with the England selection) last week, but I totally accepted the way the decision went.

"It’s been fantastic playing for England for this length of time but for me one door closes but another opens."

SCORECARD

Surrey first innings

R S Clinton c Kemp b Cook 0
J N Batty c Walker b Patel 50
M R Ramprakash c O’Brien b Cook 97
G P Thorpe b Patel 95
A D Brown c O’Brien b Khan 107
R Clarke b Stevens 18
Azhar Mahmood lbw b Hall 41
I D K Salisbury c O’Brien b Patel 15
J Ormond not out 2
N D Doshi not out 0
Extras 27

Total 452 for eight after 117.4 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-4, 2-105, 3-238, 4-336, 5-382, 6-400, 7-449, 8-451.

Bowling: Khan 21-4-92-1, Cook 17-3-78-2, Hall 21.4-4-73-1, Kemp 17-0-60-0, Patel 30-6-96-3, Stevens 11-0-40-1, Key 1-0-5-0.

Kent first innings

D P Fulton c Brown b Mahmood 39
R W T Key b Doshi 65
M van Jaarsveld c Batty b Ormond 36
M J Walker c Doshi b Akram 173
D I Stevens lbw b Mahmood 0
J M Kemp b Mahmood 124
A J Hall c Batty b Doshi 24
N J O’Brien lbw b Salisbury 46
M M Patel st Batty b Doshi 27
S J Cook c Batty b Salisbury 13
A Khan not out 1
Extras 24

Total 572 all out after 135.5 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-58, 2-122, 3-201, 4-202, 5-435, 6-483, 7-495, 8-523, 9-571.

Bowling: Mohammad Akram 24-2-114-1, Ormond 28-1-109-1, Azhar Mahmood 24-2-104-3, Clarke 9-0-53-0, Doshi 30-3-111-3, Salisbury 14.5-0-71-2.

Surrey second innings

R S Clinton c Fulton b Khan 45
J N Batty c Walker b Hall 55
M R Ramprakash not out 23
G P Thorpe not out 15
Extras 35

Total 173 for two after 59 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-107, 2-138,

Bowling: Khan 10-1-43-1, Cook 7-2-13-0, Patel 26-5-57-0, Hall 10-4-13-1, Kemp 3-0-16-0, Walker 1-0-4-0, Stevens 2-0-2-0.