Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones was pleased with how his side bounced back on day two of their County Championship match with Surrey at The Oval.

The hosts looked set for a sizeable first innings lead as they reached 231-4 in reply to Middlesex’s 247, with Jason Roy (79) and Ben Foakes (73) going well.

But the visitors rallied and Roland-Jones finished with 4-66 as Surrey were dismissed for 280, before Nick Compton and Sam Robson survived for six overs before bad light forced an early finish.

Roland-Jones said: “I don’t think any batsman ever really felt in on that pitch, but obviously both Jason Roy and Ben Foakes played very nicely in that middle session and, as a result, put the pressure back on to us as bowlers to execute our lines and lengths.

“I think they both batted really well but we managed to bowl well with the second new ball after getting the key wicket of Foakes, through James Franklin, shortly before that new ball became available. There’s a bit of variable bounce out there, too, now.”

Surrey’s Foakes added: “The batting conditions are challenging, and we had to be on our guard, but we managed to get a lead, although ideally we would of course have wanted a big one.

“Stuart Meaker did an awesome job as nightwatchman and it was great for Jason and I to get a partnership going. I have got a lot of starts in championship cricket earlier this season, without really going on, so it was frustrating to get out when I did. But, overall, I tried to reign myself in and try to play each ball on its merits.

“We need to concentrate on putting the ball in the right areas for that surface. There is spin as well as seam available.”