Rory Burns was one of three Surrey half-centurions as the defending champions took a first innings lead against visitors Somerset on day two at the Kia Oval.

The Brown Caps skipper struck 10 boundaries in a fluent 76, sharing a first-wicket stand of 129 with fellow former England opener Dominic Sibley (53), who passed 50 for the fifth time in six innings this season.

England wicketkeeper  Jamie Smith was the third to reach his half-ton with 58 as the hosts reached 321-7 at stumps.

Somerset’s bowlers recovered from a morning where they bowled too full a length, skipper Lewis Gregory leading the way with three for 46, including a double strike with the second new ball, as four wicket fell in the final session 

Having bowled out Somerset for 283 on the cusp of stumps on day one, Burns and Sibley enjoyed a morning of dominance as they begun Surrey’s reply.

Save for the odd ball which bounced a little for those bowling from the Vauxhall End and the odd lbw shout, Burns moved serenely along, Somerset’s bowlers guilty of straying onto the pads too often to feed his trademark shot through mid-wicket. In fact, anything pitched up was quickly seized on by the 34 year-old left-hander as he raced to 50 from 77 balls.

As ever Sibley’s progress was sedate but rock solid, the pair reaching lunch one short of the century stand.

If anything, Burns looked even better post lunch, driving with authority to move into the 70s and he appeared destined for a century before Josh Davey produced the ball of the day to remove him.

Bowling around the wicket, Davey extracted bounce and while Burns did everything right, trying to drop his hands, the ball followed him and smacked off the top glove  for Kasey Aldridge to pouch the catch at slip.

Ollie Pope didn’t detain us for long, bowled by skipper Gregory trying to cut a ball too close to him, but Smith came out bristling with aggression and began with a flurry of boundaries.

Sibley, the rock around whom others express themselves became barnacle-like even by his standards, failing to hit a boundary after lunch.

He reached a fifth 50 in 151 balls, but even he ran out of patience, uncharacteristically charging England spinner Jack Leach and being beaten in the flight. His ugly wahoo failed to make contact and he’d have been stumped had the ball not cannoned into the stumps.

The deceleration was catching with Smith slowly grinding to a halt despite his continued best efforts to hit the cover off the ball. He too would make it to his half-century before his innings ended tamely a mis-timed pull off Aldridge only travelling as far as Gregory at mid-on.

By this stage Ben Foakes was in flow, the diminutive wicketkeeper employing his wristy shots to good effect, sending successive deliveries from Leach to the fence at point. However, with 50 in sight he was undone by a beauty from back of a length by Gregory with the second new ball which nipped between bat and pad to pluck out the off-stump.

There was further reward for Gregory when Ryan Patel fell cheaply to a superbly judged tumbling catch at long-leg by Leach and Jordan Clark edged behind before the close to limit the home side’s advantage.

Surrey finish day one 321/7, with a lead of 38.

Four wickets in the final session give Somerset a solid end to day two.

The skipper the pick of the bowlers so far with 3/46 from 19 overs.

Clark has a swipe at one, and it catches the outside edge through to Rew!

Migael has his first of the match, Surrey seven down with three overs remaining on day two.

Ryan Patel skies one looking to pull Lewis Gregory and Jack Leach takes a fantastic catch to remove Patel at fine leg!

The new ball does the trick! Lewis Gregory beats Foakes on the inside edge and off stump is uprooted.

That one seems to have kept a touch low based on Foakes' reaction.

Jamie Smith seems to have got bored. Smith looks to pull Aldridge but skies one to Lewis Gregory at mid-on.

Another international replaces Smith, Dan Lawrence strides out to join Foakes.

Just three wickets in the session for Somerset despite beating the bat regularly.

When he gets hold of one Jamie Smith is looking in really good touch for his 47*. His innings has not been chanceless so far, though.

Sibley plays a most uncharacteristic shot. The opener skips down the track to Leach and is bowled between bat and pad.

Very odd but Somerset will take it!

Kasey Aldridge is putting the ball in some really good areas here, two play and misses in an over. 

One brings two!! Lewis Gregory gets one to move back in a touch and Ollie Pope chops on.

Could Somerset have a way into this game here...