RORY Burns stood alone for Surrey against Hampshire on the third day of their championship match at The Kia Oval.

Surrey’s acting captain, standing in for the injured Gareth Batty, scored his first century of the season as his side battled to save the follow-on against a bowling unit that displayed more aggression, variety and experience than the home side had managed on the opening two days.

Apart from a dogged half-century from Dominic Sibley, the only meaningful resistance came from Burns, who scored an unbeaten 174 in a Surrey total of 410-7 as they pursued an epic 499 just to avoid the follow-on.

He was dropped twice, on 98 and 154, but otherwise never looked in trouble against Hampshire’s spirited attack that toiled away on the hottest day of the match.

Surrey resumed on 113-1 in reply to Hampshire’s epic 648 and were glued together all day by the determined Burns.

In the fourth over of the morning Hampshire’s gifted leg-spinner Mason Crane straightened one nicely and night watchman Conor McKerr, on the back foot, was lbw for one.

But it was when Surrey lost a proper batsman, Scott Borthwick, for a meagre three, that Surrey supporters realised they had a battle on their hands. It was 137-3 when Borthwick got a very thin edge to one from Kyle Abbott and was caught behind. But already Burns was looking immense.

Jason Roy played an attacking cameo of an innings, and attempted to break the stranglehold Crane had on the side from the Vauxhall End. In the same over Roy hit Crane over midwicket and then straight-drove him for another boundary.

But he had scored only 27 when he was lbw to one that came back into him from Gareth Berg, who had replaced Abbott at the Pavilion End. Surrey were wobbling at 204-4 at lunch, with Burns on 88.

Burns survived his first chance when he was dropped at first slip by Sean Ervine off Fidel Edwards, a difficult chance.

He and Sibley then took their fifth wicket stand to 104. But then Sibley shouldered arms to a ball that ball nipped back and had him lbw for 57. He had batted for 134 deliveries and hit eight fours; 297-5.

Surrey showed plenty of character but were rocked by a fiery spell from Edwards after tea.

Edwards really bent his back and dug one in short to Ben Foakes.

The Surrey keeper pulled it straight to midwicket where Rilee Rossouw held on to a good catch.

In his next over Edwards induced Sam Curran to edge one between wicketkeeper and first slip.

Then he found the outside edge again and this time the batsman edged to the keeper.

Edwards then gave Tom Curran a torrid time but he and the admirable Burns saw Surrey through to the close without further mishap.

HAMPSHIRE first innings
JHK Adams b Virdi 144     
LD McManus† b SM Curran 13     
R Rossouw c B’wick b TK Curran 28     
JM Vince c †Foakes b TK Curran 104 
GJ Bailey* c Footitt b Borthwick 161     
SM Ervine b McKerr 83     
IG Holland not out 58 
GK Berg c TK Curran b Sibley 35     
Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 5, nb 8) 22 
TOTAL 648-7dec (161.4 overs)      
    To bat: KJ Abbott, MS Crane, FH Edwards    
    Fall of wickets 1-24 (McManus, 9.5 ov), 2-71 (Rossouw, 25.3 ov), 3-232 (Vince, 59.6 ov), 4-361 (Adams, 95.1 ov), 5-528 (Ervine, 139.6 ov), 6-600 (Bailey, 156.3 ov), 7-648 (Berg, 161.4 ov)
     Bowling: TK Curran 25-5-85-2, SM Curran 26-6- 82- 1, MHA Footitt 24-5-89- 0, C McKerr 25- 1- 102-1, A Virdi 32-3-135-1, SG Borthwick 23-0- 96- 1, DP Sibley 6.4- 0- 50- 1.

SURREY first innings
RJ Burns* not out 174    
MD Stoneman c Rossouw b Ervine 57    
C McKerr lbw b Crane 1    
SG Borthwick c †McManus b Abbott 3    
JJ Roy lbw b Berg 27    
DP Sibley lbw b Abbott 57    
BT Foakes† c Rossouw b Edwards 14
SM Curran c †McManus b Edwards 12    
TK Curran not out 35    
Extras (b 10, lb 5, w 1, nb 14) 30
TOTAL (7 wickets; 126 overs) 410
    To bat: MHA Footitt, A Virdi
    Fall of wickets 1-103 (Stoneman, 26.6 ov), 2-128 (McKerr, 33.2 ov), 3-137 (Borthwick, 42.2 ov), 4-193 (Roy, 52.2 ov), 5-297 (Sibley, 90.4 ov), 6-332 (Foakes, 99.6 ov), 7-348 (SM Curran, 101.6 ov)
    Bowling: KJ Abbott 23-10-45-2, GK Berg 19-3-58-1, FH Edwards 19-2-104-2, MS Crane 38-7-122-1, IG Holland 10-3-21-0, SM Ervine 17-2-45-1    

Toss - Hampshire, who chose to bat
Points so far- Hampshire 7, Surrey 5
Umpires - NGB Cook and AG Wharf