County Championship - day two (close)

Surrey 328-6 v Somerset 269

LEGENDARY batsman Kumar Sangakkara's prolific season continued as he struck his eighth County Championship century in 13 innings this summer to help his Surrey side take a first innings lead against Somerset at The Oval.

Peter Trego ended the day with 4-53 for the visitors, who trail by 59 runs runs and still need to take the last four wickets going into day three.

Surrey resumed on 42-0 and the second day started as the first had ended, with Somerset's seamers beating the bat on numerous occasions without managing to find the edge.

Mark Stoneman and Rory Burns took their opening stand to 97 when the visitors' luck turned, as Peter Trego had Stoneman caught behind for 51.

That was the start of a good period for Somerset, and Trego struck again when Burns played on for 43 before Ryan Patel (14) edged Groenewald behind as the hosts lost two further wickets with the score on 114.

Ben Foakes joined the evergreen Kumar Sangakkara, who is playing his penultimate First Class match before his retirement at the end of the season, and added 55 for the fourth wicket as the hosts rebuilt.

Trego returned to pick up his third scalp to break the partnership as Foakes provided Steve Davies with his third catch behind the stumps to leave Surrey 169-4.

Unfortunately for the persistent visitors, they could not find a way to get through the defences of Sangakkara, who was delivering a masterclass that proved a timely reminder of what the game will be missing when he hangs up his pads.

The Sri Lankan struck 15 fours and a six on his way to his 64th First Class century, putting on 109 with Ollie Pope, who made a half century of his own.

The duo showed the application that was lacking among Somerset's middle order, Steve Davies aside, on day one, and their partnership left the visitors on the back foot until a quickfire double breakthrough.

Pope fell to Groenewald for exactly 50, the fourth batsman to depart caught behind, and Trego then picked up his fourth wicket when Sam Curran slashed to slip, with Craig Overton holding on to a fine catch.

Rikki Clarke will resume unbeaten on one alongside the imperious Sangakkara (119*), and Somerset will aim to keep the hosts to a reasonable first innings lead before establishing an advantage of their own with the bat.

Elsewhere in the relegation dogfight, Yorkshire lead Warwickshire by 28 runs with the visitors into their second innings, while Middlesex's match against Lancashire could go down to the wire.

The hosts held a comfortable first innings lead at Lord's before Lancashire bowled them out for 152, leaving the Red Rose county requiring 221 to win.