Leicestershire 350 for 3 (Patel 133, Weatherald 96) trail Surrey 520 (Smith 166, Pope 103, Clark 71, Foakes 63) by 170 runs

Weatherald’s punchy 96 and Patel’s heroics over almost five and a quarter hours at the crease took the Division One newcomers to 350 for three in reply to Surrey’s intimidating first innings 520 on a chilly yet sunny day in south London.

But Surrey paid a heavy price in the final session for dropping Lewis Hill on five. By stumps Hill had gone on to an unbeaten 60, from only 70 balls, in an unbroken partnership of 98 with Patel.

Patel and Weatherald earlier put on 156 for the first wicket after Surrey had themselves quickly added 108 in 75 minutes on the second morning to their overnight 412 for six.

Ben Foakes was adjudged caught at the wicket off Ian Holland for 63 from the third ball of the day, but Jordan Clark hit out powerfully to reach 71 before being last out.

Clark struck three sixes in a 64-ball effort and Tom Lawes also played some eye-catching strokes while contributing 36 to an eighth wicket stand worth 95 in just 13 overs.

But Leicestershire’s response, on a still-placid batting surface, was an excellent one as Surrey’s five-pronged seam attack largely huffed and puffed to little effect.

Australian Test left-hander Weatherald was the main aggressor in the opening alliance with Patel, once lifting Dan Lawrence’s off spin straight for six from a few steps down the pitch after he had also played the quicker bowlers with confidence.

But the eventual introduction of Reece Topley, as fifth seamer and in his first red-ball match since 2022, finally accounted for Weatherald in the 36th over of Leicestershire’s innings.

Topley had struggled initially for line and length, with his first three deliveries all disappearing to the boundary, and Weatherald had just forced Topley off the back foot for his 16th four when he edged a fine ball to keeper Foakes.

Holland was badly dropped on 14 by Surrey captain Rory Burns, off Sean Abbott, but had only scored four more runs when he drove at an outswinger from Clark and thick-edged to a diving Foakes.

Patel, however, went on to reach his eighth first-class hundred despite also seeing Rehan Ahmed fall cheaply, and the 27-year-old leapt with joy after going to three figures with a boundary off Topley.

Rehan’s 10 ended with a loose shot against Matt Fisher, edged to Foakes, and the same bowler should then have dismissed Hill too but Ollie Pope shelled a chest-high chance at second slip.

It was a mistake that cost Surrey dear as Hill hit 10 fours in increasingly assured fashion while Patel completed his hundred from 166 balls and by stumps had faced 209 in all, stroking 23 fours in his unhurried and classical style.