Read stands tall in Marsh's view

Notts 211 and 94-6 Surrey 393

A day of contrasts: first Nottinghamshire bowled so poorly that Rod Marsh, present as the newest England selector must have thought he was back in 1993, the year he labelled English bowlers "pie chuckers"; then final session redemption in the guise of Martin Bicknell, James Ormond and Azhar Mahmood. The pitch, that warranted inspection from Lord's but no action, demanded a good line and length. The Surrey trio provided it and were rewarded with pace, bounce, albeit a little too steep on occasion, movement and six wickets.

On such disciplines are victories based. As champions in three of the past four years, Surrey know that and they know when to take attack and grasp control of the game. Azhar Mahmood principally did that with a Championship-best 98, smacking, smashing and slicing the plethora of long hops and wide half-volleys that provided 186 runs in the 32 over morning session. From parity, Surrey had a sizeable lead and dominance.

For Nottinghamshire, only Jason Gallian, the undefeated centurion of the first innings, and Chris Read looked competitive and with Marsh already publicly praising the 24-year-old wicketkeeper his opposite number Alec Stewart, despite a typically swashbuckling innings on Friday, could finally be given the carriage clock that has been dusted down at least twice before.

Selectors can get too close to players and Stewart through his reliability and, let us not forget, quality, has become a bit of a dependency for them. A new face could make them confront the harder decisions and with Nasser Hussain off the selection panel and the unsentimental Marsh on, it could be time for Read and James Foster to become the England keepers.

Stewart has hinted as much with his opinion that one-day internationals are a younger man's game. With England aiming to be the best Test side by 2007 and win the next World Cup, Stewart has no advantages for selection, except the fudge that is he is centrally contracted to the end of the season. A fudge that should not be underestimated in these fiscally challenging times.

So, what of Foster and Read? Whether now or October? Both have played before and have differing styles – batting and with the gloves on. Read, who excelled at the academy this winter, has a busier, less orthodox batting style more suited to the frenetic bashing or tip and run of one-day cricket than Foster's. Having said that, his composure when he walked out at 35 for 4 was marked and only ruined by a wild slash to third slip. He already has more than 250 first-class runs this season and a one-day century and wise judges believe his concentration behind the stumps has improved.

First though they have to wean themselves off the man from Surrey. Marsh, the new kid on the selection block, the man brought in for his tough attitudes, could provide the "cold turkey".