MIKE Atherton left the Oval last night grinning and quoting Talking Heads.

"Same as it ever was," he said when asked how his back had held up to his Championship comeback, quoting the Once in a Lifetime lyric - which sounded like good news.

But Lancashire had nothing else to smile about after another miserable batting performance.

Despite a solid start from Atherton, Mark Chilton and skipper John Crawley, they could only manage 194 - the third time in four matches they have been bowled out for less than 200.

And by the close of the first day, Surrey had put the Oval pitch in perspective by racing to 113-3 - despite wickets for Andy Flintoff and one on each day Muttiah Muralitharan.

After Atherton's 24, Lancashire's middle order again disintegrated leaving skipper Crawley helpless at the non-striker's end.

Neil Fairbrother, Graham Lloyd and Flintoff all went cheaply, Flintoff bowled by Alex Tudor for a third ball duck to give the impressive young Surrey paceman sweet revenge after Freddie smashed him for 34 in an over at Old Trafford last year.

Warren Hegg and Peter Martin did their best, but after Crawley flicked a catch to mid-wicket on 36, Lancashire failed to take a single batting bonus point.

Tudor claimed 4-60 and there were three wickets for former England leg spinner Ian Salisbury in front of watching selectors David Graveney and Mike Gatting.

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