Surrey face a testing final-day rearguard action at Edgbaston to avoid an opening-game defeat to Warwickshire in the Rothesay County Championship Division One.

Trailing by 216 on first innings, the visitors closed the third day on 169 for three, still 47 away from avoiding an innings defeat. Jamie Smith ended the day unbeaten on 51 (84 balls) and Rory Burns made 55 (98) but Surrey need at least two players to bat long on the last day to save the game.

Warwickshire had earlier extended their first innings to 544 all out as Dan Mousley struck a career-best 144 (178 balls), Sam Hain 94 (182) and Beau Webster 53 (83). Eighteen-year-old spinner Ralphie Albert enjoyed most success with three for 80 in a Surrey attack missing the unavailable Gus Atkinson, the injured Dan Worrall and the flu-hit Jordan Clark.

Surrey need to bat diligently to save the game but, on a pitch which has become mostly batter-friendly, they would be disappointed not to shepherd the 174th County Championship match between these two sides to its 77th draw.

Warwickshire resumed their first innings on the third morning on 330 for two, already two runs in front, and Surrey’s objective was to make run-scoring a lot less comfortable than the previous day. ‘Cut out the four-balls,’ was the mantra and they largely did that, bowling a better line and ensuring that runs were a lot harder-earned.

Mousley and Hain took their partnership to 212 in 52 overs before both fell shortly before a brief rain break. Hain, six short of his 20th first-class century, was lbw to a full-length ball from Matt Fisher. Mousley, having hit 25 fours in his first first-class hundred for Warwickshire, edged James Tayor to slip where Burns hung on at the second attempt.

Ed Barnard pepped the boundary count back up with four fours from his first ten balls but then edged an attempted cut at Fisher to slip. Beau Webster fell lbw to Lawes shortly after becoming the fifth batter in the innings to pass 50. Lawes’ input to the attack was then curtailed mid-over by a split lip sustained when a straight drive bounced up into his face.

Albert, having had his middle stump uprooted by Chris Woakes on the first day, took revenge by striking the former England all-rounder’s middle via an inside-edge. As the innings flagged a little, Kai Smith (38, 64) took the total over 500 before top-edging a pull at Albert. Ethan Bamber was lbw to Taylor before Jordan Thompson, having just swatted Albert over mid-wicket for six, became the left-armer’s deserved third wicket when he skied to extra cover.

Surrey started their second innings after tea, knowing they had to bat four sessions to save the game. Burns (55, 98 balls) and Dom Sibley added a comfortable 57 in 15 overs before the latter, having survived a huge lbw shout the previous ball, did not survive another and fell to Thompson. Burns posted an 87-ball half-century and looked assured but then jabbed a return catch to Woakes.

That brought England pair Smith and Ollie Pope and the latter lasted just 13 balls before falling lbw to Bamber for the second time in the match. He departed the crease clearly angry but surely at himself, not the umpire, for the decision looked spot on. Smith and Dan Lawrence saw out the day but Warwickshire’s enviable array of seamers is scenting victory.