The Sunderland attacking philosophy was as clear as their defensive plan - to break quickly down the flanks and use the option of Quinn whenever possible.Peter Reid, the Sunderland manager, said his defence-first tactics would not be on show every week. "Their biggest threats were Stig Inge Bjornebye's dead balls. I'm not going to get carried away, but I don't think we looked out of our depth. We try to get at teams when we can, but it is difficult to get at Liverpool."Conversely, Liverpool found it equally difficult to weave their customary intricate paths through the massed Sunderland ranks.

While Liverpool relapsed into last year's occasional inability to dispose of irritating strugglers, Sunderland served notice of their own claims to be regarded as more than just nuisance value for the Premiership elite. Kevin Ball, the Sunderland captain, tracked Steve McManaman's every twitch and was at the heart of a convincingly earned point which maintained the visitors' unbeaten start. The Premiership new boys, however, wasted the two clearest chances of the game; Niall Quinn twice finding himself unchallenged in the area with the goal at his mercy. There is a feel of heartland about it, and if this was America, Essex would take their cricket around county fairs. I rather like Essex.

Surrey's position remains tenuous but Paul Johnson, the opposing captain, knows they will chase anything to sustain hopes of a first Championship title for 25 years.. Brendon Julian summed up Surrey's dilemma as Nottinghamshire recovered from a first-day 98 for three.His line was variable, as his figures of four for 104 at around five an over illustrated. But his dismissal of Archer, without addition to his Thursday score of 143, punished the batsman's error as he attempted to work the ball through the on-side.Surrey's ground fielding had lacked the conviction of aspiring champions, and when they batted the loss of Nadeem Shahid, third out at 52, and then Jason Ratcliffe made the follow-on look possible until play was abandoned after tea. As well as opening, he has been used as a medium-fast bowler. Recently, Dowman has been in earnest conversation with his team-mate Chris Cairns, the New Zealand Test all-rounder, and has apparently benefited from the tutorials.Bringing in Dowman and Graeme Archer, another previously omitted batsman, for Paul Pollard and Afzaal Usman, on England under-19 duty, worked well. Archer's seventh first-class hundred was followed by Wayne Noon's first Championship half-century of the summer.This frustrated Surrey who had risen from 13th in the table in early June to top two months later. The 22-year-old Lincolnshire lad, recalled for this match, has become a key member of the Sunday team which has won five games in a row.