A sizeable crowd had turned up at The Swalec Stadium to see Kevin Pietersen’s return to first class cricket in his bid to regain his place in England’s Test team, but it didn’t go to plan for the controversial batsman, writes Edward Bevan.

He had not played any cricket for two years- his last game was against Yorkshire at Headingley two years ago,- but he was at the crease for only thirty seven minutes, facing only twenty eight balls and scoring nineteen, before being dismissed on day where Surrey took the ascendency nonetheless.

After striking four boundaries, he drove at a ball from Glamorgan’s medium pacer Craig Meschede only to edge to first slip.

Meschede obviously enjoys bowling at famous batsmen- his first victim in first class cricket was Sachin Tendulkar and the Somerset all rounder, who is on a season’s loan to Glamorgan was overjoyed at another notable scalp.

The remainder of the first day’s play belonged to Kumar Sangakkara, who was making his debut for Surrey and from his first ball, appeared determined to celebrate the occasion with a big score.

Coming to the crease on the back of four consecutive centuries in the World Cup and forty five in the game Sri Lanka were eliminated, he played every ball on its merit and was soon piercing the off side with some trademark strokes. He reached fifty from eighty three balls, and went on score the inevitable century from another seventy nine deliveries which included a six and fourteen fours.

.After Pietersen’s dismissal Sangakarra was well supported by Steven Davies with the left handed combination sharing an unbroken partnership of 213 for the fourth wicket .Davies, one of four wicketkeepers in the Surrey team also appeared in prime form and shortly before the close reached his century with fifteen boundaries.

Earlier, Gareth Batty had won the toss and had no hesitation of batting on a placid pitch that gave the Glamorgan bowlers no assistance whatsoever.

Zafar Ansari and Rory Burns launched the innings with an opening partnership of one hundred and four, before Burns was caught behind off Graham Wagg shortly before lunch.

Ansari departed after the interval, but thereafter there was no respite for the Glamorgan attack as Sangakkara held centre stage. Glamorgan took the new ball after eighty overs, but the batsmen were rarely troubled, and they will hope that the pitch remains true thoughout the game and continues to favour the batsmen.

Surrey ended the day on 363 for three, with Sangakkara 112 not out and Davies 109.