Former England batsman Mark Butcher joined the prolific Mark Ramprakash in scoring a century off Hampshire's weakened attack at the Rose Bowl today.

Butcher scored 100 as Surrey rattled up a huge first-innings total of 556 in LV County Championship Division One.

In the process, Hampshire's title hopes took a sever battering without their inspirational captain Shane Warne and England bowlers Dimitri Mascarenhas and Chris Tremlett.

Hampshire soon lost Michael Carberry and Michael Brown before bad light brought a premature close with the home side still 509 behind at 47 for two.

Ramprakash, 124 not out overnight went on to make 188, sharing a stand of 225 for the third wicket with Butcher.

Butcher was out the ball after reaching his century, leg before to James Bruce after hitting 13 fours and facing 202 balls.

Ramprakash seemed bound for his double century until he was bowled by Hampshire's West Indian pace bowler Daren Powell having hit 102 of his runs in boundaries.

Even then Hampshire's misery was not over as the Surrey tail took advantage of a tiring attack without a cutting edge.

James Benning made 42 and Matt Nicholson was 34 not out when Surrey's innings finally reached a conclusion at 556 in the 161st over.

Hampshire's bowling made sorry reading with Shaun Udal, in the team as Warne's replacement, taking three for 106 and Powell three for 117.

Hampshire, who need to win to maintain their push for their first championship title for 34 years, made a poor start to their reply.

Nicholson had Carberry leg before without scoring and Brown went the same way to Chris Schofield.

John Crawley and James Adams prevented further alarms before bad light intruded, but there was no denying Surrey had manoeuvred themselves into a powerful position by the end of the second day.

For Hampshire the only mitigation was some good bowling without support from Bruce, who deserved better than his final figures of two for 86, while Sean Ervine continued his rehabilitation from a long-term injury by also taking two wickets.