Bob Willis Trophy: Ben Foakes holds Surrey innings together against Kent

Ben Foakes' Trophy debut is his first appearance since playing for Team Stokes in an England warm-up in July

Ben Foakes scored a brilliant 88 not out after emerging from England's bio-secure Test 'bubble' on the second day of Surrey's Bob Willis Trophy clash against Kent at the Kia Oval.

Foakes' high-class effort, in his first first-class innings since last September, kept Surrey afloat at 239-7 in reply to Kent's 342.

Veteran all-rounder Darren Stevens stood out again for Kent with 3-27 from 18 overs, nine of which were maidens, returning in the late afternoon to add the scalp of Rikki Clarke to two earlier successes and make sure his side stayed on top at the midway point of a fascinating contest.

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Clarke had been hitting out strongly, with five fours in his 30, but Stevens had him caught at second slip in the second over of his third spell after being reintroduced at 209-6.

He had even gone past the edge of Foakes' bat with his second delivery before beating Clarke with a magnificent leg-cutter two balls before the Surrey all-rounder became Stevens' 16th victim of this competition.

Foakes made 38 for Team Stokes against Team Buttler in early July, in the England Test squad's warm-up game before their series against West Indies, but otherwise had not batted in the middle since early March when he was on tour in Sri Lanka.

It did not look like it, with the wicketkeeper-batsman hitting 14 fours and facing 145 balls on a day when Stevens dismissed Scott Borthwick and Will Jacks in a superb second spell as Surrey initially struggled to 83-4, before Foakes teamed up with Laurie Evans and then Sam Curran to add 51 and 47 for the fifth and sixth wickets.

Matt Milnes earlier produced the ball of the day which pitched on middle and off and took the top of Jamie Smith's off stump and he and Harry Podmore supported Stevens strongly with two wickets each.

Foakes edged Stevens just short of second slip early in his innings, but otherwise - watched by England selector James Taylor - he batted with poise and real quality.

The second day had begun with Kent adding 47 runs in 55 minutes, with Milnes converting his overnight 22 into 43 - matching his previous best first-class score - before being last out.

On-loan Worcestershire fast bowler Adam Finch followed up his second-innings 4-38 on his debut last week by finishing with 4-69, dismissing Milnes after ending a bright 25 from Nathan Gilchrist on his first-class debut.

Surrey and England all-rounder Sam Curran:

"Ben Foakes played beautifully after such a long time out of the game. I have so much respect for him.

"It's been a strange and challenging summer, so to play the way he did shows just how good he is. He is a world-class batsman.

"For myself, it was good to be out there playing for Surrey again. When I was not selected for the third Test, it was an easy decision to get back and play here."

Acting Kent captain Daniel Bell-Drummond:

"Darren Stevens is remarkable. He just goes from strength to strength, really.

"Batsmen just can't seem to work him out, whether they are experienced players or inexperienced ones.

"Matt Milnes also bowled very well. He's come on leaps and bounds in recent times and continues to improve."

Match report supplied by PA Media.