MATCH RESULT - MIDDLESEX WIN BY 127 RUNS
Middlesex 221 all out & 287/6 dec - 20 points
Worcestershire 156 all out & 225 all out - 3 points
Veteran paceman Tim Murtagh steered Middlesex to their first Specsavers County Championship victory of the campaign – a 127 run success - with a six wicket haul against Worcestershire Blackfinch New Road.
Murtagh, who is 38 in August, struck twice before lunch, produced another triple breakthrough after the resumption and he went onto finish with figures of 6-51 and a match analysis of 35-16-76-8.
Worcestershire, who had been set a 353 target after Middlesex declared overnight, were bowled out for 225 in 73.3 overs.
It was the perfect return to county action for Murtagh after his recent international commitments with Ireland and the 33rd five wicket haul of his career.
Middlesex fully deserved their 20 point haul and fit again captain Dawid Malan produced the game’s outstanding batting performance with scores of 45 and 124 on a wicket where the ball nipped around over all four days.
For Worcestershire, opener Daryl Mitchell made a return to form for the home side with a defiant 129 ball half century and Ross Whiteley also produced strong resistance with a late order fifty.
But for the home side it was a second successive setback following the defeat at Lancashire and they were second best with bat and ball for the majority of the game.
Middlesex declared at their overnight total of 287-6 with John Simpson unbeaten on 30 and Toby Roland-Jones 11 not out.
Murtagh took the new ball and struck in successive overs.
Tom Fell (4) was undone by a ball which bounced on him and nicked to Sam Robson at first slip with five on the board.
Then George Rhodes departed lbw for a duck to a Murtagh delivery which nipped back sharply.
Mitchell and Callum Ferguson tried to rebuild the innings and the latter needed 21 balls to get off the mark before reeling off a succession of boundaries.
They steered Worcestershire to 91-2 at lunch but Murtagh came back into the attack after the resumption to re-assert a position of authority for Middlesex.
Ferguson (43) went for a drive to his first delivery of the afternoon from Murtagh and was pouched by Steve Eskinazi who held onto a head high catch at second slip.
Two balls later Riki Wessels (0) pushed forward and only succeeded in finding Malan in the gulley region.
Mitchell went to his half century – containing nine fours – with a single off Murtagh but in his next over dragged a delivery onto his stumps.
Murtagh had Whiteley dropped on 11 at third slip and the left hander profited from his let-off, mixing defence with some trademark attacking strokes.
The wickets continued to tumble at the other end with Ben Cox (14) and Ed Barnard (11) both caught behind off Tom Helm and Toby Roland-Jones respectively.
Victim number six for Murtagh came when he defeated the defensive push of Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach (11) who was bowled.
Whiteley’s half century came up from 90 deliveries with seven fours.
But the end came quickly as Josh Tongue (2) was taken at second slip off Helm and finally Whiteley, whose 112 ball knock contained nine fours, edged James Harris to first slip with 22.3 overs remaining.
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TEA - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 221 all out & 287/6 dec
Worcestershire 156 all out & 189/7
Tim Murtagh propelled Middlesex towards their first Specsavers County Championship victory of the campaign with a five wicket haul against Worcestershire on the final day at Blackfinch New Road.
The veteran paceman struck twice before lunch and then produced another triple breakthrough after the resumption to put his side firmly in control after Worcestershire had been set a 353 target.
Murtagh had figures of 14-7-38-5 as Worcestershire reached 189-7 by the tea interval with 37 overs remaining.
It was the perfect return to county action for the 37-year-old after his recent international commitments with Ireland.
Opener Daryl Mitchell made a return to form for the home side with a defiant 129 ball half century.
But only Callum Ferguson (43) and Ross Whiteley (42 not out) of the other batsman offered much resistance.
Middlesex declared at their overnight total of 287-6 with John Simpson unbeaten on 30 and Toby Roland-Jones 11 not out.
Murtagh took the new ball and struck in successive overs.
Tom Fell (4) was undone by a ball which bounced on him and nicked to Sam Robson at first slip with five on the board.
Then George Rhodes departed lbw for a duck to a Murtagh delivery which nipped back sharply.
Mitchell and Ferguson tried to rebuild the innings and the latter needed 21 balls to get off the mark before reeling off a succession of boundaries.
They steered Worcestershire to 91-2 at lunch but then Murtagh came back into the attack after the resumption to re-assert a position of authority for Middlesex.
Ferguson (43) went for a drive to his first delivery of the afternoon from Murtagh and was pouched by Steve Eskinazi who held onto a head high catch at second slip.
Two balls later Riki Wessels (0) pushed forward and only succeeded in finding Malan in the gulley region.
Mitchell went to his half century – containing nine fours – with a single off Murtagh but in his next over dragged a delivery onto his stumps.
Murtagh also had Whiteley dropped on 11 at third slip and the left hander profited from his let-off, mixing defence with some trademark attacking strokes.
But the wickets continued to tumble at the other end with Ben Cox (14) and Ed Barnard (11) both caught behind off Tom Helm and Toby Roland-Jones respectively.
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LUNCH - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 221 all out & 287/65/ dec
Worcestershire 156 all out & 91/2
Daryl Mitchell and Callum Ferguson rescued Worcestershire from a precarious start after they had been set a target of 353 in the Specsavers County Championship match with Middlesex at Blackfinch New Road.
The pair joined forces with the total on 9-2 after Tim Murtagh had removed Tom Fell and George Rhodes in successive overs.
But there were no more breakthroughs for the visitors before lunch as Mitchell (33 not out) and Ferguson (43 not out) added an unbroken 82 to take the total onto 91-2 from 30 overs.
Middlesex declared at their overnight total of 287-6 with John Simpson unbeaten on 30 and Toby Roland-Jones 11 not out.
Fell collected the first boundary of the innings when he turned Murtagh off his legs – but it was his only scoring shot.
The opening batsman was undone by a ball which bounced on him in the same over and nicked to Sam Robson at first slip with five on the board.
Mitchell had a slice of luck when he edged a Tom Helm delivery wide of fourth slip to the third man boundary.
But Murtagh struck again when George Rhodes departed lbw for a duck to a delivery which nipped back sharply.
Survival was initially the main priority for new batsman Ferguson and Mitchell.
Ferguson needed 21 balls to get off the mark but then collected two boundaries in what proved to the final over of Murtagh’s opening spell of 8-5-15-2.
The Australian batsman inside-edged Roland-Jones for four but a more convincing stroke through the covers brought up the half century in 18 overs.
The fifty partnership was completed in only 12 overs.
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STUMPS - DAY THREE
Middlesex 221 all out & 287/6
Worcestershire 156 all out
Captain Dawid Malan extended his overnight score to 124 as Middlesex attempted to make up for lost time on a rain shortened third day in the Specsavers County Championship clash with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
Steady rain, drizzle and latterly bad light meant only 21 overs were possible with play not getting underway until 4.45pm.
But Malan and his team-mates had sufficient time to add 92 runs for the loss of four wickets as they stepped up the pace in the bid to clinch their first Championship win of the season.
Middlesex extended their overall lead to 352 as they closed on 287-6.
They resumed on 195-2 with Malan unbeaten on 107 and Nick Gubbins 82.
Malan signalled his aggressive intentions by cover-driving the first ball of the day from Charlie Morris for four.
Gubbins pulled the same bowler for six with the ball hitting the tiled roof of the ladies pavilion and rolling into the guttering.
A late cut for four by Gubbins off Morris brought up the double century stand with Malan in 51 overs.
But Morris had his revenge in the same over when Gubbins on 91 drove into the hands of Riki Wessels at backward point.
His 167 ball knock contained one six and 12 fours.
New batsman Steve Eskinazi (1) departed in the next over when he inside-edged a Josh Tongue delivery through to keeper Ben Cox.
Morris collected a second scalp – his 25th of the campaign - when James Harris (10) when for a cut and provided Cox with another catch at 241-5.
Malan moved onto 124 before his fine knock was brought to an end by Ed Barnard in his first over of the day.
The left-hander aimed to hit Barnard over the top but only picked out Ross Whiteley who held onto a sharp catch at cover.
Malan faced 173 balls and struck 17 boundaries.
John Simpson straight drove Worcestershire captain Joe Leach for six as he and Toby Roland-Jones added a further 36 runs before bad light ended play three overs early.
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TEA - DAY THREE
Middlesex 221 all out & 195/2
Worcestershire 156 all out
Middlesex continued to be frustrated by the weather on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship clash with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
The visitors were looking to press for their first Championship win of the season after dominating the first two days.
But steady drizzle prevented any play during the first two sessions before an early tea was taken at 3.30pm.
Middlesex had ended day two in a strong position at 195-2 in their second innings – an overall lead of 260.
Dawid Malan was unbeaten on 107 and Nick Gubbins 72 not out.
Their efforts followed on from Tom Helm’s 5-36 in 19 overs in bowling out Worcestershire for 156 in their first innings – a deficit of 65.
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LUNCH - DAY THREE
Middlesex 221 all out & 195/2
Worcestershire 156 all out
Middlesex’s victory hopes were held up by the weather on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
Steady rain fell throughout the morning and meant no play was possible before lunch which was brought forward to 12.40.
Middlesex are strongly placed to push for their first win of the season in the competition after dominating the opening two days.
They bowled out Worcestershire for 156 to obtain a first innings lead of 65 with Tom Helm returning career best figures of 19-5-36-5.
Middlesex captain Dawid Malan then hit an unbeaten 107 – the 23rd first class century of his career – and shared in an unbroken stand of 175 with Nick Gubbins (72 not out).
The visitors closed yesterday evening on 195-2 – an overall advantage of 260.
The forecast is for rain to continue throughout most of the day.
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STUMPS - DAY TWO
Middlesex 221 all out & 195/2
Worcestershire 156 all out
Middlesex paceman Tom Helm returned career best figures before skipper Dawid Malan’s 23rd first class hundred established a position of strength for his side in the Specsavers County Championship encounter with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
Helm finished with 5-36 from 19 overs to earn Middlesex a first innings lead of 65 as Worcestershire were dismissed for 156 in 63.5 overs shortly before tea.
It surpassed the 25-year-old’s previous best of 5-59 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston two years ago as he exploited a pitch of uneven bounce and received excellent support from veteran Tim Murtagh (17-9-25-2).
Then skipper Malan and Nick Gubbins cashed in during a marathon final session of 51 overs with an unbroken third wicket partnership of 175.
Malan leg glanced Ed Barnard for four to reach three figures off 121 balls with 14 fours and he accelerated to such an extent that his second 50 came from just 44 deliveries.
He ended the day unbeaten on 107 (138 balls, 14 fours) with Gubbins 72 not out (150 balls, 10 fours) as Middlesex closed on 195-2 an overall advantage of 260.
Conditions appeared to ease for batting during the second half of the day although Worcestershire, with the exception of skipper Joe Leach, were guilty of some undistinguished bowling.
In a rain shortened morning session Helm followed up his two wickets yesterday with another double breakthrough in the half hour’s play possible after Worcestershire had resumed on 64-3 in reply to Middlesex’s 221.
Opener Tom Fell had defied the visitors attack for 27 overs on the opening day but added only one to his overnight 18 before he pushed forward to Helm and was bowled.
Helm dismissed nightwatchman Josh Tongue (7) who fended off a delivery which bounced on him and Nathan Sowter held onto a low chance at second slip.
The players were driven off by a heavy shower and an early lunch was taken at 12.30pm with the total on 85-5.
When the action resumed Worcestershire lost two further wickets without any addition to the total.
Riki Wessels (7) pushed forward to Murtagh and was bowled and then Helm completed his five wicket haul when Ross Whiteley (3) edged to Steve Eskinazi at second slip.
Ben Cox top edged James Harris for six to fine leg and Ed Barnard drove Murtagh for four.
But the veteran Middlesex paceman’s next delivery jagged back and accounted for Barnard (6) lbw and Cox (19) was dismissed in the same fashion by Harris.
Resistance came from the last wicket Worcestershire pair of Leach (32 not out) and Charlie Morris (15).
They added 40 in 16 overs before spinner Nathan Sowter trapped Morris lbw.
Leach took the new ball and made two quickfire breakthroughs as Max Holden (2) and Sam Robson (9) fell lbw in successive overs to leave Middlesex on 20-2.
But Malan, in his first senior game since recovering from a groin injury suffered on England duty, and Gubbins ensured there were no further alarms for the visitors.
They scored at around four an over and were seldom troubled with Malan first to his half century off 77 balls with six fours.
Gubbins reached his fifty shortly afterwards from 99 deliveries with seven boundaries.
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TEA - DAY TWO
Middlesex 221 all out
Worcestershire 156 all out
Paceman Tom Helm returned his career best first class figures as Middlesex bowled out Worcestershire for 156 to earn a first innings lead of 65 in the Specsavers County Championship match at Blackfinch New Road.
Helm finished with 5-36 from 19 overs as Worcestershire were dismissed in 63.5 overs shortly before tea on the second day.
It surpassed the 25-year-old’s previous best of 5-59 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston two years ago.
In a shortened morning session Helm followed up his two wickets yesterday with another double breakthrough in the half hour’s play possible after Worcestershire had resumed on 64-3 in reply to Middlesex’s 221.
Opener Tom Fell had defied the visitors attack for 27 overs on the opening day but added only one to his overnight 19 before he pushing forward to Helm and was bowled.
Helm then dismissed nightwatchman Josh Tongue (7) who fended off a delivery which bounced on him and Nathan Sowter held onto a low chance
He had figures of 4-28 from 11.5 overs when the players were driven off by a heavy shower and an early lunch was taken at 12.30pm with the total on 85-5.
When the action resumed Worcestershire lost two further wickets without any addition to the total.
Riki Wessels (7) pushed forward to Tim Murtagh and was bowled and then Helm completed his five wicket haul when Ross Whiteley (3) edged to Steve Eskinazi at second slip.
Ben Cox top edged James Harris for six to fine leg and Ed Barnard drove Murtagh for four.
But the Middlesex paceman’s next delivery jagged back and accounted for Barnard (6) lbw and Cox (19) was dismissed in the same fashion by a Harris delivery.
Resistance came from the last wicket Worcestershire pair of captain Joe Leach (32 not out) and Charlie Morris (15).
They added 40 in 16 overs before spinner Nathan Sowter trapped Morris lbw.
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LUNCH - DAY TWO
Middlesex 221 all out
Worcestershire 85/5
Middlesex paceman Tom Helm strengthened his side’s position in a rain-shortened pre-lunch session on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
Helm followed up his two wickets yesterday with another double breakthrough in the half hour’s play possible after Worcestershire had resumed on 64-3 in reply to Middlesex’s 221.
Tom Fell had defied the visitors attack for 27 overs on the opening day but added only one to his overnight 19 before he pushed half forward to Helm and was bowled.
Helm then dismissed nightwatchman Josh Tongue (7) who fended off a delivery which bounced on him and Nathan Sowter held onto a low chance
He had figures of 4-28 from 11.5 overs when the players were driven off by a heavy shower and an early lunch was taken at 12.30pm with Worcestershire 85-5 off 33.5 overs.
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CLOSE OF PLAY - DAY ONE
Worcestershire 64 for 3
Middlesex 221 all out
Middlesex struck back with the ball after being dismissed for 221 on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.
The visitors were bowled out in 66.2 overs after being put into bat with Charlie Morris and Josh Tongue continuing their impressive start to the season.
Morris, the leading wicket-taker in Division Two, picked up three more scalps to take his tally to 23 and Tongue also added a further trio of wickets to lift his total to 15.
Only Middlesex skipper Dawid Malan (45), who had recovered from a groin injury suffered on England duty earlier in the month, and keeper John Simpson (35) batted with much authority.
But Tom Helm bowled a fine new ball spell for Middlesex which brought him two wickets and then Callum Ferguson fell just before the close for an aggressive 37 and Worcestershire will restart tomorrow on 64-3 from 27 overs.
Batting was a challenging exercise for the bulk of the day in the first meeting between the two counties since 2015 with the ball nibbling around sufficiently to keep bowlers interested and occasionally keeping low.
It is the start of successive home games for Worcestershire against three of the pre-season favourites for promotion along with themselves in Middlesex, Lancashire and Sussex.
They were without all-rounder Wayne Parnell (hamstring) but welcomed back Tongue after a one game injury absence while fit again Malan and Tim Murtagh – available after international commitments with Ireland – returned for Middlesex.
Morris broke through in his first over of the day as Max Holden (0) played half forward and nicked through to Ben Cox.
England opener Sam Robson (15) was lbw to a Tongue delivery which kept low and Nick Gubbins (27) was bowled by Ross Whiteley.
Malan, who suffered his injury blow in an ODI against Ireland, and Steve Eskinazi, looked to be repairing the pre-lunch damage during a partnership of 62.
But Whiteley enjoyed a second success when Eskinazi (27) was leg before and then Malan departed in the same fashion to Morris after striking six fours in his 91 ball knock.
James Harris (12) became another lbw victim in the next over from Ed Barnard.
Simpson and Toby Roland-Jones (12) added 31 before the latter went for a cut against Joe Leach and fell to a sharp first slip catch by Riki Wessels.
Tongue accounted for Tom Helm (1) and Nathan Sowter (20) – the fifth player of the innings to fall lbw.
Simpson was largely responsible for taking Middlesex past the 200 mark until he ballooned a simple catch to Whiteley on the off side against Morris.
Morris finished with figures of 15.2-2-53-3 and Tongue 17-2-49-3 with Whiteley (2-35), Leach (1-58) and Barnard (1-14) the other wicket-takers.
When Worcestershire batted, Daryl Mitchell (3) and George Rhodes (4) were both caught behind off Helm during a fine opening spell of 5-2-6-2
Ferguson played himself but then reeled off a succession of boundaries, including three in an over from Harris.
He dominated a partnership of 53 with Tom Fell but after making 37 was lbw to Roland-Jones to leave the game evenly poised.
Fell remained defiant and was unbeaten on 18 from 86 balls by the close.
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TEA - DAY ONE
Middlesex 191 for 8
Worcestershire’s seamers continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals during the afternoon session with only fit again Middlesex skipper Dawid Malan offering much resistance in the Specsavers County Championship match at Blackfinch New Road.
Malan, in his first senior appearance since recovering from a groin injury on England duty in early May, defied the home attack for more than two hours in making 45 before he was lbw to Charlie Morris.
The ball nibbled around throughout the day and Middlesex, who resumed after lunch on 97-3, went into the tea interval on – from overs.
Ross Whiteley struck the first blow of the second session when Steve Eskinazi (27) was lbw and, after Malan’s dismissal, James Harris (12) departed in the next over, also leg before to Ed Barnard.
Keeper John Simpson and Toby Roland-Jones (12) added 31 before the latter went for a cut against Joe Leach and fell to a sharp first slip catch by Riki Wessels.
The last ball before tea brought more success for Worcestershire as Tom Helm (1) was caught behind by keeper Ben Cox off Tongue to leave Simpson unbeaten on 25.
Play got underway half and hour late after early morning rain.
Morris, the leading wicket-taker in Division Two, broke through in his first over of the day after Worcestershire elected to bowl first as Max Holden (0) played half forward and nicked through to Cox.
Sam Robson edged a Leach delivery wide of fourth slip for four and produced a more impressive stroke in cutting the Worcestershire captain to the boundary.
But the England opener departed after making 15 with the total on 43 when he was lbw to a Josh Tongue delivery which kept low and then Nick Gubbins (27) was bowled by Whiteley.
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LUNCH - DAY ONE
Middlesex 97 for 3
Middlesex lost three early wickets after being put into bat by second placed Worcestershire in the Specsavers County Championship match at Blackfinch New Road.
But Middlesex skipper Dawid Malan made a solid return from injury and was unbeaten on 22 at a delayed lunch interval with his side on 97-3 from 30 overs.
Play got underway half and hour late after early morning rain.
Charlie Morris, the leading wicket-taker in Division Two, broke through in his first over with his 21st success of the campaign as Max Holden (0) played half forward and nicked through to keeper Ben Cox.
Sam Robson edged a Joe Leach delivery wide of fourth slip for four and produced a more impressive stroke in cutting the Worcestershire captain to the boundary.
But the England opener departed after making 15 with the total on 43 when he lbw to a Josh Tongue delivery which kept low.
Malan was fit to return after recovering from the groin injury suffered on England duty in the ODI versus Ireland in early May.
He square cut Tongue to register his first boundary as the 50 came up in the 18th over.
Worcestershire suffered a setback when Ed Barnard left the field mid-way through his fourth over clutching his left side.
But his replacement Ross Whiteley struck in his first full over when he bowled Nick Gubbins (27).
Stevie Eskinazi (16 not out) accompanied Malan in adding an unbroken 31 for the fourth wicket.
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Tim Murtagh took 6 wickets on the final day as Middlesex wrapped up an impressive victory over Worcestershire at New Road in the Specsavers County Championship.
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Head Coach Stuart Law reflects on Middlesex's victory over Worcestershire at New Road in the Specsavers County Championship.
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Only one session took place on Day Three at New Road, after a long rain delay for the majority of the day. Middlesex were eventually able to add another 92 runs before the close of play.
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Captain Dawid Malan reflects on the current state of play, as Middlesex close Day Three with a lead of 352 going into the final day at New Raod.
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Middlesex took enjoyed a prosperous second day at New Road, which included Helm taking 5-36 with the ball. A Malan century and Gubbins with 72 then gave Middlesex a commanding lead going into Day Three.
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Tom Helm spoke to Kevin Hand at the close of play on Day Two, after helping himself to First-Class career best figures of 5-36.
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Middlesex and Worcestershire played out a hard fought first day at New Road, seeing Middlesex post 221 and take three wickets before the close to leave Worcestershire on 64/3 in reply.
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Stuart Law reflects on a hard fought opening day at New Road as Middlesex claimed three late wickets to put the game in the balance
Session by session updates from New Road, where Middlesex are taking on Worcestershire in the Specsavers County Championship
Stuart Law names a thirteen-man squad for our clash at New Road against Worcestershire, led by returning captain Dawid Malan
