MATCH DRAWN: MIDDLESEX 309 & 362-7D; WORCESTERSHIRE 385 & 39-1
James Franklin added 91 not out to his first innings 135 as Middlesex kept Worcestershire’s bowlers at bay on the last day to ensure a draw in the LV= County Championship Division One match at Uxbridge.
Middlesex captain Franklin featured in two stands of 103, the first with Joe Burns for the fifth wicket and the second an unbroken partnership for the eighth wicket with James Harris, who finished unbeaten on 59 in a second innings total of 362 for seven declared.
With an overall lead of 286, Middlesex then made sure of avoiding a match over rate points deduction by racing through 11 overs with mainly their part-time bowlers as Worcestershire batted out time on 39 for one in their second innings, with opener Richard Oliver caught at leg slip off Ollie Rayner for six.
Middlesex took ten points from the game, and Worcestershire 12 points – enough to take them off the bottom of the Division One table.
Worcestershire’s last chance of forcing a result on an attritional final day came when Joe Leach struck twice with the second new ball, removing both John Simpson and Rayner in the first eight overs after lunch to leave Middlesex just 183 runs in front at 259 for seven.
But Harris then batted with skill and composure to help Franklin guide Middlesex to safety. Franklin faced 164 balls in four hours and ten minutes at the crease, hitting ten fours, while Harris swung Moeen Ali for six over mid wicket and also struck nine fours in his 115-ball effort.
Moeen, who had bowled just five overs in two short spells when Middlesex were reaching 140 for three by the end of the third day, was thrown the ball for the first over of the last day and ended up taking one for 82 in 27 second innings overs – his longest bowl of the season in championship cricket.
There was also an almost instant success for Moeen, who turned an off break sharply in the day’s third over to bowl Stirling through the gate without addition to his overnight 39 and hint at a late twist.
That left Middlesex on 147 for four, but Franklin and Burns – who resumed on 29 – dealt comfortably enough with everything Worcestershire’s bowlers could throw at them on a pitch that remained defiantly sluggish to the last.
Burns looked sure to complete what would have been a fine hundred but then pulled a long hop from Jack Shantry straight to deep square leg in the penultimate over before lunch, after batting for 164 balls and hitting five fours and two straight sixes off Saeed Ajmal.
Middlesex took lunch on 251 for five, with Franklin 48 not out, knowing that the second new ball was due immediately afterwards and, when Simpson chopped on for 6 and Rayner was leg-before for a duck to an off-cutter, Worcestershire’s hopes were raised again at 259 for seven – a lead of only 183.
It proved only an illusion, however, as Franklin and Harris built their partnership, although England’s management will be pleased that Moeen, who bowled the first eight overs of the day from the Pavilion End – in which he took Stirling’s wicket and conceded just 20 runs – later returned for several more spells.
Middlesex captain James Franklin said afterwards: “There were two tricky periods for us today – the first hour and then immediately after lunch when we had to face the second new ball. There was some pressure on us when Joe Burns got out and then when we lost two wickets to the second new ball but James Harris came in to play a great knock and I was really happy to see him play so well. We got through that second tricky period and secured the draw. Joe (Burns) also played well in this match, with two fifties.”
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Middlesex v Worcestershire – day 4 – TEA
ames Franklin added 74 not out to his first innings 135 as Middlesex kept Worcestershire’s bowlers at bay on the last day to ensure an inevitable draw in the LV= County Championship Division One at Uxbridge.
Middlesex captain Franklin first joined Joe Burns, who scored 87, in a fifth wicket stand of 103 in 28 overs before lunch and at tea he had guided his team on to 333 for seven – a lead of 257.
Worcestershire’s last chance of forcing a result came when Joe Leach struck twice with the second new ball, removing both John Simpson and Ollie Rayner in the first eight overs after lunch to leave Middlesex just 183 runs in front at 259 for seven.
But James Harris then arrived to help Franklin add an unbroken 74 for the eighth wicket, and Middlesex were safe. At tea Harris was unbeaten on 48.
Burns, resuming on 29 in Middlesex’s overnight 140 for three, saw Paul Stirling fall in the day’s third over when he was bowled by Moeen Ali without addition to his 39 of Tuesday evening.
Moeen’s early strike, with a ball that turned sharply through Stirling’s forward defensive push, hinted at a last day twist but the pitch remained slow and Burns and Franklin dealt comfortably enough with everything Worcestershire’s bowlers could throw at them.
Burns looked sure to complete what would have been a fine hundred but he then pulled a long hop from Jack Shantry straight to deep square leg in the penultimate over before lunch, after batting for 164 balls and hitting five fours and two straight sixes off Saeed Ajmal.
Middlesex took lunch on 251 for five, with Franklin 48 not out, knowing that the second new ball was due immediately afterwards and, when Simpson chopped on and Rayner was leg-before to an off-cutter, Worcestershire’s hopes were raised.
It proved only an illusion, however, as Franklin and Harris built their partnership, although England’s management will be pleased that Moeen, who bowled the first eight overs of the day from the Pavilion End – in which he took Stirling’s wicket and conceded just 20 runs – later returned for several more spells. In all, at tea, he had taken one for 72 from 24 overs.
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Middlesex v Worcestershire – day 4 – LUNCH
Joe Burns, with 87, and James Franklin, unbeaten on 48, batted Middlesex into a position of relative safety in the LV= County Championship Division One game against Worcestershire after Moeen Ali’s early strike hinted at a last day twist at Uxbridge.
At lunch Middlesex were 175 runs ahead at 251 for five, and Worcestershire’s last chance of forcing a result lay with the second new ball being due immediately after the interval. With two sessions left in the match, however, the draw was the most likely result.
Moeen bowled Paul Stirling through the gate with an off break which turned sharply in the third over of the morning, raising Worcestershire hopes that a sluggish surface might finally be giving the spinners some grip.
At 147 for four when Stirling was dismissed without addition to his overnight 39, Middlesex were only 71 runs in front after resuming their second innings on 140 for three.
But Burns, who resumed on 29, was then joined by Franklin in a fifth wicket stand of 103 in 28 overs – which ended in the penultimate over before lunch when Burns pulled a short ball from Jack Shantry straight to Joe Leach on the deep square leg boundary.
Burns, looking disgusted with himself as he walked off, had batted beautifully for his 87 from 164 balls, with two sixes and five fours. John Simpson, who replaced Burns at the crease, had yet to score by lunch.
