MIDDLESEX V SOMERSET - CLOSE OF PLAY REPORT
Middlesex 283 all out
Nick Compton made a courageous return to the crease, five hours after being forced to retire hurt when he was hit on the helmet by a Jamie Overton bouncer, to help Middlesex reach 283 all out on the first day of their LV= County Championship Division One match against Somerset at Merchant Taylor’s School, Northwood.
Dawid Malan battled to a four-hour 69, Sam Robson played the most fluent innings of the day with 67 from 105 balls, while both Ollie Rayner and John Simpson made useful contributions, but it was Compton’s grit that still stood out from the hard-fought opening exchanges.
Former England Test opener Compton returned at the fall of the seventh wicket at 256, with 15 overs of the day remaining, and ended up scoring 32 before Lewis Gregory had him lbw just before the close. Gregory then had Tim Murtagh caught at first slip with his next ball and ended up with 5 for 58 when he bowled last man Steven Finn, also for nought.
Compton was on 18 when he slumped to the ground after taking a fearful crack on the side of his batting helmet trying to avoid a rapid short ball that seemed to follow him. Happily, he was soon able to stand up, and after drinking some water, walking around the square and being examined by the Middlesex physiotherapist, the sensible decision was taken for him to leave the field.
Middlesex were on 69 for one at the time, in the 19th over, and, as Compton recovered from the blow in the pavilion, eventually having an afternoon net in preparation for his return to the fray, they then had to manage the loss of three wickets for 30 runs which threatened to undermine the early progress to 124 for one.
Malan, however, kept Somerset’s attack at bay until deep into the final session, when he fell lbw to Peter Trego in the last over before the second new ball after featuring in stands of 38 with Simpson and 56 with Rayner.
Simpson edged behind on 24 and Rayner stayed 70 minutes for 31 before Tim Groenewald pinned him lbw to earn himself figures of 4 for 55.
Compton and Toby Roland-Jones, who finished 20 not out, then added 27 for the eighth wicket, after Compton had reported, following throw-downs with Middlesex batting coach Dave Houghton: “Yes, I’m feeling OK now and am fine to bat again.”
Play had begun at 12 noon due to both teams having NatWest T20 Blast games the previous evening, Middlesex at Richmond and Somerset against Kent at Canterbury, and Robson hit eleven fours – adding 46 with Compton and then a further 55 with Malan – before he mishit Groenewald to point.
Malan then saw Eoin Morgan depart for a fifth-ball duck, edging Groenewald to Jim Allenby at first slip as he propped half-forward.
And 128 for three became 154 for four when Middlesex captain James Franklin was leg-before for 17 when Lewis Gregory made one keep low as he ran down the slope from the Railway End on this scenic north-west London ground.
It was Gregory who had earlier made the initial breakthrough when he had Joe Burns, the Australian overseas player, caught at the wicket for 10 during a testing six-over new ball spell.
Robson, though, was soon into his stride, hitting lovely boundaries through cover and midwicket. There were some rather more fortuitous thick edges to the vacant third man boundary by Robson, too, but generally the former England Test opener looked in good order.
Batting was generally trickier against the quicker bowlers coming down the slope, with Malan rapped one painful blow on his left hand by Groenewald, and although the pitch played well enough throughout a sun-blessed day attended by a crowd in excess of 1,000 it looks to be a good toss to have won, thanks to Middlesex’s batting resolve and Compton’s heroics.
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MIDDLESEX v SOMERSET - DAY ONE - TEA
Middlesex 190-4
Nick Compton was forced to retire hurt after being hit on the helmet by a Jamie Overton bouncer as Middlesex reached 190 for four by tea in their LV= County Championship Division One match against Somerset at Merchant Taylor’s School, Northwood.
Compton, on 18, initially slumped to the ground after taking a fearful crack on the side of his batting helmet trying to avoid a rapid short ball that seemed to follow him. Happily, he was soon able to stand up, and after drinking some water, walking around the square for a while and being examined by the Middlesex physiotherapist, the sensible decision was taken for him to leave the field.
Middlesex were on 69 for one at the time, in the 19th over, and as Compton recovered from the blow in the pavilion, they then had to manage the loss of three wickets for 30 runs in mid-afternoon as they battled to build significantly on a strong position at 124 for one.
Dawid Malan, however, fought hard to get to 47 not out and, with John Simpson keeping him company on 22 not out, kept Somerset’s attack at bay until the end of the second session. Play had begun at 12 noon due to both teams having NatWest T20 Blast games the previous evening, Middlesex at Richmond and Somerset against Kent at Canterbury.
Compton was well enough to have a short net in mid-afternoon, in which he was given thrown-downs by Middlesex batting coach Dave Houghton, and confirmed that he will bat again today – probably resuming his innings at the fall of the next wicket.
Sam Robson top-scored for Middlesex, with 67 from 105 balls, before he mishit to point to become the first of two wickets in successive overs for Tim Groenewald early in the afternoon session.
Robson hit eleven fours in a fluent knock, adding 46 with Compton and then a further 55 with Malan, who replaced the former England batsman at the crease.
Malan then saw Eoin Morgan depart for a fifth-ball duck, edging Groenewald to Jim Allenby at first slip as he propped half-forward.
And 128 for three became 154 for four when Middlesex captain James Franklin was leg-before for 17 when Lewis Gregory made one keep low as he ran down the slope from the Railway End on this scenic north-west London ground.
It was Gregory who had earlier made the initial breakthrough when he had Joe Burns, the Australian overseas player, caught at the wicket for 10 during a testing six-over new ball spell.
Robson, though, was soon into his stride, hitting lovely boundaries through cover and midwicket. There were some rather more fortuitous thick edges to the vacant third man boundary by Robson, too, but generally the former England Test opener looked in good order.
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MIDDLESEX v SOMERSET - DAY ONE - LUNCH
Middlesex 112-1 v Somerset
Nick Compton was forced to retire hurt after being hit on the helmet by a Jamie Overton bouncer as Middlesex made an otherwise secure start to their LV= County Championship Division One match against Somerset at Merchant Taylor’s School, Northwood.
Compton, on 18, initially slumped to the ground after taking a fearful crack on the side of his batting helmet trying to avoid a rapid short ball that seemed to follow him. Happily, he was soon able to stand up, and after drinking some water, walking around the square for a while and being examined by the Middlesex physiotherapist, the sensible decision was taken for him to leave the field.
Middlesex, who had opted to bat first on winning the toss, were on 69 for one at the time, in the 19th over, and as Compton no doubt nursed a headache in the pavilion on this scenic ground in north-west London, they then progressed to 112 for one by lunch.
Sam Robson, having completed his fifty from 67 balls, with eight fours, was on 60 not out at the interval and Dawid Malan, who replaced Compton, was unbeaten on 15.
The only Middlesex wicket to fall in the opening session was that of Joe Burns, the Australian overseas player, who was caught at the wicket for 10 during a testing six-over new ball spell by Lewis Gregory.
Robson, though, was soon into his stride, dominating a stand of 46 with Compton and hitting lovely boundaries through cover and midwicket. There were some rather more fortuitous thick edges to the vacant third man boundary by Robson, too, but generally the former England Test opener looked in good order.
