CLOSE OF PLAY REPORT - DAY TWO
Middlesex 1st inns: 196 all out Middlesex 2nd inns: 118 for 4 Durham 1st inns: 169 all out
ON a day when 19 wickets fell at a heavily overcast Chester-le-Street, the one which got away proved costly for Durham.
Dawid Malan was dropped first ball and went on to reach 56 as Middlesex recovered from 29 for four to close the second day on 118 for four in their second innings, leading by 145.
As the sun threatened to put in an appearance in the final hour conditions eased and no wickets fell in the last 20 overs as Neil Dexter assisted in the revival. Durham also lacked support for Chris Rushworth, who took three for six in seven overs to equal Ottis Gibson's 2007 Durham record of 80 first-class wickets in a season, 75 coming in the championship. He returned for three overs at the end without joy as Dexter moved on to 46.
Malan was put down at third slip by Gordon Muchall, spoiling a day on which he made his first home half-century in the championship for four years. He was last out for 64 with Durham's total on 169. The drop also marred Graham Onions' day as he had just had Nick Compton lbw to add to his seven for 68 in dismissing Middlesex for 196 in their first innings.
Resuming on 141 for five, Middlesex lost Dexter to the second ball of the day, completing Onions' second five-wicket haul of the season. The ball stood up off a good length to take the shoulder of the bat on the way to Ryan Pringle at fourth slip.
There were six slip catches in the innings, with Paul Collingwood holding four at first and Muchall taking a sharp one at third to give Onions his revenge after Toby Roland-Jones had taken 15 off his previous over.
When Durham batted Roland-Jones struck timber in both his first two overs, Mark Stoneman playing across a full-length ball to lose his leg stump before Graham Clark shouldered arms to one which didn't have to deviate much to hit off stump.
It became seven for three when Collingwood was squared up by a ball from Tim Murtagh which lobbed off a thick edge for Compton to dive to his right at gully to hold an excellent catch. Roland-Jones produced a beauty to have Scott Borthwick caught behind and two wickets in two balls for Jamie Harris had Durham rocking on 51 for six.
Debut boy James Weighell began the recovery when he went in to face Harris's hat-trick ball and scored 19 off his first seven balls. With Muchall briefly joining in the spree 31 came off 15 balls, but only four more were added before Weighell drove at Harris, bowling round the wicket, and lost his off stump for 25.
John Hastings helped Muchall add 30 before slicing to deep cover and there was a second wicket for Dexter when Rushworth fell to a sensational one-handed catch by Roland-Jones, diving to his left at mid-off.
Onions contributed 13 not out to a last-wicket stand of 39 before Muchall guided Murtagh to James Franklin at slip. When Middlesex went in again Rushworth nipped the second ball back to take out Sam Robson's leg stump. Paul Stirling flashed wide of off stump and edged behind and Franklin was lbw when half forward. Onions snared Compton, but with Hastings struggling Durham's lack of back-up allowed Malan and Dexter to ease Middlesex's jitters.
TEA REPORT - DAY TWO
Middlesex 1st inns: 196 all out
Durham 1st inns: 169 all out
GORDON Muchall, who is out of contract at the end of the season, prevented a total collapse by Durham at home to Middlesex as they rallied from 51 for six to 169 all out.
Gloomy conditions continued to favour the bowlers but Muchall stood firm, worked the ball into spaces and unfurled the occasional drive to reach 64 before he was last out.
Debut boy James Weighell began the recovery when he went in to face Jamie Harris's hat-trick ball and scored 19 off his first seven balls.
The 21-year-old left-hander glanced the first to fine leg for four then twice edged Tim Murtagh wide of gully before picking him up over mid-wicket for his fourth boundary.
With Muchall briefly joining in the spree 31 came off 15 balls, but only four more were added before Weighell drove at Harris, bowling round the wicket, and lost his off stump for 25.
John Hastings helped Muchall add 30 before slicing to deep cover and there was a second wicket for Neil Dexter when Chris Rushworth fell to a sensational one-handed catch by Toby Roland-Jones, diving to his left at mid-off.
Graham Onions contributed 13 not out to a last-wicket stand of 39 before Muchall guided Murtagh to James Franklin at slip.
Scott Borthwick was the first to fall after lunch, although he didn't appear to think he had edged a fine ball from Roland-Jones to John Simpson.
Michael Richardson made 21 before he was lbw on the back foot to Harris, whose next ball took out Ryan Pringle's middle stump.
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LUNCH REPORT - DAY TWO
Middlesex 1st inns: 196 all out
Durham 1st inns: 20 for 3
BOWLERS prospered at heavily overcast Chester-le-Street as Durham crashed to seven for three in reply to Middlesex's 196. The score moved on to 20 for three at lunch.
Graham Onions finished with seven for 68 then Toby Roland-Jones clean bowled both Durham openers before Tim Murtagh removed Paul Collingwood for one.
The home skipper was squared up by a ball which lobbed off a thick edge for Nick Compton to dive to his right at gully to hold an excellent catch.
Resuming on 141 for five, Middlesex lost Neil Dexter to the second ball of the day. It stood up off a good length to take the shoulder of the bat on the way to Ryan Pringle at fourth slip.
That completed Onions' second five-wicket haul of the season and four overs later a full-length swinger had Ollie Rayner lbw.
Three wickets had gone down for nine runs when Jamie Harris edged Chris Rushworth to first slip, giving Collingwood the third of his four catches.
Coming in at 150 for eight, Roland-Jones made 27 in a stand of 31 with John Simpson, taking 15 off an over from Onions, including two fours and a pulled six to the short leg-side boundary.
Onions had his revenge in his next over when an edged drive was well held by Gordon Muchall above his head at third slip.
Last man Murtagh made 13 before edging John Hastings to Collingwood, leaving Simpson unbeaten on 11, made of 48 balls.
Roland-Jones struck timber in both his first two overs, Mark Stoneman playing across a full-length ball to lose his leg stump before Graham Clark shoulders arms to one which didn't have to deviate much to hit off stump.
