WORCESTERSHIRE WON BY AN INNINGS & 128 RUNS: MIDDLESEX 98 & 205; WORCESTERSHIRE 431-5d
Middlesex left New Road not knowing whether there will be a big price to pay for a crushing defeat by an innings and 128 runs by relegated Worcestershire in their final LV= County Championship match of the season.
Their hold on a £169,000 bonus for finishing second in Division One now depends on the result at Trent Bridge on Friday. If Nottinghamshire are beaten or can only draw with Hampshire, their payout will be safe, but if Notts can conjure up a victory - which is now less likely - Middlesex would have to settle for the third-place prize money of £88,000.
Their performance over three days, in which they lost 20 wickets in 79.1 overs, was certainly not worthy of a team aiming for second place for the first time since 1995. They batted timidly, with scores of 98 and 205, and completely lost control when Worcestershire scored 102 in 70 minutes on the third morning, banking maximum bonus points on declaring at 431 for five.
Tom Fell added only four runs before he was dismissed for a career-best 171 and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, his partner in a stand of 229 in 61 overs, remained undefeated with 130, his maiden first-class century.
The innings finished with wicketkeeper Ben Cox smashing a 37-ball half-century in making 53 not out towards a partnership of 78 in a dozen overs with Kohler-Cadmore.
If there was any consolation to be taken from Middlesex's abject retreat, it was Neil Dexter's contribution on his last day with the county before taking up a three-year contract with Leicestershire. Teamed up with off-spinner Ollie Rayner - a ploy to straighten out a lagging over-rate - Dexter took the only wickets to fall when the home side resumed at 329 for three.
Fell, after hitting 25 fours and a six from 267 balls, drove straight to cover and Ross Whiteley made only nine before he was caught at third man.
Finally Dexter was given a generous reception by a group of Middlesex supporters when he was out for 24, caught low down at first slip, after batting better than most as all 10 wicket fell between lunch and a delayed tea interval.
The first sign of a headlong collapse came after an opening stand of 44. Sam Robson, leg-before for 16, and Nick Compton, edging behind the wicket, departed in four balls from Ed Barnard and in the next over from Jack Shantry, Paul Stirling was well held by Whiteley at fourth slip.
Dawid Malan ended a run of three ducks by top scoring with 25 but after putting on 48 with Dexter, he was bowled by Shannon Gabriel for the second time in the match.
Shantry finished with three for 51 and John Simpson, unbeaten with 50, became top scorer in both innings after a last-wicket frolic of 72 in 9.4 pvers with Tim Murtagh (24).
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LUNCH UPDATE DAY THREE: MIDDLESEX 98 & 39-0; WORCESTERSHIRE 431-5
Tom Kohler-Cadmore completed his maiden LV = County Championship century before a rapid half century from Ben Cox helped Worcestershire achieve maximum batting points against Middlesex at New Road.
Kohler-Cadmore resumed on 97 not out and went to three figures with a cover drive for four off spinner Ollie Rayner from the fifth ball he faced today. It was completed from 192 deliveries with 12 boundaries.
Tom Fell, who yesterday reached 1,000 Championship runs in a season for the first time, added only four to his overnight 167 before he was caught at cover off Neil Dexter. He struck 25 fours and a six in his 267 ball innings and added 229 in 61 runs with Kohler-Cadmore.
Ross Whiteley (9) provided Dexter with another wicker, caught off a leading edge at third man, and the visitors rattled through 16 overs in the first 40 minutes to avoid a possible points deduction.
Cox ensured Worcestershire got to 400 and the five maximum batting points inside the 110 overs with a typically aggressive innings. He hit Dexter for two sixes via a sweep and over long off and reached his half century off 37 balls.
Kohler-Cadmore was unbeaten on 130 and Cox 53 when the declaration came at 431-5 - 50 minutes before lunch.
Middlesex faced a first innings deficit of 333 and openers Paul Stirling and Angus Robson safely negotiated eight overs from Joe Leach and Shannon Gabriel in reaching 39-0.
