DAY 2 STUMPS AT LORD'S: SOMERSET 376; MIDDLESEX 139-0
It was the day of the thirty-somethings at Lord’s where Tim Murtagh, the enduring Middlesex seamer, returned his 27th first-class haul of five wickets or more and Peter Trego, the combative Somerset all-rounder, responded with his fourth half-century of the season.
Murtagh, 34, rocked Somerset by taking three wickets in three overs with the new ball after they began the second day of their Specsavers County Championship first division match on 219 or two but Trego, two months his senior, revived them in a sixth wicket partnership of 113 with Lewis Gregory.
Somerset were eventually bowled out for 376, Murtagh finishing with five for 53 from 30 exemplary overs, whereupon Sam Robson, the Australia-born opening batsman continued in his rich vein of form.
Robson had scored 451 in his three previous innings at Lord’s this season - 231 and 106 against Warwickshire, 114 not out against Nottinghamshire – and now he added an unbeaten 67 off 130 balls with 10 fours.
He was dropped twice in the fifties – at point off Tim Groenewald and in the slips off Jim Allenby – but with Nick Gubbins joining him in an unbroken opening partnership of 139 he had given Middlesex just the start they needed. Gubbins finished on 65.
The pitch looked as placid as it had done on the first day when Somerset captain Chris Rogers was scoring a century against his former county and James Hildreth was sharing an unbroken third wicket partnership of 125 that promised many more.
All credit, then, to Murtagh for that morning burst which encapsulated all the qualities that have made him one of the most consistent swing bowlers in county cricket for years.
Rogers had added only five to his overnight 104 when he dabbled outside off stump and was caught behind. Two balls later, Jim Allenby, pushing forward, edged to second slip and two overs after that Hildreth was leg before for 68.
Murtagh also uprooted Trego’s off stump with a wicked ball that came back and kept low but not before he had hit a typically belligerent 65 off 90 balls with nine fours and a six.
Ryan Davies became Murtagh’s fifth victim when James Franklin caught him at the second attempt at mid on but he could not dislodge Gregory who had made a disciplined 49 off 129 balls when he perished to the off spin of Ollie Rayner.
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DAY 2 TEA AT LORD'S: Somerset 376, Middlesex 49-0
Tim Murtagh, the enduring Middlesex seamer, completed the 27th five-wicket haul of his first-class career but he could not prevent Somerset reaching 376 on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship first division match at Lord’s. Middlesex were 49 without loss at tea.
Murtagh had rocked Somerset by taking three wickets in three overs with the new ball after they resumed on 219 for two but they were revived by Peter Trego and Lewis Gregory who put on 113 for the sixth wicket.
Somerset captain Chris Rogers had added only five to his overnight 104 against his former county when he was caught behind off Murtagh. Two balls later, Jim Allenby edged Murtagh to second slip and two overs after that James Hildreth was leg before for 68.
Murtagh also uprooted Trego’s off stump but not before he had hit 65 and Gregory had made 49 when he perished to Ollie Rayner.
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DAY 2 LUNCH AT LORD'S: Somerset 307-5 (v Middlesex)
Tim Murtagh, the enduring Middlesex seamer, rocked Somerset by taking three wickets in three overs with the new ball after they had resumed on 219 for two on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Lord’s.
Somerset captain Chris Rogers had added only five to his overnight 104 against his former county when he dabbled outside the off stump and was caught behind. He had faced 211 balls and hit 10 fours.
Two balls later, Jim Allenby edged Murtagh to second slip and two overs after that James Hildreth, who had shared a third wicket stand of 136 with Rogers, was leg before for 68.
Somerset had lost three wickets for three runs but they were revived by Peter Trego and Lewis Gregory who had put on 74 by lunch with Trego on 37 and Gregory 32.
