Day 3, Close: Middlesex 361, Hampshire 76/1 (Lead by 51)
Batsman Dawid Malan helped Middlesex into a first innings lead against Hampshire with an attacking century on day three at the Ageas Bowl.
Malan, who was 40 not out overnight, quickly moved to a 64-ball fifty once the session got underway under mainly blue skies.
He found his progressed with eased by some erratic fast bowling from Hampshire seamers Tino Best, Chris Wood and Ryan McClaren.
Malan looked in little trouble, after being dropped the day before by Will Smith, punishing the bad balls, while John Simpson held up the other end.
The pair put on 182 for the fifth wicket with a typical defender and aggressor partnership, getting through the morning session without losing a wicket.
Malan reached 121, his three figures came in 134 balls, before he looped leg spinner Mason Crane’s rank long hop to extra cover – the teenage bowler embarrassed by his first wicket of the season.
Watchful Simpson, whose 50 came off two balls fewer than Malan’s century, departed ten balls later as he edged James Tomlinson behind to Adam Wheater.
The hosts’ bowling found their rhythm in the afternoon, with McClaren and Tomlinson in particular finding their form – although they were rocked by a knee injury to Chris Wood which forced him off the field mid over.
South African McClaren looked fired up, and twice knocked the off-stump out the ground with quick deliveries – Paul Stirling done by one which angled in and Toby Ronald-Jones missing a pull-shot.
Tomlinson was rewarded for his persistence by taking his season tally to 12, after taking just 18 scalps in 2015.
The left-armer removed James Harris – for a shot-a-ball 57 – and ended the Middlesex innings when Steven Finn skied to Best at mid-off.
The visitors, who batted a man light due to Adam Voges’ concussion injury, trailed by 25 runs.
Hampshire started their second innings spritely, with Michael Carberry – scorer of a ton in the first innings – twice slapping Tim Murtagh to the boundary in the first over.
But the former England opener fell lbw to a full ball from Murtagh for 15 in the seventh over, which may have hit him outside the line.
Leg before appeals were a common cry throughout the evening as Jimmy Adams and James Vince, who supplied some jaw dropping cover drives, battled through to close.
Hampshire leading by 51 but a draw the most probably result on the final day.
Day 3, Tea: Middlesex 306/7
Ryan McClaren sliced through the Middlesex batting unit as the visitors closed in on parity in the afternoon session at the Ageas Bowl.
South African fast bowler McClaren knocked Paul Stirling and Toby Roland-Jones’ off stumps clean out the ground with the second new ball – to go along with day two scalps of Nick Gubbins and Nick Compton.
Dawid Malan reached 121 after his morning century before he looped leg spinner Mason Crane’s rank long hop to extra cover – the teenage bowler embarrassed by his first wicket of the season.
That ended a 182 run stand between Malan and John Simpson – and 10 balls later the wicket-keeper joined the ton-maker in the dressing room after edging behind for 65.
Middlesex went in at tea just 30 runs behind their hosts with two wickets in hand – with skipper Adam Voges not allowed to bat.
Day 3, Lunch: Middlesex 211/3
Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan rattled a rapid century to grind Hampshire into the ground on day three at the Ageas Bowl.
Malan, who was 40 not out overnight, quickly moved to a 64-ball fifty once the session got underway under mainly blue skies.
He continued to push his way to three figure, punishing a series of wasteful fast bowling from Hampshire seamers Tino Best, Chris Wood and Ryan McClaren – although was less successful against miserly leg spinner Mason Crane.
Malan reached the milestone in 134 balls, his 15th first-class ton and first of the summer, as he complied an unbeaten 151 stand with John Simpson.
Wicket-keeper Simpson played as watchman, to Malan’s run scorer, reaching a solid 49 not out at lunch, with Malan on 106 and the visitors on 211 for three.
