DAY ONE - CLOSE OF PLAY
WARWICKSHIRE 1 FOR 0
MIDDLESEX 242 ALL OUT
Middlesex's ambitions of lifting the Specsavers County Championship title for the first time since 1993 were dented by Warwickshire leg-spinner Josh Poysden on the opening day at Edgbaston.
Poysden, playing only his ninth first-class match, took a career-best five for 53 as Middlesex, having chosen to bat, were bowled out for 242.
Against a Warwickshire attack fired up to earn the win they need to secure their Division One status, that was plenty fewer than the league-leaders envisaged when they chose to bat.
But having seen 25-year-old Poysden extract turn from the pitch on the first day, Middlesex will be optimistic about what their two spinners might do as the match lengthens and Warwickshire, who closed on one without loss from two overs, have to bat last.
The visitors soon hit turbulence as former Middlesex paceman Chris Wright struck twice in his first 13 balls, Sam Robson edging to slip and Nick Gubbins offering a sharp, low return-catch.
Nick Compton (33, 105 balls, four fours) and Dawid Malan (57, 110 balls ten fours) dug in, the latter scoring just five from his first 50 balls, to add 88 in 26 overs but were parted when Compton edged to slip. Poysden then widened the breach with two quick wickets as Malan edged to slip and John Simpson bat-padded to short-leg to leave Middlesex 134 for five.
Stevie Eskinazi and James Franklin halted the collapse with a stand of 56 but Poysden returned to snare both of them in five balls either side of tea. He trapped Franklin lbw with the last ball before the interval and bowled Eskinazi (49, 90 balls, seven fours) in his first over after it.
When Ollie Rayner was deceived by flight and bowled, the former Sussex spinner had his five-for. Toby Roland-Jones turned Jeetan Patel to leg-slip and Wright finished with four for 41 after returning to have Harry Podmore caught at second slip with the new ball to wrap up the innings.
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DAY ONE - TEA
MIDDLESEX 190 FOR 6
Middlesex have been hard-pressed to advance their Specsavers County Championship title charge on the opening day against Warwickshire, reaching 190 for six at tea.
Dawid Malan hit 57 (110 balls, ten fours) but, after choosing to bat, Middlesex found batting tough going against a disciplined attack.
They resumed after lunch on 77 for two, Malan and Nick Compton having executed a recovery from six for two after Chris Wright dismissed Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins.
Compton and Malan took their partnership to 88 in 26 overs but were parted by Wright who had Compton (33, 105 balls, four fours) caught by Varun Chopra at slip.
Leg-spinner Josh Poysden then exploited some first-day turn to take two quick wickets. Malan edged to Rikki Clarke at slip and John Simpson bat-padded to Sam Hain at short leg.
Stevie Eskinazi (an unbeaten 48 from 81 balls) and James Franklin then added 56 before the latter fell lbw to Poysden to the last ball before tea.
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DAY ONE - LUNCH
MIDDLESEX 77 FOR 2
Middlesex's title bid met some early turbulence on the opening morning of their Specsavers County Championship tussle with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
After choosing to bat, the Division One leaders reached 77 for two from 31 overs at lunch.
Former Middlesex paceman Chris Wright struck twice in his first 13 balls to reduce his old team to six for two before Nick Compton (25 not out, 86 balls) and Dawid Malan (39 not out, 85) dug in.
Middlesex started rockily when Sam Robson edged Wright's second ball to Varun Chopra at slip. Nick Gubbins then failed to control a defensive push and Wright took a low return-catch.
Malan scored just five runs from his first 50 balls but, along with the resolute Compton, concentrated hard up to lunch against some testing bowling on a good batting pitch.
With wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose ruled out by a buttock strain, Alex Mellor is playing his first championship game for Warwickshire and only his third in all after playing two for Derbyshire on loan recently.
