Middlesex First Innings: 392
Cambridge MCCU First Innings: 123
Middlesex Second Innings: 174 for 4 dec
Cambridge MCCU Second Innings: 65 for 4
Middlesex are on course for an overwhelming victory over Cambridge MCCU at Fenner’s in the three day friendly match. After the students were bowled out for 123 in their first innings, Middlesex with a lead of 269 runs opted to bat again and set them an unlikely target of 445 runs to win: by the close of play, Cambridge MCCU were 65-4 having been 13-4.
In the morning, the MCCU resumed their first innings on 7-2 with Greenidge and Seneratne taking the total to 31-2 in the 11th over of the innings before Seneratne was sent back attempting to take a single to Malan at mid-wicket and he was beaten by the throw to ‘keeper John Simpson and was run out for 11. Tetley joined Greenidge who played fluently taking ten runs off a Tim Murtagh over and seven runs off his following over. The pair took the total to 79-3 before James Franklin bowled Tetley for 15.
Greenidge reached a 66 ball fifty (9 fours) in Franklin’s next over but when Ollie Rayner replaced Steve Finn at the Pavilion End, he had Guest stumped by John Simpson for a duck to reduce Cambridge MCCU to 90-5. Poulson joined Greenidge and the pair added a further 13 runs before Greenidge drove a ball from Rayner back to the bowler who took a stinging catch to dismiss him for 65. Toby Roland-Jones then returned to the attack at the Gresham Road End and with his first delivery he trapped Poulson LBW for four. Chapman joined Moses and the pair took the MCCU into lunch on 106-7.
James Franklin struck in the second over after the interval when he bowled Moses for two. Chapman was joined by Suresh and the pair took the total to 123-8 before Steve Finn wrapped things up by having Suresh caught at the wicket by John Simpson for two and then bowling last man Rippington for a duck. Finn finished with figures of 2-23 in 7.5 overs with Ollie Rayner taking 2-14 in 5 overs, Toby Roland-Jones 2-14 in 9 overs, James Franklin 2-30 in 7 overs and Tim Murtagh taking 1-35 in 11 overs.
With a lead of 269 runs, Middlesex opted for batting practice with Steve Eskinazi and James Franklin opening the innings. The innings did not begin well with Eskinazi being dropped off the second ball of the innings by Suresh at mid-wicket off the bowling of Moses and then James Franklin gave a catch to Guest at cover off the bowling of Rippington to be dismissed for a duck.
Ollie Rayner came in at number three and after a sketchy start, he took was soon in his stride with some fine cover drives and pull shots and the fifty came up in the 15th over. The pair accelerated the scoring rate and the total advanced to 85-1 after 23 overs before Eskinazi took two fours in an over from Poulson. Eskinazi then hit Chapman for a four and a six to bring up a 71 ball fifty and he hit a further straight six two balls later. Ollie Rayner reached an 66 ball fifty in the following over and the pair took Middlesex to 128-2 before Eskinazi was stumped by Tetley for 64 off the bowling of Chapman and tea was taken with Rayner undefeated on 61.
Steve Finn came in to bat after tea and he scored two fours in an over from Moses before Ollie Rayner cut loose, taking sixteen runs off Moses following over. Finn was then caught at mid-wicket by Suresh for 11 and Tim Murtagh came in at number five. Ollie Rayner had advanced to 91 before he charged at a Guest delivery and was easily stumped by Tetley and Middlesex declared on 175-4 after 35 overs.
In reply, Cambridge got off to a disastrous start when Wright was trapped LBW for a duck in Tim Murtagh’s opening over and Palmer was LBW to Toby Roland-Jones for a duck to leave the MCCU on 0-2 with both players collecting a ‘pair’. Seneratne was caught at the wicket for a single in Tim Murtagh’s second over and Tetley was missed by Esklinazi at second slip off the final ball of the over. Eskinazi however redeemed himself in the following over when he caught Tetley (1) off the bowling of Roland-Jones to reduce Cambridge MCCU to 13-4. Greenidge again batted well and with Guest safely negotiated the remaining 54 minutes as they finished the day on 65-4 with Greenidge on 43 not out.
