MATCH RESULT - LANCASHIRE WIN BY 7 WICKETS
Middlesex 265 & 200 - 3 points
Lancashire 427 & 39/3 - 22 points
Lancashire justified their tag of County Championship Division Two favourites with a crushing 7-wicket win over Middlesex at Lord’s courtesy of a career-best from spinner Glenn Maxwell.
The Australian international (5-40) claimed a first-ever five-wicket haul in a bewitching 16.5 over spell broken only by the lunch interval.
Maxwell’s efforts, ably assisted by Jimmy Anderson (3-29) meant the hosts were bundled out for 200, leaving the Red Rose county just 39 to win, so recording their first victory at Lord’s since 2006.
It was only Middlesex’s third Championship defeat on home turf in five years.
The day began with Middlesex 94 behind and needing to bat out most of the day to salvage a draw. It was a scenario similar to that at Northants in the first round of Championship fixtures a week previously.
On that occasion, Dawid Malan had risen to the task with an unbeaten 160. He would again pass 50, while Sam Robson top scored with 63, but despite their efforts a repeat rescue act never looked likely.
Yet for more than an hour at the start of the day, Robson and nightwatchman James Harris resisted bravely, the former raising his first half-century of the campaign complete with seven fours.
Harris, should have been dismissed on 18 when he feathered one down the leg-side in Josh Bohannon’s first over, only for the bowler’s celebrations to be cut short by a cry of no-ball.
The Welshman wasn’t however to cash in on the reprieve, departing just two runs later after an injudicious swing at a wide one from the same bowler.
Robson too had enjoyed a slice of luck when edging one to the left hand of Maxwell at slip, but just three balls after Harris left the scene he was gone too.
Anderson produced something of a trademark delivery which left the former England opener a fraction off the pitch and he edged it through to wicketkeeper Brooke Guest.
Malan and Max Holden got to lunch without further mishap, but soon after the resumption Maxwell began his decisive intervention.
Holden will regret his injudicious swish at a wide one, while Eoin Morgan’s wretched run in Championship cricket continued when he played down the wrong line to his first delivery and was plumb LBW.
Simpson survived the hat-trick ball and for an hour he and Malan held up Lancashire’s victory charge.
Malan moved to 50 with a sixth boundary, only for Maxwell to end his resistance the very next ball with one that bounced and took the edge.
Their captain’s departure broke the spirit of the home side and the innings subsided quickly.
Anderson ripped out Toby Roland-Jones’ middle-stump, but it was fitting that Maxwell then took centre-stage once more, bowling Simpson and trapping last man Tim Murtagh leg-before two balls later.
Lancashire made heavy weather of the 39 needed for victory. Keaton Jennings wasted the chance to get a not out against his name when top edging a short one from Murtagh into the hands of deep-square.
There was then a third first-class wicket for Robson who bowled Guest for 11 and Maxwell too departed to the Sydney-born part-timer caught at mid-off before victory was confirmed.
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TEA - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 265 & 200
Lancashire 427
Glenn Maxwell claimed a career-best 5-40 to bowl Lancashire to the brink of victory on the final afternoon of their County Championship encounter with Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Australian international bowled his off-breaks unchanged all afternoon, claiming the wickets of Max Holden, Eoin Morgan and Dawid Malan to decimate the host’s middle-order.
He later cleaned up John Simpson and last man Tim Murtagh to bowl out the Lord’s tenants on the stroke of tea for 200, a lead of just 38, this despite a classy half-century from Middlesex skipper Malan.
Lancashire began the day needing eight wickets, but for 80 minutes were frustrated by nightwatchman James Harris and Sam Robson, who moved to his first half-century of the campaign.
However, both departed in quick succession, Harris (20) edging a wide one from Josh Bohannon to Brooke Guest and just three balls later James Anderson produced a beauty which Robson also nicked through to the wicketkeeper.
Lunch was taken at 136-4 and immediately afterwards Maxwell began to spin his magic. With just 10 runs added, Max Holden was tempted into a wild swish and was taken at slip and England one-day captain Eoin Morgan was LBW to the next delivery.
John Simpson saved the hat-trick ball and Malan moved to 50, but once he was caught behind off one that bounced the end the end came quickly.
Anderson uprooted Toby Roland-Jones’ middle-stump before Maxwell completed his fifer, bowling Simpson and trapping Murtagh leg-before.
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LUNCH - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 265 & 136/4
Lancashire 427
Lancashire continued to press for victory on the final morning of their County Championship clash with Middlesex at Lord’s.
Josh Bohannon and Jimmy Anderson claimed a wicket apiece to leave their hosts 136-4, still needing 26 to make Lancashire bat again.
The wickets were due reward for the Division Two title favourites, who were initially frustrated by a stand of 48 between Sam Robson (63) and nightwatchman James Harris (20).
The former moved to his first 50 of the season, before surviving a scare when edging low to Glenn Maxwell’s left hand at second slip, though there was some doubt as to whether the ball carried.
The obdurate Harris also gained a reprieve on 18 when caught behind down the leg-side in Bohannon’s first over, only for the umpire to signal no-ball, but the bowler atoned when having the Welshman caught behind shortly afterwards.
And just three balls later, Anderson, now bowling at the Nursery End, found the edge of Robson’s bat, giving Brooke Guest a second catch.
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STUMPS - DAY THREE
Middlesex 265 & 68/2
Lancashire 427
Middlesex must battle to salvage a draw on the final day after Rob Jones’ century kept Lancashire in command of their County Championship clash at Lord’s.
Jones’ 122 was his highest score in Championship cricket and only his second hundred in the competition – having also recorded his first against Middlesex, at Old Trafford in September 2016.
He shared a fifth-wicket stand of 143 with Lancashire captain Dane Vilas (68) as the visitors crafted a healthy first-innings lead of 162, with Tim Murtagh (5-69) collecting his second five-wicket haul in as many games.
Middlesex made steady progress towards wiping out that deficit, but they lost the wickets of Nick Gubbins and Stevie Eskinazi to close on 68-2, still 94 runs behind.
Lancashire’s hopes of building quickly on their overnight position of 267-4 were thwarted by three separate rain interruptions, which meant they only received 13 overs in a truncated morning session.
Nevertheless, Jones and Vilas stretched their side’s advantage on a pitch that gave virtually no assistance to the bowlers, with Toby Roland-Jones particularly unfortunate to finish wicketless.
Roland-Jones found some rhythm during the afternoon session and almost removed Vilas with an inside edge that missed the stumps, while another edge off Steven Finn flew just wide of slip.
Jones, meanwhile, took a knock on the helmet when he misjudged a short ball from James Harris, but he got up to hook the same bowler for successive boundaries and then reached his century by cutting Finn for another four.
Just as he had done earlier in the innings – taking a return catch to dismiss second-day centurion Haseeb Hameed – it was Middlesex captain Dawid Malan (3-60) who eventually achieved the breakthrough.
Malan’s leg-spin pinned Vilas leg before, and he followed that up with another wicket at the start of the evening session as Josh Bohannon (5) was snapped up by Sam Robson, leaping to his right at slip.
Murtagh then clipped the off stump of Tom Bailey (1) and finally won an lbw decision to bring Jones’ five hours-plus occupation of the crease to an end.
Alex Davies, batting down the order after injuring his thumb on the first day, contributed a useful 17 before he became Murtagh’s fifth victim, top-edging an attempted pull to give John Simpson an easy catch.
Harris (2-105) rounded off the innings by bowling Graham Onions (12), but not before the Red Rose county had extended their lead to 162.
That left Middlesex to negotiate 22 overs before the close – but Gubbins lasted just five balls, departing for a duck as James Anderson found his outside edge and Glenn Maxwell pouched the catch at second slip.
Despite another scare – when Sam Robson (41*) just managed to scramble back to the non-striker’s end after calling for a very optimistic single – he and Eskinazi (25) looked fairly comfortable as they put on 68 for the second wicket.
But Eskinazi fell lbw to Onions in the penultimate over to keep Middlesex under pressure heading into day four.
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TEA - DAY THREE
Middlesex 265 all out
Lancashire 387/5
Rob Jones registered the highest score of his County Championship career as Lancashire progressed towards a likely declaration against Middlesex on day three at Lord’s.
Jones – whose only previous first-class hundred was also made against the Seaxes, towards the end of the 2016 season – reached 114 not out at tea, having shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 143 with skipper Dane Vilas.
That stand helped extend the visitors’ total to 387-5, a first-innings advantage of 122 and, despite several rain interruptions during the first two sessions, they have plenty of time remaining to force victory.
There was a scare for Jones at 69, when he took his eye off a short delivery from James Harris and was struck on the helmet, but Lancashire’s medical staff cleared the batsman to continue.
Jones recovered to hook Harris for successive boundaries and he went on to reach his ton from 197 balls with another four, carving Steven Finn beyond point.
Vilas enjoyed his fair share of good fortune at times, edging Finn just wide of slip and almost chopping on to the luckless Toby Roland-Jones, who produced a tidy spell in the afternoon session.
The Lancashire captain was eventually trapped lbw by the leg-spin of opposite number Dawid Malan – who had already dismissed centurion Haseeb Hameed earlier in the innings – after accumulating 68 from 141 balls.
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LUNCH - DAY TWO
Middlesex 265 all out
Lancashire 308/4
Lancashire’s hopes of building a sizeable first-innings lead over Middlesex were hindered by bad weather on the third morning of their County Championship clash at Lord’s.
Only 13 overs were bowled in the opening session due to intermittent rain showers, with the visitors adding 41 runs to advance to 308-4, an advantage of 43.
Rob Jones (69*) and Dane Vilas (42*) extended their fifth-wicket stand to 72, with neither batsman greatly troubled on a generally lifeless pitch.
Vilas was the more assertive of the Lancashire pair, looking strong off his pads as he clipped Tim Murtagh for two early leg-side boundaries.
Murtagh had a strong lbw appeal rejected against Jones, who briefly emerged from his shell following the first rain delay to bring up his side’s third batting bonus point with a late cut for four.
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STUMPS - DAY TWO
Middlesex 265 all out
Lancashire 267/4
Haseeb Hameed delivered a timely reminder to the Test selectors with his first century since 2016 as Lancashire moved into a first-innings lead against Middlesex on day two at Lord’s.
The 22-year-old opener, who played in three Tests as a teenager, endured a dreadful season in 2018 – averaging below 10 while his side were relegated from the top flight of the County Championship.
But national selector Ed Smith was in attendance to watch Hameed hit three figures for the first time in over two and a half years as the Red Rose began their bid for an immediate return to Division One.
Hameed only opened the Lancashire innings because Alex Davies had injured his thumb while keeping wicket on the first day, but he made the most of the opportunity with a virtually chanceless knock of 117 from 196 balls.
A first-wicket century stand with Keaton Jennings was the platform for the visitors to take control of the game and they ended the day on 267-4 – a lead of two runs.
Lancashire seamer Tom Bailey (5-67) began the day by completing a five-wicket haul as the home side were bowled out for 265 after the last pair of Murtagh (16*) and Toby Roland-Jones (35) had added 29 to earn a second batting bonus point.
Although Murtagh bowled a consistent line when Lancashire began their reply, the rest of the Middlesex seamers were unable to gain control as Hameed and Jennings progressed to 88-0 at lunch.
Apart from a difficult caught and bowled opportunity that Steven Finn was unable to cling on to, Hameed offered no chances – but he and Jennings became bogged down as the scoring rate slowed significantly during the afternoon.
Jennings took 133 balls over his innings of 52 before he became the first to depart at 123-1, chasing an outswinger from James Harris and nicking it behind.
With Davies unlikely to bat, Lancashire sent Brooke Guest in at three and he made a shaky start with a series of edges that fell just short or wide of the slip cordon.
Guest survived to make 17, but he was to be the first of two victims in quick succession for Murtagh (2-23), missing a delivery that came back and took his leg stump.
Lancashire’s progress appeared to have been checked when Glenn Maxwell (1) followed, playing on to Murtagh in his next over to leave them 152-3.
However, Rob Jones (55*) kept Hameed company after tea while he advanced to his ton, reaching that landmark in style by hooking Roland-Jones into the grandstand for six.
It was Middlesex skipper Dawid Malan who eventually ended Hameed’s innings, diving to take a smart return catch off his own bowling.
But Jones went on to pass his half-century and he and captain Dane Vilas (19*) had added 36 by the time bad light ended play.
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TEA - DAY TWO
Middlesex 265 all out
Lancashire 155/3
Lancashire opener Haseeb Hameed inched towards a century – but a quick burst from Tim Murtagh brought Middlesex back into contention on the second afternoon at Lord’s.
Hameed, who struck a double hundred during Lancashire’s recent warm-up game against Loughborough MCCU, made slow progress to reach 81 not out at tea.
He shared a first-wicket partnership of 123 with Keaton Jennings, but Murtagh (2-19) pegged the Red Rose county back with two quick wickets as they advanced to 155-3 in response to Middlesex’s total of 265.
The home side had scrambled a second batting bonus point earlier in the day thanks to a stand of 29 for the last wicket between Murtagh (16*) and Toby Roland-Jones (35).
With the exception of the evergreen Murtagh, who beat the bat on several occasions, Middlesex’s bowlers struggled for consistency when the visitors began their reply.
Jennings’ drive for four off James Harris steered Lancashire past three figures soon after lunch, but the visitors’ scoring rate was fairly pedestrian.
The left-hander took 133 deliveries to reach 52 before he eventually perished, chasing an outswinger from Harris and nicking it behind.
Brooke Guest, playing in only his second Championship game, made a nervous start as he survived three edges that fell just short or wide of the slips.
Guest reached 17 before Murtagh brought one back to knock out his leg stump – and Glenn Maxwell (1) became the Middlesex seamer’s second victim when he played on in his next over.
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LUNCH - DAY TWO
Middlesex 265 all out
Lancashire 88/0
Discarded England duo Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings put together an unbroken partnership of 88 as Lancashire took control on the second morning of their County Championship game against Middlesex at Lord’s.
Hameed, who opened in place of the injured Alex Davies, went to lunch on 47 not out and closing in on a first Championship half-century since 2017.
Although Hameed gave a sharp caught and bowled chance that Steven Finn was unable to snap up, he and Jennings (39*) were largely untroubled by a Middlesex attack that lacked penetration.
Earlier, it took Lancashire 20 minutes to wrap up Middlesex’s first innings, but not before Toby Roland-Jones (35) and Tim Murtagh (16*) had secured a second batting bonus point.
The pair raised the Middlesex total past 250 with a series of attacking strokes before Roland-Jones holed out to cover, enabling Tom Bailey (5-67) to complete his five-wicket haul.
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STUMPS - DAY ONE
Middlesex 236/9
Jimmy Anderson took his first County Championship wickets at Lord’s for 16 years on the opening day of Lancashire’s clash with Middlesex.
The England paceman was still a fortnight shy of his Test debut against Zimbabwe in May 2003, the last time he came through the Grace Gates to represent the Red Rose county in the 4-day format.
Among the then 20-year-old’s victims that day was a certain Andrew Strauss – a hint we were soon to be in the presence of greatness.
Some 575 Test scalps later, Anderson was back at the Home of Cricket, donning his county cap and kick-starting his Ashes year with all the craft and artistry garnered in the meanwhile, en route to figures of 3-41.
And his efforts saw the visitors take the first day honours, reducing the hosts to 236-9, but while the Burnley Express was in the spotlight, others deserve honourable mentions.
For Middlesex, who got the thin end of a draw with Northants in the first set of fixtures last week there were plusses. Stevie Eskinazi and Nick Gubbins both struck dogged half-centuries, displaying a stickability sadly lacking in the Seaxes’ first innings at Wantage Road. Sadly though, once they were gone an all-too familiar first innings collapse ensued with Tom Bailey (4-51) also among the wickets for the Division Two favourites.
Anderson was the first to put his mark on the game after Dane Vilas exercised his right to bowl first.
The Lancashire skipper’s faith in his strike bowler was soon rewarded when Anderson found the edge of Sam Robson’s bat and Glenn Maxwell did the rest at second slip.
There could have been more reward for the 36-year-old in a first spell full of craft and devilry. Gubbins survived a huge LBW shout while both he and Eskinazi played and missed numerous times.
Both however dug in, Gubbins hitting some trademark cover drives, one of them off Anderson a great response to his earlier working over.
Eskinazi too was pugnacious, picking up several boundaries in shifting the early momentum towards the hosts, though he survived a scare on 32 when Maxwell failed to cling on to another edge, this time from the bowling of Graham Onions.
Gubbins was first to reach 50 from 104 balls courtesy of his eighth four, Eskinazi following shortly afterwards from just two balls more.
The pair raised the century stand and by mid-afternoon Middlesex were sitting pretty at 126-1.
However, that was Bailey’s cue to turn the tide once more, first trapping Gubbins LBW with one which swung in from around the wicket.
Lady luck then shone on the Lancashire seamer as Eskinazi (75) got a tickle to one fired down the leg-side and young Brooke Guest, deputising for Alex Davies, injured in the morning session, took a sprawling catch behind the stumps.
Middlesex skipper Dawid Malan, fresh from making 160 last week, picked up in similar vein with four early boundaries, only for Anderson to return and have him taken at slip by Keaton Jennings for 24.
Malan’s dismissal sparked a cluster of wickets, England one-day skipper Eoin Morgan slashing a wide one from Josh Bohannon to Rob Jones in the gully, while Maxwell got due reward for some frugal off-breaks when John Simpson dragged one on.
Max Holden (34) had played nicely, but Anderson returned with the new ball to induce another edge and Bailey despatched both James Harris and Steven Finn before the close.
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TEA - DAY ONE
Middlesex 175/3
Stephen Eskinazi and Nick Gubbins struck dogged half-centuries during an attritional first afternoon of Middlesex’s County Championship clash with Lancashire at Lord’s.
Eskinazi hit 11 fours in his 75, sharing a stand of 112 with opener Gubbins (55) as the hosts reached 175-3 at tea.
However, Tom Bailey (2-41) removed both protagonists to leave the game very much in the balance.
Eskinazi and Gubbins came together early in the morning session following the dismissal of Sam Robson, caught at second slip by Glenn Maxwell off the bowling of England paceman Jimmy Anderson (1-30) for three.
That wicket was Anderson’s first since his last County Championship appearance for the Red Rose county at Lord’s back in May 2003. He might have had several more in an opening spell which oozed control and craft.
Left-hander Gubbins in particular rode his luck, playing and missing a number of times and surviving a huge LBW shout.
Eskinazi too struggled and was given a life on 32 when Maxwell failed to cling on to another edge off the bowling of Graham Onions.
Scare survived, Middlesex took lunch on 84-1 before Gubbins became the first to reach 50 shortly after the resumption from 104 balls, courtesy of his eighth boundary.
Eskinazi soon followed, taking two balls longer, but Gubbins became bogged down before being trapped LBW by an in-swinger by Bailey from around the wicket.
Eskinazi was then strangled out down the leg-side to probably the worst ball of Bailey’s impressive spell.
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LUNCH - DAY ONE
Middlesex 84/1
Jimmy Anderson’s experienced both delight and frustration as he kick-started his Ashes summer for Lancashire on day one of their County Championship clash with Middlesex.
In his first Championship appearance at Lord’s for 16 years, Anderson (1-24) pouched the wicket of Sam Robson (3) with a lifting ball which the opener edged to Glenn Maxwell at second slip.
Thereafter, the ‘Burnley Express’ repeatedly beat the bat, giving both Nick Gubbins (43not out) and Stephen Eskinazi a searching examination.
The pair survived to raise a half-century stand, though Eskinazi (38 not out) was then given a life on 32 when Maxwell failed to cling on to another edge of the bowling of Graham Onions.
It meant the hosts, who’d been inserted under the ‘No toss’ rule reached lunched at 84-1.
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Middlesex
Lancashire
