MATCH RESULT - MATCH DRAWN
Middlesex 349 all out & 223 all out - 11 points
Leicestershire 268 all out & 226/5 - 10 points
Leicestershire’s hopes of a first County Championship win at Lord’s for 39 years were thwarted by rain as their see-saw clash with Middlesex ended in a draw.
The pendulum had appeared to swing back in the visitors’ favour, with Colin Ackermann unbeaten on 70 from 88 balls, and five wickets standing as they chased a victory target of 305.
But the overcast conditions, which led to five separate stoppages during the final day, eventually triumphed as the match was abandoned with the Foxes on 226-5 – still 79 short.
Middlesex – who have yet to record a Championship win this season – dropped three catches, but were still scenting an opportunity after removing the visitors’ top four, all to lbw decisions, with 154 on the board.
Leicestershire began the fourth day on 38 without loss, needing another 267, but they had shaved only three more off that target when the darkening St John’s Wood sky brought about the first of the weather delays.
With the Lord’s floodlights switched on and the players back on the field, Leicestershire extended their opening stand to 51 before James Harris (2-75) made the breakthrough, trapping Ateeq Javid (12) in front of his stumps.
One other wicket fell during the morning session, with the consistent Ethan Bamber (1-20) removing Paul Horton (36) – but Middlesex should have claimed at least a third before lunch.
Hasan Azad (33), who made a slow start to his innings, was the fortunate recipient of two reprieves with just seven runs to his name.
Sam Robson spilled an edge at first slip off the bowling of Harris and, in the next over, when Azad drove Ollie Rayner, Nick Gubbins was unable to pocket the chance at short cover.
That double escape appeared to help Azad lift the shackles and he and Mark Cosgrove, with a breezy 22 from 42 balls, guided the Leicestershire total past 100.
Rayner removed Cosgrove in the third over after lunch, but Ackermann immediately displayed an attacking intent, using his feet to the off-spinner and climbing into Harris as he struck successive boundaries.
The South African dominated a fourth-wicket partnership of exactly 50 with Azad, contributing 34 before Harris registered his second lbw of the innings to dismiss the left-hander.
Harry Dearden, who had shared a century partnership with Ackermann on the second day, survived an early scare when he miscued Rayner to mid-off, but the chance eluded the diving Bamber.
Despite a further half-hour’s delay due to rain, the fifth-wicket pair added another 52 before Tom Helm uprooted the off stump of Dearden (21).
Ackermann did his best to maintain the Leicestershire charge in tandem with Lewis Hill (7no), but a further downpour finally put paid to the visitors’ hopes of forcing a victory.
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TEA - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 349 all out & 223 all out
Leicestershire 268 all out & 182/4
Colin Ackermann was advancing towards his second half-century of the match as Leicestershire maintained their hopes of a first victory over Middlesex at Lord’s since 1980.
Ackermann (43no) and Harry Dearden (11no) remained at the crease at tea, with the visitors on 182-4 as they pursued a target of 305 – all four wickets falling to lbw decisions.
Resuming at 38 without loss overnight, Leicestershire extended their opening partnership to 51 before James Harris struck, pinning Ateeq Javid (12) lbw.
Ethan Bamber, who looked the most consistent of the Middlesex seamers again, picked up the other wicket to fall during the morning session, dismissing Paul Horton (36) for the second time in the match.
However, Hasan Azad was afforded two lives – Sam Robson, at first slip, and Nick Gubbins, at short cover, both failing to hold onto catches – and he then began to open up, steering the Leicestershire total into three figures in tandem with Mark Cosgrove.
Having had an lbw appeal against Cosgrove (22) rejected soon after lunch, Ollie Rayner tried again with his following delivery and this time the finger was raised.
Ackermann went on the offensive, dispatching Harris for successive boundaries and, despite brief stoppages for bad light and rain, he and Azad added exactly 50 before Harris got another delivery to keep low and trapped the left-hander in front of his stumps.
There was an immediate let-off for Azad’s replacement Dearden, who skied Rayner to mid-off, but Bamber was unable to hold on.
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LUNCH - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 349 all out & 223 all out
Leicestershire 268 all out & 97/2
Hasan Azad survived two close calls as the visitors remained in contention for a final-day victory in their County Championship game against Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Leicestershire left-hander was put down at first slip by Sam Robson off the bowling of James Harris and, in the following over, Middlesex captain Stevie Eskinazi was unable to cling onto another chance at short cover.
Chasing 305 for victory, the Foxes reached 97-2 at lunch, with Azad unbeaten on 15 and Mark Cosgrove (19no) alongside him at the crease.
They lost both openers during a morning session slightly reduced by bad light, with Ateeq Javid (12) the first to go when Harris trapped him leg before.
Middlesex’s decision to switch Ethan Bamber to the Nursery End paid dividends soon afterwards when he removed Paul Horton (36), also lbw, with his second ball.
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STUMPS - DAY THREE
Middlesex 349 all out & 223 all out
Leicestershire 268 all out & 38/0
John Simpson’s first County Championship half-century for two years kept Middlesex in contention on a riveting third day against Leicestershire at Lord’s.
It was 2017 the last time the doughty wicketkeeper reached such heights willow in hand, but here he was at his obdurate best, dragging his side from the mire of 114-8 in the wake of superb bowling from Seaxe old boy Chris Wright (3-51) and Tom Taylor (3-74).
His more than three-hour vigil saw him finish 59 not out and left Leicestershire a target of 305.
However, the Foxes survived unscathed to the close, reaching 38-0 raising hopes of a first win for the county at Lord’s since 1980.
Leicestershire began the day 257-9 in their first innings and added a further 11 before Helm uprooted Wright’s off-stump with one which seamed in off the wicket.
That gave the hosts a lead of 81, but they were soon in trouble second time around.
Taylor, who only bowled six overs in the first innings because of a back niggle put that pain behind him to have Max Holden taken by Colin Ackerman at slip with just nine on the board.
Sam Robson, who’d come out on a king pair, played confidently for a while, but Taylor’s impressive spell accounted for him too, a little movement off the seam seeing the former England man edge to wicketkeeper Lewis Hill.
Wright too was then in the action, grabbing the wicket of debutante Tom Lace before lunch, caught at slip.
As in the first innings, Nick Gubbins played with increasing assurance, his cover drive, a thing of beauty, but he was undone during Wright’s impressive post-lunch burst, edging one which left him a fraction through to Hill.
His departure was the first of three wickets for just three runs as Middlesex faltered.
Skipper Eskinazi flashed at a loose one from Mohammad Abbas, though it needed a stunning one-handed catch at full stretch by Ackerman to send him on his way.
And it was 94-6 when Wright struck again, scattering George Scott’s stumps with a venomous Yorker.
A brief lull in the procession ended when Taylor found the edge of James Harris’ bat to give Hill his sixth catch of the match.
And Ollie Rayner didn’t detain us long, prodding Ackerman into the hands of Hasan Azad at short-leg.
At 114-8 Stuart Law’s men were on the ropes, but not for the first time in Middlesex colours John Simpson answered the call.
His efforts relied on staunch support from Helm (46), who for the second time in the match produced shots belying his place at No 10 in the order, one off-drive in particular a candidate for shot of the day.
The pair added 85 for the ninth wicket before Helm fell LBW to Ben Mike, but last man Ethan Bamber stayed long enough to see Simpson to his long-awaited landmark and stretch the lead beyond 300.
Hopes of a wicket before the close were thwarted however, with skipper Paul Horton (28 not out) in particular suggesting a successful final day run-chase is more than possible.
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TEA - DAY THREE
Middlesex 349 all out & 166/8
Leicestershire 268 all out
Pacemen Chris Wright and Tom Taylor tore through Middlesex’s batting ranks to leave their County Championship clash in the balance at tea on the third day.
Wright (3-29), who started his career with the Lord’s tenants back in the early to mid-noughties, returned to haunt his former employees, who collapsed from 91-3 at lunch to 114-8.
But John Simpson and Tom Helm rallied the hosts with an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 52 to leave the Seaxes 166-8, 247 ahead.
Having claimed the wicket of Tom Lace pre-lunch, Wright produced a fiery burst after the resumption, in which he forced Nick Gubbins (36) to edge through to keeper Lewis Hill, before scattering George Scott’s stumps with a venomous Yorker.
Taylor, free of a back niggle which had seen him bowl only six overs in Middlesex’s first innings, earlier removed openers Max Holden and Sam Robson with the help of catches from Colin Ackerman and Hill respectively.
Those wickets came from the Nursery End, but Taylor proved just as effective coming down the hill when he induced a nick from James Harris through to Hill.
In between Mohammad Abbas accounted for Stevie Eskinazi courtesy of a stunning one-handed catch by Ackerman at second slip.
Spinner Ackerman wasn’t done there, claiming the eighth scalp when Ollie Rayner prodded one to Azad at short leg.
Helm earlier wrapped up Leicestershire’s first innings for 268, bowling Wright for 12 in the fifth over of the day.
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LUNCH - DAY THREE
Middlesex 349 all out & 73/3
Leicestershire 268 all out
Tom Taylor’s double strike with the new ball bowled Leicestershire back into contention on the third morning against Middlesex at Lord’s.
Taylor (2-31), who’d been restricted to just six overs in Middlesex’s first innings because of a back niggle, produced a probing spell to remove openers Max Holden and Sam Robson, both to catches behind the stumps.
And Chris Wright struck a third blow, finding the edge of Tom Lace’s bat to leave the hosts 73-3 at lunch – a lead of 154.
Earlier the men from Grace Road were bowled out in their first innings for 268 in the fifth over the morning, Tom Helm (3-62) uprooting Wright’s off-stump with one which seamed in off the pitch.
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STUMPS - DAY TWO
Middlesex 349 all out
Leicestershire 257/9
Ollie Rayner took four wickets on his first appearance of the season to keep Middlesex in control on the second day of their County Championship clash against Leicestershire at Lord’s.
The off-spinner removed both Leicestershire’s half-centurions, Harry Dearden and Colin Ackermann, who had threatened to take the game away from the home side with a fifth-wicket partnership of 110.
Earlier, Rayner had also pulled off a fine reaction catch at second slip to account for Foxes captain Paul Horton, with the visitors losing four wickets for 23 runs during the evening session.
Leicestershire closed on 257-9, still trailing by 92 runs after the Seaxes posted a total of 349 in the morning.
Resuming at 325-8 overnight, Middlesex had a fourth bonus batting point within their sights – but they missed out on that by the smallest possible margin.
Chris Wright had George Scott (55) caught at second slip and then did enough to tip Tom Helm’s straight drive onto the stumps, leaving non-striker Ethan Bamber (1) short of his ground as the home side were bowled out.
Helm, who finished unbeaten on 37, then drew first blood when Leicestershire replied, trapping Ateeq Javid (1) lbw in the seventh over before Horton (43) and Hasan Azad added exactly 50 for the second wicket.
James Harris broke that partnership, getting the final delivery of the morning session to move back and hit Azad’s off stump.
Leicestershire seemed to be faltering at 80-3 soon after lunch, when Bamber was rewarded for his consistent line as Rayner snapped up a smart catch to dismiss Horton.
Mark Cosgrove survived a close shave when an inside edge zipped past his leg stump, but he then began to get into his stride.
Having dispatched Bamber for two sweet straight drives to the boundary, he had reached 28 when he was pinned leg before by Rayner.
However, Dearden batted fearlessly – getting off the mark with a square cut for four and unleashing further savage shots on the off side as he soon caught up with the generally more pedestrian Ackermann.
It was Ackermann who passed his half-century first, edging Bamber to third man for four and Dearden followed suit, registering his first County Championship 50 of the season later in the same over.
The left-hander had reached 61 from 106 balls when he drove at Rayner and perished to a stunning left-handed catch by Middlesex captain Stevie Eskinazi at short cover.
Ackermann (63) was next to depart, pushing forward to a flighted delivery from Rayner and getting and outside edge to John Simpson.
Rayner (4-58) collected his fourth wicket with a low caught and bowled to dismiss Tom Taylor (2) and Helm removed Ben Mike, caught behind for five, in the final over of the day.
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TEA - DAY TWO
Middlesex 349 all out
Leicestershire 189/4
Colin Ackermann and Harry Dearden were closing in on half-centuries as Leicestershire made steady inroads on Middlesex’s total of 349 at Lord’s.
Ackermann went to tea unbeaten on 44, having shared an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 76 with Dearden (39no) during an attritional afternoon session.
It took Leicestershire half an hour to wrap up Middlesex’s innings in the morning, with Chris Wright having George Scott (55) caught at second slip and then deflecting Tom Helm’s drive onto the stumps to run out Ethan Bamber (1).
Helm, who finished unbeaten on 37, was soon starring with the ball as he trapped Ateeq Javid (1) lbw, but Paul Horton (43) and Hasan Azad (21) added 50 before James Harris bowled the latter with the final delivery of the session.
Bamber, who bowled a consistent line, was unlucky not to claim the scalp of Horton in the first over after lunch, with a rising ball bisecting the slips and running to the boundary.
But the Middlesex youngster soon got his man for 43, tempting him to nudge one outside off stump and Ollie Rayner sprang to his left to take the catch at second slip.
Mark Cosgrove, who had a fortuitous escape when an inside edge off Harris flew past his leg stump, was just beginning to get into his stride when Rayner prised him out, lbw for 28.
That left Leicestershire wobbling at 113-4, but Ackermann and Dearden looked comfortable as they reached 189-4 at tea.
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LUNCH - DAY TWO
Middlesex 349 all out
Leicestershire 62/2
James Harris struck with the last ball before lunch to reduce Leicestershire to 62-2 in response to Middlesex’s total of 349 on the second morning at Lord’s.
Visiting skipper Paul Horton (32 not out) and Hasan Azad (21) had put together a second-wicket partnership of 50 before Harris got one to nip back and hit the latter’s off stump.
Resuming on 325-8, the home side missed out on a fourth batting bonus point by the slimmest of margins, although George Scott (55) and Tom Helm (37 not out) increased their ninth-wicket stand to 62.
Chris Wright found the edge of Scott’s bat, with Colin Ackermann leaning forward to scoop up the catch at second slip, and then deflected Helm’s drive onto the stumps to run out last man Ethan Bamber (1) and wrap up the Middlesex innings.
Helm was handed the new ball when Leicestershire began their reply and made the initial breakthrough in the seventh over, pinning Ateeq Javid (1) leg before.
But Horton looked strong off the pads, and he and Azad had looked relatively untroubled before the left-hander fell to the final delivery of the session.
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STUMPS - DAY ONE
Middlesex 325/8
Muhammad Abbas claimed four wickets on a topsy-turvy first day of Leicestershire’s County Championship fixture with Middlesex at Lord’s.
The Pakistani Test bowler looked a class above the rest in returning 4-57 to restrict the hosts to 325-8 on decent batting surface.
Half-centuries from Nick Gubbins, debutante Tom Lace and George Scott – the latter’s highest first-class score - kept the home side in the hunt, but they will be frustrated no-one was able to kick on and make a truly telling contribution
Despite cloudless skies, Leicestershire exercised their right to field and claimed immediate reward when Abbas trapped Sam Robson LBW with the first ball of the match.
It was the beginning of a testing opening burst which would have yielded further reward had Harry Dearden clung onto a low edge at third slip when Max Holden had made 13.
It was a costly miss as Holden and Gubbins settled down to build a century stand. Gubbins in particular found his fluency, hitting 10 boundaries as he passed 50.
It was Abbas again who broke the stand shortly after lunch with one which left Holden (41) off the seam and was edged through to wicketkeeper Lewis Hill.
Gubbins (75), in a rich vein of form after three scores of 90-plus in the Royal London One-Day Cup continued untroubled, taking his boundary count to 15, but with a century in the offing the left-hander needlessly aimed a sweep at off-spinner Colin Ackerman and gently lobbed a catch to short-fine leg.
That brought in Stevie Eskinazi, skipper in the absence of the injured Dawid Malan, and he moved briskly to 33 at more than a run a ball courtesy of six fours.
However, he too fell victim to Ackerman (2-53) when trying to cut one too close to him and edging through to Hill.
His departure ended a stand of 46 with Tom Lace, who was making his first-class debut for Middlesex after being recalled from a loan spell with Derbyshire.
He too played nicely, surviving just one scare when top-edging one from Abbas over the head of Hill.
His eighth four took him to 50 just before tea, but he too departed almost immediately afterwards when edging a lifting ball from Ben Mike and giving Hill his third catch of the day.
And the hosts were in trouble when two balls later Mike ( 2-95) struck again, trapping John Simpson LBW with one which seemed to keep low.
George Scott and James Harris, the latter fresh from his maiden century in Middlesex’s Royal London Cup play-off defeat to Lancashire dug in adding 55, before Abbas got the new ball in his hand and snared the latter leg before for 24.
Ollie Rayner in his first match of the season suffered the same fate just two balls later, meaning Middlesex needed George Scott (52 not out) to steer them past the sanctuary of 300.
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TEA - DAY ONE
Middlesex 227/4
Tom Lace’s half-century on his Middlesex debut kept the home side in contention on the first afternoon of their County Championship clash with Leicestershire at Lord’s.
Lace, recalled this week from a loan spell with Derbyshire, hit eight fours as he moved to 51 not out in a total of 227-4.
The academy product added 50 in company with John Simpson (17 not out), the pair stabilising the hosts after they lost three wickets in the afternoon session, two of them to off-spinner Colin Ackerman (2-43).
Middlesex had lost a wicket to the first ball of the match when Sam Robson was pinned LBW by Mohammad Abbas.
Max Holden (41) survived a scare when dropped at slip off the same bowler, before he and Nick Gubbins shared a century stand for the second wicket.
Abbas (2-47) would get revenge soon after lunch when Holden edged a seaming delivery to wicketkeeper Lewis Hill.
Gubbins had built on his three scores of 90-plus in the Royal London One-day Cup, hitting 15 fours, but with a century in the offing he top-edged a sweep off Ackerman gently into the hands of short fine leg.
And Middlesex were teetering when the South African struck again to have Stevie Eskinazi caught behind for 33.
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LUNCH - DAY ONE
Middlesex 95/1
Nick Gubbins’ unbeaten half-century helped hosts Middlesex recover from the worst possible start on the first morning of their County Championship clash with Leicestershire at Lord’s
The left-hander played with increasing confidence to hit 10 fours, unleashing some trademark cover drives in reaching 51 not out in a score of 95-1 at lunch.
Gubbins shared an unbroken second-wicket stand of 95 with Max Holden (36 not out) – all this after Leicestershire’s Mohammad Abbas removed Sam Robson with the first ball of the match.
The Pakistan Test bowler trapped Robson LBW to give the visitors immediate reward after they exercised their right to bowl first despite cloudless skies at the home of cricket.
And Abbas would have had a second wicket in an impressive opening spell had Harry Dearden clung on to a low catch at third slip when Holden had made 13.
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Middlesex
Leicestershire
