Trailing:

After limping past 200 on a Lord’s pitch that surely had more runs on offer – heavy roller absent or not, Middlesex made the most of the remaining three hours plus of the second day to haul themselves back into contention.¹ Gloucestershire had yet to win a match in two attempts this season – managing a meagre six points from two matches. Middlesex have double that total from a game more. Defeat here would mean their worst ever start.

The teams firmly rooted to the bottom of the County Championship Division Two knew that after two day’s play winning points were available to whichever team wanted it more. Trailing by 65 runs on the first innings Middlesex fought their way back into contention reducing the visitors to 139 for 7 after just over three-and-a-half hours play.

Fight Back:

Following his seven wicket haul in the first innings, Iain O’Brien quickly got into the groove, Abdul-Kadeer Ali took an excellent catch to dismiss Middlesex’s captain and top-scorer Shaun Udal, but he did nothing to stake a claim to open the batting on a regular basis. O’Brien beat him for pace to bowl Ali for the second time in the match – this time for a single.

The opening partnership with Jonathan Batty was worth 16 runs. Chris Dent joined the wicketkeeper, with Batty dominating that partnership too. But Batty contributed to his own demise with a loose stroke that was well caught by England captain Andrew Strauss for 22 – the first of the two wickets that Daniel Evans claimed.

First innings hero Hamish Marshall and Dent brought up the team’s fifty as well. Dawid Malan didn’t take advantage of his opportunity with the bat in the first innings, but he contributed in the field taking a sharp chance to dismiss the dangerous Marshall for 8. He had added just a single to his score at tea. Gareth Berg took the wicket. At 58 for 3 the innings was interestingly poised.

Dent’s entertaining knock of 42, made from 97 balls included seven boundaries, but ended in controversial fashion. He was given out, caught behind by John Simpson – Evans’ second wicket. It was 96 for 4, but Dent insisted it should have been three down, claiming that he did not get a touch.

The Difference-maker:

That brought Chris Taylor out to join his captain Alex Gidman, but their partnership was only worth four runs. It brought the hundred up, but Gidman’s 44 ball vigil, containing four boundaries, was ended by Tim Murtagh for 23. James Franklin was dispatched for 11 in the same fashion by Murtagh.

It was 118 for 6, which would soon get worse, especially for Steven Snell. Gloucestershire had moved on  by just five runs. He bagged a golden duck to achieve match figures of two innings, no runs in three balls. Berg claimed his second wicket of the innings by banging it in short. Snell fended it off as best he could to short-leg to be caught by Sam Robson for the second time in the match.

Crucial:

It was 123 for 7. Taylor was undefeated on 18 with two boundaries and Jonathan Lewis surpassed his first innings effort to reach 12 not out at stumps on the second day. The wickets were shared – Berg was the most expensive with 2 for 44 from 14 overs. O’Brien had to satisfy himself with just one wicket for 35 from 11 overs. Murtagh was economic with 2 for 29 from his 13 overs, while Evans was positively miserly, taking 2 for 22 from 10 overs.

Middlesex would have to better their first innings total to win after just two days play. They already trailed by 204 runs – one more than their rather poor first innings effort. However, the Gloucestershire tail wagged, adding 100 runs for the final three wickets, thanks to splendid batting by Taylor and Lewis. Their partnership was worth sixty for the eighth wicket. Lewis was finally bowled by Berg for 43 – an innings that included seven boundaries – not bad for a number 9 batsman. 

“I think that was key because the margin of victory was I think about a hundred runs,” said Gemaal Hussain. “At that stage we said that every run is going to be important because obviously we’ve got more to bowl at. Jon Lewis played really well.

Taylor went on to make 61, which included nine fours and a six, before he was caught by Toby Roland-Jones off Berg. “I think Chris Taylor managed the strike really well as well, because he could stay in for the most amount of time and try and put on as many runs as possible,” said Hussain, “so it was very important I thought.”

Neither Steve Kirby, nor Hussain were in the team for their batting. Udal dismissed Kirby for a single to mop up Gloucestershire’s innings at 223, which left Middlesex requiring 289 to achieve an improbable win.

Application: 

Bad light and rain proved the biggest obstacle to Gloucestershire’s plans to wrap up the match in side three days. Andrew Strauss seems distracted at Middlesex so far. He has just one fifty to his name in four matches. He was first out on 27, playing a loose shot by his standards, dragging a  Lewis delivery onto his stumps for 9. Owais Shah made 16 before he edged Hussain to  Gidman in the slips – another loose shot. Hussain was on his way to a special performance – a five wicket haul at Lord’s.

Scott Newman at least showed signs of emerging from his poor spell at home this season with 42, an innings that lasted 55 balls and included seven boundaries. He can at least draw some comfort, but another poor shot contributed to his downfall to the same combination that accounted for Shah.

At 80 for 3, Middlesex needed to apply themselves and build partnerships, but only Dawid Malan did that. Sam Robson and John Simpson – the last recognised batsmen contributed four between them. Robson was caught by Dent in the slips for 4 to give Gidman a wicket and Steve Kirby took the first of his three wickets by bowling Simpson for a ten ball duck. 110 for 4 became 117 for 5.

However, Malan finally got some support from Gareth Berg, although the latter contributed 24 of the 40 runs partnership. Berg made his runs quickly, taking just 36 balls to accumulate them with four boundaries. The decision on whether to bat him higher in the order to try to establish him as a genuine all-rounder has not resulted in promotion yet. Berg must have been disappointed as he lost his wicket just before a break for bad light.

It happened again At 157 for 6 Middlesex was in trouble, but the impressive Malan remained at the crease. Again he held the innings together. He still has ambitions for Middlesex as he said after losing to Glamorgan.

“We want to be promoted and it all depends on how our next two weeks go I reckon,” said Malan then. “If we pick up from where we are and have a good two weeks and we actually play to our full potential I think we could potentially finish in the top four. Ideally that’s what we want to do, but it all depends on the next two weeks. We’ve had a few things go against us, which is not an excuse, but hopefully the tide can change and we can go on a bit of a run.”

Shocking: 

It didn’t happen at Northampton and looked unlikely here too. Shaun Udal joined Malan in what was effectively the last chance stand for Middlesex to stave off unwanted history. Their partnership realised just eleven runs. Malan’s concentration was broken and he edged Hussain to wicketkeeper Jon Batty for 60. His 105 balls innings contained eight fours, but Middlesex’s last chance departed with him, regardless of Udal’s first innings heroics.

One run later the light was offered again and play was suspended for the day at 167 for 7. Middlesex needed another 122 runs on the final day. They lasted less than half an hour. Tim Murtagh was first to go, caught by the substitute Anthony Ireland – the fifth victim that Hussain claimed in this innings to add to his three in the first.

It was left to Steve Kirby to polish off the innings.  O’Brien was caught by Snell for 2 and Dan Evans made 0, caught at short-leg by Ireland. Middlesex made a meagre 185 all out. They had lost by 103 runs – their fourth consecutive loss. It is the worst start to a season ever by the county that once ruled the roost..

1 For our coverage of the first innings see Slow Starters at http://www.empower-sport.com/focus/cricket/327-slow-starters.html