In the final over of the day, Toby Roland-Jones has a ton! Magnificent stuff. He’s pulled and hoicked and flicked and driven to all parts and is utterly deserving. Middlesex close with the game safe, 380 ahead and 573 for 8. Long, hard day of toil for Yorkshire.
Somerset have grassed another one. This time the beneficiary was Adams, who on 94 edged to first clip, where Jim Allenby put it down. Again, Jamie Overton was the unlucky bowler.
Adams reached his century a short time afterwards, of 199 balls with 15 fours, square-driving for four. And the bowler? Of course, it had to be Joverton. It’s 225 for one.
It’s got dark and blustery here, and a bit cold. But it doesn’t feel as if rain is anywhere close.
Middlesex (106 & 508 for eight) lead Yorkshire (311) by 315 runs
Yorkshire have had the indignity of taking the second and third new ball in a day, and for the second time in the day, Sidebottom has sent the ball’s first delivery loosely down the legside. He dropped TRJ on 42 at fine leg off Bresnan, and that batsman passed 50 with an uppish drive through cover. Harris has just sent the third delivery of the new ball to the midwicket fence with an outrageous flamingo, back leg flailing, to move to 49. In fairness to Sidebottom, he’s beaten him outside off next two balls. 15 overs left in the day. This is the highest score Yorkshire have conceded this season, and the highest third innings score in Division One this year too.
Middlesex (106 & 480 for eight) lead Yorkshire (299) by 253 runs
Life, it has to be said, is rather frustrating if youre a Yorkie right now. Roland-Jones has just brought up his 50 stand with Harris with an awesome cut behind point of Sidebottom, who strangely is bowling with just eight overs left on the ball. Roland-Jones has swiped some wonderful strokes, notably skipping down the track and sending Middlebrook back over his head. Honestly, Roland-Jones’s technique would stand up in the top six, I’m sure. He looks so handsome and long-levered at the crease and times the ball so sweetly with such an almighty thud that it’s hard to believe he bats ten. The pitch is painfully flat, but Middlesex cant be far off being favourites.
It’s proving hard work for the Somerset bowlers. Not for the first time in these parts, we’re two thirds of he way through the third day of the match and the pitch is standing up very well.
Somerset have so dominated this game that they will disappointed with anything less than victory. But they will have to work hard for it. They have just broken the opening partnership, though. A short time before tea Carberry, still looking for his first century of the season, tried to turn Jack Leach to leg and was lbw. That was 143 for one in the 50th over.
At tea Hampshire are 151 for one after 54, with Adams on 77. So they are still 239 behind. Hampshire will be delighted to get out of this with a draw. But they would still have the more difficult run-in of the two counties.
They still have to play Yorkshire at home and Notts away; Somerset have Sussex away and Warwickshire at home. The next round of matches start on Monday.
TEA: Middlesex (106 & 441 for eight) lead Yorkshire (299) by 248 runs
Adam Lyth has a wicket. I suggested yesterday that his action might be different from the one he used when bowling for England and I stand by that. Anyway, he’s into the attack and first ball has got Simpson LBW sweeping. Not a great shot. TRJ in now and is swinging from the hip. He sent Brooks to the fence, cutting, pulling then pulling again. Lovely stuff and the lead is 248. James Harris at the other end and playing really nicely. We will be back tomorrow.
Middlesex (106 & 380 for seven) lead Yorkshire (299) by 187 runs
Compo has been in for 24 hours. He doesn’t look like getting out and has 149 to his name. Simpson, though, has just been dropped, though. Sidebottom bowled a short, wide, rank one and Simpson had a big yahoo at a cut and got a toe-ended edge on it. Behind the stumps Hodd dived to his left and shelled the thing. Sidebottom looked furious, as if he’d really have earned the wicket. It was a rank ball.
Oh no! Now Compton is out! Middlebrook gets one to turn lots and it hits his pad. Looked like it was doing too much but the finger goes up. Compton walks so, so slowly off to big applause from the Yorkshiremen and those in the Pavilion. Amazing innings that has kept this game alive. Well done that man.
Lunch: Middlesex (106 & 361 for six) lead Yorkshire (299) by 168 runs
Right, a game of cricket really has broken out here. Compton has batted brilliantly to add 59 to his overnight score, while Simpson really has dug in. The latter survived a big LBW appeal from Middlebrook and was lucky not to be caught when the ball looped up off bat and pad. Compton hit the most beautiful checked straight drive back to the Pavilion off Patterson and has generally looked in imperious form. The pair have shared 68 in 25 overs and the lead is growing, not fast, but it’s growing.
Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams have been giving us a reprise of their first innings form with a spirited opening stand for Hampshire. They’re playing their normal game, which might be the best policy in the difficult circumstances.
But Trescothick put down a chance low to his right at second slip. Carberry, driving, was on 37, which he still is at lunch. Somerset are 74 without loss after 20 overs, still 316 behind, and Adams is on 33.
Middlesex (106 & 331 for six) lead Yorkshire (299) by 138 runs
Compton is playing really well here. Is there a player in county cricket who better knows where is off-stump is? Bresnan has been replaced by Middlebrook now, but he was bowling a tight line just outside off, and Compton was leaving him, and when he overpitched, threading him through the covers. John Simpson has proved an obdurate partners, reigning in his natural attacking instincts to accumulate nine off 55.
Somerset have at last pulled out, at 630 for nine. That’s a lead of 390. Trescothick decided to call it a morning when Dawson bowled Jamie Overton, having just bowled his twin brother.
That gave Dawson figures of five for 139 from 34.5 overs, not bad in view of the carnage we’ve seen. The spinner was also the only Hampshire bowler to go for less than four runs an over.
We’ve already had some messy running from the Hampshire openers, reminding us of Jimmy Adams run-out in the first innings.
Welcome to the third morning of the Somerset versus Hampshire match where some reason Marcus Trescothick, the ultra-conservative home captain, has decided to bat on. He remains a fine batsman but he’s much too careful to make a good skipper.
Somerset should have pulled out last night, when their lead over Hampshire was 300. That would have given them half a dozen overs at Hampshire last night. They extended that lead to 329 at the close, but they still decided to bat on today, even though it is due to cloud over later today, with even more uncertain weather tomorrow.
There was a wicket in the first over when Somerset wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, having hit the previous two balls for four, was then lbw to Fidel Edwards for 19.
Lewis Gregory fell in the next over, caught by Sean Ervine running back from slip, having top-edged an attempted pull over midwicket.
In the net over we had two sixes by Craig Overton off Gareth Berg. The second was a huge straight hit, with the ball hitting the top of the Ian Botham Stand. But Overton has just been bowled by Liam Dawson, attempting another slog, and it’s 614 for eight after 135 overs.
Middlesex (106 & 302 for four) lead Yorkshire (299) by 111
Busy start to the day, unsurprisingly. Yorkshire took the new ball as soon as it was available, but Sidebottom’s radar was a little wayward in his first over. It didn’t take Compton long to add the 15 he needed to reach his ton, but the 15th came in rather suspect fashion as he inside edged Brooks to square leg for a single. The celebration was muted and told of a man in it for the long haul.
But Franklin is gone! Sidebottom got one to nip back and it pinned him in front. No question about the line, but it might just have been a bit high. John Simpson to the middle and a few balls later Middlesex’s lead is 100 as Compton edges with soft hands wide of the slips for four. Middlesex might fancy their chances if their long tail can wag and set a target of 220.
Good day to you all, on another fine, fine early autumnal morning at Lord’s. It’s blue above, it’s white around and it’s green in the middle. It’s also beautifully warm and looks another fine day for a bat. When I arrived a short while ago, hoards of people were streaming through the North Gate and I absolutely expect a crowd of three or four thousand, as we’ve had on the previous two days. Many – perhaps as many as half – arrive in expectation of a Yorkshire win, and the sight of Andrew Gale finally lifting the Championship trophy. That, when it happens, will be richly deserved.
There’s no guarantee, however, that today will be the day. Last afternoon they ran into a Nick Compton-shaped wall, and in favourable conditions much like these, that wall shared 131 with another admirable captain, James Franklin, to delay Yorkshire’s celebrations. The hosts – if you can really call Middlesex that at Lord’s – are 81 ahead, and the new ball is an over away. Middlesex – who bat deep – could be cleaned up in an instant, but Yorkshire may yet have a tricky chase. An intriguing day – or two – lies ahead.
Paul Weaver joins me on the blog again, and he’s at wonderful Taunton, the lucky devil. Yesterday he saw Marcus Trescothick roll back the years, Tom Abell give us a glimpse of the future and Tom Cooper finally come good. As a result, Somerset are utterly in control of a crucial game at the bottom.
Everywhere else, there’s less at stake, if we’re honest. Durham should complete victory over Nottinghamshire today, while Derbyshire are in all sorts of bother against Essex. Finally how wonderful it was to see Rob Key move one century closer to his stated ambition of 60 first-class tons. Kent are in a very strong position against Glamorgan as a result.
Enjoy the cricket, there aren’t too many days left.
Morning all,
We’re back with Will Macpheron at Lord’s for Middlesex v Yorkshire and Paul Weaver at Taunton for Somerset v Hampshire. Here are their reports from yesterday:
Middlesex v Yorkshire
When Middlesex’s fifth second-innings wicket fell shortly before tea and still 50 runs in arrears amid a collapse, Yorkshire scented a two-day victory. It would have been some way to cap a magical season and a wonderful way for Andrew Gale finally to lift the Championship trophy. But in Nick Compton and James Franklin Yorkshire met a doughty foe who, in batting a session to share 131, wrestled Middlesex back into this game.
Somerset v Hampshire
Marcus Trescothick resembled some vast, flannelled mother hen here. He scored his 57th century and then beamed with pride as Tom Abell and Tom Cooper made their first hundreds in championship cricket. Careers, even epochs, brushed lightly against each other in the gorgeousSomerset sunshine. Trescothick, soon to be 40, is coming to the end of a glorious career – though he has signed a fresh one-year deal.
Enjoy the cricket
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