Late Cummins and Goings

Beefy starts the report with the game seemingly going nowhere. Rogers and Out turns up after lunch takes over reporting duties and from going the same way suddenly somewhere we hear of game on.   No MTWD health warnings here.  Read on 

Morning session Beefy

A day of toil. This wicket is looking flatter than a week old squirrel on the M4. I’m of to the bookies to put a pound on a draw.

Rogers and Out takes over   

I arrived during lunch with Lancashire on 95/2. I joined the Middlesex contingent who advised that the pitch had flattened out, with batting a much easier prospect than earlier in the game.

This certainly proved to be the case as Josh Bohannon and Keaton Jennings looked in little trouble and raised a fifty partnership. It was a surprise, however, when Toby trapped Bohannon leg before for 28 soon after this landmark.

 Jennings continued looking comfortable, as did the incoming Liam Livingstone. Miguel Cummings was doing well for us in the field, making several athletic stops.

 With the dearth of wickets, talk fluctuated between the pubs and clubs of West Drayton, the prowess of the Blue Brazil and the lives and times of Iver's finest boxers, Chris and Kevin Finnegan.

 Livingstone and Jennings clocked up a century partnership and Lancashire took tea in a strong position on 235/3, leading by 157 runs.

 After tea, the match suddenly moved more in our favour. Just as Jennings looked certain to make a century, Nathan Sowter induced him to play on for 97.

 Even better was to follow when the new ball was taken. Ethan Bamber, who had bowled well without reward, found the edge of Livingstone's bat and Simmo took a regulation catch behind. Lanky were now 265/5, with Livingstone's contribution 68 runs.

Captain Dane Vilas passed his first innings score of zero but not by much as Bamber pinned him leg before for two.

Cummins then took over with two quick wickets to dispatch Jones and Bailey, caught by Sowter in the gully and Malan in the slips respectively. Both decent catches, Nathan's especially.

Bad light eventually stopped play with Lancashire on 289/8, leading by 211.

It could be a most interesting day's play tomorrow, with all results possible.