Read All About It

Lower Mound gives a detailed account of tough day for the Middle. 

The third day’s play started on a perfect day for cricket, with lots of sunshine and the temperature set for the mid-70’s during the day.

Nottinghamshire commenced on 101-2, with Alex Hales on 14 and nightwatchman Will Gidman on 5, and were ahead by 218, so early wickets were needed by the Middle! Unfortunately, there was no early breakthrough, and their partnership made it to 51 before they were parted as Gidman was caught by Sam Robson on 18, three balls after Adam Voges brought himself into the attack. The wickets seemed to be coming like London buses, as 3 overs later and with only 4 more runs added to the total, Hales returned to the Pavilion as he was caught by John Simpson on 37 after a delivery from Tim Murtagh shot up and surprised him. There was nearly a third wicket in a short period of time, as Samit Patel edged Dial M towards the slips when on 8, but was dropped by Robbo. Although it would have been nicer to have taken more than two wickets before lunch - which Notts reached on 187-4 - at least the bowling was fairly economical, with 86 runs coming in the session. However, the lead was now 304.

The 200 came up in the 60th over, with Patel and James Taylor upping the tempo as they sought to reach a position when Notts could declare later in the afternoon. James Harris was coming in for heavy stick, as his 14 overs had gone for 82 runs! The fifth wicket finally fell, as Patel was caught by Harris off Voges for 33 to bring in the destructive Riki Wessels. Taylor’s 50 was reached off 69 balls with 8 fours, but could only add one further four before he fell lbw to Paul Stirling on 61 to start Chris Read’s innings. The 300 was brought up in the 80th over, although Wessels became the seventh wicket when falling lbw to Dial M on 38. The score at tea was 329-7, and the lead was 446.

Read’s 50 came up off just 57 balls having hit 8 fours, and it was evident that the aim was for Notts to reach around 500 and the declare. The 50 partnership between Read and Vernon Philander was brought up off 43 balls, with Read contributing 42. It was vintage Read, as he was smashing the bowling to all parts of Lord’s. Read lost Philander when the latter was caught by Robbo off Harris on 14, although Read nonetheless went to a century off just 76 balls, and finished on 101 not out off 77 balls with 14 fours and 2 sixes. The last 50 runs of his century took just 19 balls. The pick of our bowlers was Dial M with 3-69 off 24 overs.

This left Middlesex with a target of 519, or 119 overs to bat for a draw. Robbo opened the batting with Nick Gubbins, but our innings got off to a disastrous start, as Robbo fell lbw to Jake Ball in the second over to make the score 0-1 and bring in Nick Compton. The first run came with a wide two balls later. In the next couple of overs, Gubbins hit a four towards the Tavern stand and Compo hit a four towards third man to make it 11-1. With the score on 26-1, Philander is replaced in the attack at the Pavilion End by Harry Gurney, but his first over went for 5. Compo was nearly dismissed for 26, but was dropped by Patel off Gidman. The 50 partnership arrived in the 21st over. The day closed with Middlesex on 57-1, needing 462 more for a miraculous win, or to bat 96 overs tomorrow. Gubbins in is on 13 and Compo is on 37. Tomorrow, the order of the day will simply be to not get out, although the task is made tougher by the news that Dawid Malan’s arm will be in a cast for the next couple of days, so surely he won’t bat. Notts may be forced to bowl Patel a lot, as their over rate is currently -2.