Middlesex 111 for 2 (Stoneman 60*, Broad 1-22) trail Nottinghamshire 364 (Duckett 177, Hameed 55, Bamber 4-89) by 253 runs
Play only began at 2:15pm as the rain threatened to wash away any momentum in this fixture. Yet somehow, not only did 60.4 overs get sent down, mostly in bright sunshine, but the game has moved along at pace. And perhaps most notable of all, Middlesex walked off for the first time this season with a degree of satisfaction.
They are still 253 behind Nottinghamshire’s first-innings score, the loss of Pieter Malan at the start of what was to be Friday’s last over something of a kicker. But this was comfortably the newly promoted side’s best day of the season so far.
If that sounds a bit hollow, it’s because it is, even if it’s true. Middlesex came into this match propping up Division One after losing lost both their opening matches. However, the manner in which they took Nottinghamshire’s five remaining wickets, for just 112, then followed up with their highest first- and second-wicket stands of the season – 50 and 61 – felt like a necessary response to those travails. Factor in season-high scores for all of the top three, and it is clear this was an important step towards feeling like they belong at this level.
The county is by no means in disarray, with squad harmony reinforced by a few life-long bonds and the manner of last year’s promotion from Division Two. But sniff hard enough and you could convince yourself there was a whiff of a group of players feeling the pressure of being back in the top flight for the first time in six years.
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Though Duckett moved seamlessly to an 11th score of 150 or more, his frustration at yesterday’s early finish played out. That same attack with a night’s sleep restricted him to just 58 more from his overnight score of 119, from 81 deliveries before he attempted to deposit Ryan Higgins into the top of the Grandstand. A top edge was brilliantly taken by Martin Andersson, running and diving forward at fine leg. Considering Duckett has seven scores higher than this 177, four of them double-centuries, he and Notts could argue Middlesex got away with one there. Higgins finished the innings with his very next delivery, bowling Dane Patterson.
The key interjection took over an hour to come and required the second new ball. Notts skipper Steven Mullaney was getting into his work, building on the 14 runs he made yesterday with a bit more vigour. He had done what Duckett failed to do in hitting the upper reaches of the stand away to the short side, when leg spinner Luke Hollman dropped one in short. On 46, Mullaney was undone by his opposite number Toby Roland-Jones, who nipped one into the right-hander – off the seam and down the slope – to trap him lbw.
That brought Stuart Broad to the crease, greeted by cheers – as much recognition of his 161 Test caps and 576 wickets as the entertaining nonsense he brings with the bat in this kind of situation. However, at 344 for 8, his role as Bonus Points Hawk required him to keep the nonsense to a minimum while Duckett hunted for extra runs.
Thankfully, he didn’t – appealing for and getting a no-ball call on height after Bamber bumped him first ball, a mow over backward point that brought him a couple and the odd swish and miss. At the other end, Duckett entered into ramp mode. That Broad wasn’t able to play the lead role because of the loss of the final two wickets in successive deliveries was a shame.
Nevertheless, the day ended with a textbook celebrappeal, with Broad trapping Malan in front with the final ball of the day to dampen the hosts’ mood ever so slightly. By then, Malan had at least made it to double figures after opening scores of 0, 4, 2 and 0.
He had arrived following Sam Robson’s 17, before he was lbw to Lyndon James. There was a momentary fear Robson may bag his second duck in three weeks, before he calmly opened the face to guide his 22nd ball beyond point for a couple.
Stoneman looked a class apart, particularly against Broad. One of his 10 boundaries so far even elicited a “shot!” from the 36-year-old seamer, who had seemingly closed off the midwicket region with two fielders cutting off that angle. The left-hander managed to split both, all along the floor, with a nicely timed clip.
The eighth boundary – a pull in front of square from his 70th delivery – brought Stoneman a first half-century of the season. Given the way he has negotiated a wily seam attack of Broad, Hutton, Paterson and James so far, and moreover timed every attacking shot well, it’s not hard to envisage a 30th first-class hundred – and sixth for Middlesex – sometime on Saturday.
The weather is not expected to play as big a part on day three, and with only 130 overs into this surface so far, this may be the best it is for batting. Whatever torment the last couple of weeks have seen, tomorrow could kickstart the survival tilt.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
Source: ESPN Crickinfo