Batsmen put Middlesex on top at Lancashire

Half-centuries from Middlesex’s top three put the Championship leaders into a commanding position at Old Trafford.

Sam Robson made 77, Nick Gubbins 69 and Nick Compton 56 as the visitors, having been surprisingly invited to bat, reached 258-3 at stumps.

Title rivals Yorkshire were bowled out for 145 at Somerset, allowing Middlesex’s lead at the top to increase from one to three points.

Under low clouds, Robson and Gubbins negotiated an impressive opening spell from Tom Bailey and Kyle Jarvis, and having played themselves in, boundaries began to flow for both batsmen.

Gubbins drove beautifully through the covers and down the ground and he reached his half-century shortly before lunch, at 93-0.

After a brief delay for bad light after the break, Gubbins was the first man to fall, as mistimed a pull off Kyle Jarvis and lobbed a catch to midwicket, ending an opening stand of 123.

Robson then passed his 50, twice pulling Simon Kerrigan to the midwicket fence, before edging the same bowler to first slip.

Compton and Dawid Malan picked up where Middlesex’s openers left off, sharing 97 either side of tea, including a six for Compton.

Malan began his innings in fine style, cutting in front and behind square and driving through mid-on, but as conditions became trickier and the light murkier, he went into his shell, particularly against the new ball.

Jarvis did for Compton, bowling him through the gate for 56, and Malan was joined by the watchful Stevie Eskinazi to shepherd the leaders to a second batting point and through to the close, which came seven overs early due to bad light.