Collapse puts Middlesex on the ropes

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Close, day two: Yorkshire 178 & 213-4 lead Middlesex 123 by 268 runs

Yorkshire took full control on day two at Lord’s as Middlesex suffered another ignominious middle-order collapse.

The home side lost seven wickets for just 53 runs before lunch, with Eoin Morgan (33) top scoring.

Yorkshire openers Adam Lyth (54) and Alex Lees (33) took the lead to 137 before Ollie Rayner broke the partnership.

Joe Root, out for a duck in the first innings, made 63 second time around, but he was one of two to fall late in the day as Steve Finn ended with three wickets.

Middlesex have it all to do on Tuesday however with Yorkshire ahead by 268 runs with six first innings wickets still in hand.

The dramatic shift in momentum began as early as the fourth over of the day when Neil Dexter was caught behind off Ryan Sidebottom.

The former England seamer also accounted for Joe Denly (7) and Morgan, who was dismissed by a fine catch by Lyth at second slip.

With the overhead conditions aiding them, Yorkshire’s attack continued to rip apart Middlesex’s flimsy batting.

Liam Plunkett yorked John Simpson and Rayner survived a drop before he was bowled for 15 by Jack Brooks.

Plunkett then did for Tim Murtagh to leave Middlesex on 110-9 and when Finn drove straight to Plunkett, the home side had been skittled for just 123.

Unhelpfully for Middlesex, during the 40-minute lunch break the clouds dispersed and batting became much easier in the afternoon.

Yorkshire took full advantage of their unexpected first innings lead, with Lyth and Lees putting on a further 82.

Lees was bowled playing no shot to Rayner and the spinner was in the action again as he claimed a high catch off a rising Finn delivery to remove Lyth.

At that stage, Yorkshire were 96-2, a lead of 148, but Kane Williamson and Root took the game away from Middlesex once more with a brilliant stand of 98.

Root was the senior partner, the England man dispatching Finn for six, but the fast bowler hit back when Williamson cut him to Sam Robson at gully.

In the next over, Finn trapped Root lbw to leave Yorkshire on 199-4, and they added a further 14 before stumps to underline their superiority.

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