Middlesex edge ahead after Gubbins century

Nick Gubbins celebrated his maiden first-class century but Sam Robson fell agonisingly short of a noteworthy ton as Middlesex batted throughout the third day at Lord’s.

Left-handed opener Gubbins, who had scored eight half-centuries prior to today but had not gone beyond 95, celebrated with glee when he found the boundary that took him to three figures.

He and Robson added a further 59 to their partnership on Tuesday morning, taking Middlesex to 198-0.

But with Robson needing just one more run to secure his fourth century at Lord’s in consecutive innings – which if not a unique achievement, would certainly have been a remarkable one – he suddenly chopped on to left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

Gubbins was to fall shortly after lunch, to the last delivery with the old ball, caught at slip by Marcus Trescothick off Jim Allenby for 109.

By that stage, Dawid Malan had been and gone in exactly the same manner, for just five, leaving Middlesex on 234-3.

Somerset needed less than eight overs with the new ball before making inroads into the Middlesex middle order, Tim Groeneweld trapping Adam Voges (18) and John Simpson (10) lbw.

James Franklin (29) and Paul Stirling added almost 50 as the home side reached 309-6 at tea.

Stirling and Ollie Rayner ended any Somerset hopes of a lead as they put on 71 for the seventh wicket, which ended when Leach had Rayner lbw for 26 as he tried to sweep.

Stirling continued to impress, hitting 11 fours and a six as he passed his highest first-class score for Middlesex, before also falling lbw to Leach for 81.

Toby Roland-Jones presented former team-mate Chris Rogers with a catch late in the day as Middlesex closed on 407-9, a lead of 31.