Middlesex draw despite Morgan knock

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Middlesex 488-9d & 199-5d drew with Northants 384 & 82-3
(Middlesex 12 pts, Northamptonshire 10 pts)

Middlesex were forced to settle for a draw at Lord’s after a determined Northamptonshire ground their way to safety in the final session of the match.

Eoin Morgan’s brisk 81 from 95 balls had allowed Middlesex to declare shortly after lunch, setting the visitors a nominal 304 to win and giving themselves 56 overs to bowl them out.

Although it was a tough ask, they were given hope when Steven Finn and Tim Murtagh removed Stephen Peters and James Kettleborough before tea, and Toby Roland-Jones struck just after the interval.

But Matt Spriegel and Rob Newton battened down the hatches, scoring just 28 runs in 21 overs, as the teams shook hands on the draw.

That was always the most likely result after Steven Crook’s terrific century on Tuesday had saved Northants from having to follow-on.

Middlesex, resuming on 30-1 overnight with a lead of 134, lost Nick Gubbins early on but Morgan warmed to the task of trying to score quickly and give his side something to bowl at.

He shared in stands of 68 with Dawid Malan, 36 with Neil Dexter, 32 with Joe Denly and 21 with John Simpson, as Middlesex scored at roughly 4.5 per over with the England batsman at the crease.

Morgan hit six fours and two sixes as Middlesex were brought in at 199-5.

They then struck twice in the first 12 overs of Northamptonshire’s second innings, Finn getting Peters caught at mid-wicket and Murtagh bowling Kettleborough.

They were left with 36 overs to bowl the visitors out but, despite Roland-Jones inducing an edge from James Middlebrook, they couldn’t find further breakthroughs.

Spriegel batted for almost two hours for his 29 not out, from 104 deliveries, while Newton made nine from 65 balls in just over an hour.

The draw leaves Middlesex fifth in Division One, 26 points off leaders Nottinghamshire but with a game in hand.

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