Middlesex draw despite Murtagh wickets

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Warwickshire 362-8 dec & 182-2 drew with Middlesex 372-9 dec
(Middlesex 11 pts, Warwickshire 11 pts)

Middlesex’s clash with Warwickshire petered out into an inevitable draw at Lord’s after a Sam Hain century prevented the visitors from wobbling.

Middlesex declared their first innings 45 minutes before lunch after securing a fourth batting point and a lead of 10 runs.

Then, before Warwickshire could wipe out that deficit, Tim Murtagh removed Ian Westwood and Jonathan Trott in the same over, sparking hopes of an unlikely result.

But opener Will Porterfield (62 not out) and Hain (106 not out) batted serenely through the day and, after a declaration, the sides shook hands.

The result moves Middlesex 12 points clear of the bottom two and level on points with seventh-placed Durham, who visit Lord’s next week.

Resuming on 310-6 overnight, the aim of the morning for Middlesex was to score at least 40 runs in the first 14 overs of the day to ensure an extra bonus point, which could come in handy at the end of the season.

They lost James Harris early on but Toby Roland-Jones hit an unbeaten 27 from 26 balls to help his side reach their target.

At that point, Paul Stirling fell for 48 and Middlesex declared just after Murtagh fell for 14.

The Ireland paceman then did his bit with the ball, having Westwood caught at slip for two and, three balls later, Trott at mid-on without scoring – Warwickshire at 9-2 and Middlesex still ahead by one run.

Porterfield and Hain saw their side through to lunch at 23-2 but the clatter of wickets the home side would have needed in the afternoon session never materialised.

Instead, the Warwickshire pair put on 102 more runs, with 11 fours and Porterfield lifting a six off Neil Dexter.

They were also unmovable after tea, with Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers bringing himself on for an over – the first time he had bowled since July 2010, when playing for Derbyshire.

The skipper couldn’t add to his one first-class wicket – that of a 20-year-old Stuart Broad in 2006 – as the sides settled on the stalemate.

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