Middlesex need 400 runs for victory

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Close, day three: Lancashire 392 & 266-8 dec, Middlesex 230 & 29-0

Lancashire 6pts, Middlesex 2pts

Middlesex must bat throughout the final day to deny Lancashire their first Championship victory of the season.

The visitors resumed on 155-5 but were bowled out for 230 before the home side scored heavily and declared on 266-8 – setting Middlesex a winning target of 429.

Paul Horton top-scored for the hosts with 89, while Karl Brown added 76 and Steven Croft scored 28 off 19 balls.

Dawid Malan claimed 5-61 before Middlesex progressed to 29-0 courtesy of Sam Robson (12 not out) and Chris Rogers (16 not out), leaving them needing another 400 runs for victory.

Earlier in the day, Ajmal Shahzad took 4-40 and Malan became the first Middlesex bowler this season to take a five-wicket haul, seeing off Horton, Brown, Ashwell Prince, Croft and Shahzad.

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