Ton for Dexter as Middlesex start superbly

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Close, day one: Middlesex 389-6 v Lancashire

Middlesex 4pts, Lancs 2pts

Former captain Neil Dexter made an unbeaten century as Middlesex got their final County Championship game of the season off to a flying start.

Dexter, who has had another superb summer after relinquishing the captaincy in a bid to find his form, hit 123 from 242 deliveries to restore the opening innings from 39-3 from 11.2 overs to 389-6 at close.

Dexter was in fine form.

On the day the man who took over from him, Chris Rogers, signed a new two-year extension to his contract and Joe Denly was awarded his first Middlesex County cap, neither could make an impression with the bat and were early casualties along with Dawid Malan.

But Dexter made a 63-run partnership with Sam Robson (49), a combined 62 with John Simpson and then a sixth-wicket partnership record of 148 with Gareth Berg (83) before adding another 77 with Steven Crook (45no) before close.

The Lord’s crowd had to wait until lunch to see the end-of-season presentations that also saw Toby Roland-Jones earn his first County cap but Middlesex were four down for 108 by this point.

Dexter had only just started his superb stand with 21 on the board by the first break and Robson recently departed, but he was close to his half-century by the time Simpson became the fifth wicket with 164 on the board.

The seamer quickly secured the first batting point and reached his half-ton before tea, and with Berg he saw the innings over 300 and another extra point.

The 350 mark and a fourth batting point was secured after Dexter reached his century.

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