County Championship Division One: Middlesex earn innings win over Yorkshire
Wednesday 6 July 2016 19:53, UK
Middlesex recorded an innings victory over Yorkshire after the defending champions collapsed to 167 all out on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship Division One clash at Scarborough.
The day started with Middlesex on 470-8, a lead of 64 runs, but a ninth-wicket partnership of 123 between Toby Roland-Jones (79no) and Tim Murtagh (47) took them up to 577.
That put them 171 runs ahead and left Yorkshire needing to bat out the day to secure a draw. However, after reaching 47-0, Yorkshire slumped to 89-5 as Roland-Jones (3-34) and Ollie Rayner (2-23) took two wickets apiece, Steven Finn (2-54) claiming the other.
Tim Bresnan (36) and Will Rhodes (20) put on 47 for the sixth wicket but the latter's dismissal sparked another collapse to see Yorkshire fall to an innings and four runs defeat.
Lancashire successfully batted out the final day against Nottinghamshire to earn a draw at Trent Bridge.
Having allowed the hosts a 198-run lead after the first innings, Lancashire had battled to 128-0 at the start of day four and progressed to 151 before they lost their first wicket - Tom Smith caught off the bowling of Harry Gurney for 71.
Haseeb Hameed and Luke Procter took the total past 200 but when the latter was trapped lbw by Stuart Broad (2-45), Lancashire stuttered and a flurry of wickets saw them slip to 233-5 - crucially losing Hameed for 122.
Steven Croft remained though and the skipper finished unbeaten on 34 as Ashley Giles' side dug in and frustrated Notts, reaching 304-7 before they shook hands on a draw.
Elsewhere, Durham and Hampshire were forced to settle for a draw after rain ended any hopes of a result on the final day at Chester-le-Street.
Hampshire began the day on nine without loss in their second innings but lost captain Will Smith early on. At that point they opted for a safety first approach rather than risk a more adventurous style in search of a win.
Jimmy Adams fell for 49 after Tom Alsop had been bowled by Scott Borthwick for 34 and Michael Carberry (59) was the final wicket to fall shortly before rain ended proceedings with Hampshire 174-4.
The result leaves Hampshire rooted to the bottom of the table.
