Middlesex beat Nottinghamshire in thriller for first win of County Championship season; set 240 for victory in 40 overs, Seaxes complete chase with just six balls to spare; Pieter Malan and Max Holden hit half-centuries for Middlesex with Stuart Broad's wickets in vain for Notts
Sunday 23 April 2023 21:34, UK
Middlesex secured their first win of the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One season as Pieter Malan and Max Holden half-centuries helped the hosts to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire at Lord's with an over to spare.
After wet weather wiped out most of the first two sessions, Nottinghamshire declared on their overnight total of 158-6, leaving Middlesex a target of 249 in 40 overs.
Although Stuart Broad took three wickets, Middlesex ended up holding their nerve in a tense finale to scramble home with six balls in reserve, Malan having hit 61 and Holden 53.
Malan and Holden's third-wicket stand was worth 94 from 77 deliveries when Steven Mullaney tempted Malan to hole out to deep square leg with 73 still needed.
Holden fell three overs later, caught down the leg-side off Broad, with it eventually left to Ryan Higgins (22no) and Sam Robson (12no) to see Middlesex over the line.
Kasey Aldridge, 22, hit his maiden first-class half-century to bat Somerset out of trouble as their match with Lancashire at Taunton ended in a draw.
The home side looked in danger of defeat when slumping from an overnight 41-0 to 169-6 in their second innings, at which point their lead was only 56, but Aldridge, making his first appearance of the season, displayed a calm temperament to score 58 not out in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 87 with Lewis Gregory (34no).
The match between Kent and Essex at Canterbury ended in a draw after the weather wiped out the final day, while in Division Two all three games ended in stalemates amid wet conditions.
Gloucestershire were denied probable victory after ripping out the Worcestershire top order on the final day at New Road.
The visitors resumed on 172-3 in their second innings and added 54 runs in 10 overs before captain Graeme van Buuren pulled out. Worcestershire were set a target of 301 in 84 overs and had got to 51-4 when it began raining at lunch and play was abandoned.
Glamorgan secured a draw despite being forced to follow on by Durham in Cardiff, with a Kiran Carlson hundred the highlight for the home side.
A century stand between Carlson (119) and Timm van der Gugten (54no) brought Glamorgan close to the follow-on target, but wickets shared among the Durham seamers were enough to bowl the hosts out for 305.
In the Glamorgan second innings the Durham bowlers were well on top again as the home side reached 104-6 before a heavy rain shower brought play to a close with 22 overs left to be bowled.
A thrilling contest between Sussex and Yorkshire at Hove ended in anti-climax, without a ball being bowled on the fourth day.
For Yorkshire, needing 63 to win with seven wickets in hand, it was another frustrating experience in a season which has seen them lose a tight game to Leicestershire and then have their match against Gloucestershire washed out without a ball being bowled
