Foxes attack set up intriguing final day

DAY THREE | Middlesex CCC 324 & 167 for seven v Leicestershire CCC 228

SCORECARD | Available HERE

REPORT | The Running Foxes got off to a methodical start in the middle, with Colin Ackermann and Ben Mike conscious of not making any early slip ups on day three.

Ackermann recorded the first boundary of the day, as he guided Ethan Bamber away at the end of the day's third over.

Mike followed up soon after with his first four of the innings after beautifully driving Daryl Mitchell away through cover. Three balls later though, and the bowler had his revenge.

He found Mike’s edge which was caught behind by Robbie White for 10.

Middlesex had an ideal start in breaking the sixth wicket partnership early on day three as Callum Parkinson emerged to join Ackermann (75*) with County on 195 for six.

Middlesex and Mitchell struck again in quick succession, as Parkinson’s stand lasted just eight minutes before he met the same fate as Mike.

The bowler found his edge and White caught the nick behind for 1.

Last week’s record-breaking half-centurion, Ed Barnes, emerged to join Ackermann (76*) at the crease with County on 197 for seven.

The fast start from the hosts did not slow down, as Barnes (4) was soon back in the pavilion alongside his teammates.

The Foxes man fell to the bowling of Harris, after nicking one through to White who took his third catch of the morning.

Abi Sakande made his way out for the first time as a Running Fox to join Ackermann (76*) in the middle with Leicestershire down to their ninth wicket partnership on 206 for eight.

Wickets kept flowing for the hosts in the morning session and soon the big wicket of Ackermann was up for 82.

Bamber claimed the scalp, to go with the big wicket of Josh Inglis yesterday, with a superb delivery that seamed away from the skipper and clipped the top of off stump.

The Foxes were now down to their last wicket sitting on 216, with Middlesex six overs away from the new ball.

Middlesex did not require the new ball though as the first innings promptly came to a close, after Davis (11) edged Bamber’s delivery through to Joe Cracknell at first slip who took the catch low to his right.

County’s innings ended on 228, sitting 96 runs behind Middlesex at the halfway point of the game.

Will Davis opened the bowling in the second innings for the Running Foxes with 15 minutes remaining in the morning session.

It took just two Davis overs before the Running Foxes made the breakthrough, as the Foxes man found the edge of Robson who was caught at second slip by Colin Ackermann for just four.

With the first Middlesex wicket, Davis brought an early lunch with the hosts on six for one.

Five balls into the afternoon session and the Running Foxes had their second of the innings, with Sakande claiming his third of the match.

He fired a delivery into de Caires (2) who defended it off his chin but could only guide it to Ackermann at second slip who took his second catch of the innings.

Seven balls into the afternoon session and the hosts were three down, as Davis claimed his second of the innings.

The Foxes man found the edge of new man, Max Holden (0), who feathered it through to Josh Inglis who took the easy grab.

Leicestershire had started the afternoon session in superb fashion with Middlesex under pressure on just six for three, with Joe Cracknell and Daryl Mitchell in the middle.

It was not long until the fourth Middlesex wicket fell, as Davis and Ackermann teamed up again to remove Cracknell for seven.

The batsman guided one to Ackermann at second slip with a thick outside edge as the skipper claimed his third catch of the day.

Middlesex were 17 for four and were looking to the fifth wicket partnership of Mitchell and White to inject a sense of stability into their innings.

And stability is what the fifth wicket added for the hosts, as after finding themselves together as early as 38 minutes into their innings, the duo dug in and defended the incoming Foxes barrage.

The fifty came up for the hosts after 18 overs as White sent Mike for his second boundary of the over.

The stand soon came to an end though, as Mike claimed his first of the innings. Mitchell (23) was the man to go, trapped infront.

Middlesex were 55 for five as Stephen Eskinazi came out to bat, later than ordinarily expected after the injury sustained on day one, accompanied by Max Holden as his runner.

There was enough time left in the afternoon session for County to claim one more Middlesex wicket before play broke for tea.

The wicket to fall was White who paddle swept Parkinson towards square leg straight into the hands of Ed Barnes, who took the simple catch the dismiss the batsman for 34.

Tea came with Middlesex on 82 for six.

It took the hosts ten final session overs to bring up their 100, as Eskinazi cut Parkinson away off his back foot for his third four of the day.

The duo slowly built on their partnership, scoring runs at a slow rate but adding further stability to the batting line up following the fifth and sixth wicket stands.

As the clock struck 6:00pm, the partnership’s fifty was brought up after 171 balls and 106 minutes.

The partnership began to increase the rate slightly as we entered the final the overs of the day, however, a bowling change from Ackermann immediately brought their advances to a halt.

Barnes it was to break the partnership as he delivered a wicked yorker that struck Harris on the front pad to dismiss that batsman for 26, and bring an end to the 77-run stand.

Nathan Sowter emerged to join Eksinazi (46*) with Middlesex on 159 for seven, with the duo seeing the hosts through to stumps with Middlesex on 176 for seven.

The Running Foxes will be back tomorrow morning, eager to claim the three remaining Middlesex wickets as cheaply as possibly to give themselves the best of chance of coming away from Merchant Taylors' School with a win. 

FIGURES (1st inns) | Murtagh 20-5-49-3, Bamber 26-7-54-3, Harris 20-1-50-2, Mitchell 15-3-43-2, Sowter 5-0-27-0

FIGURES (2nd inns) | Davis 14-6-21-3, Sakande 16-6-38-1, Barnes 14-2-43-1, Mike 11-3-36-1, Parkinson 18-9-29-1

TEAM | Sam Evans, Lewis Hill, Marcus Harris, Colin Ackermann (C), Josh Inglis (wk), Harry Swindells, Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, Ed Barnes, Will Davis, Abi Sakande

MIDDLESEX CCC | Sam Robson, Josh de Caires, Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden, Daryl Mitchell, Joe Cracknell, Robbie White (wk), Nathan Sowter, James Harris, Ethan Bamber, Tim Murtagh (C)

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.