LORD'S

(day three of four: Middlesex won toss)

Worcestershire, 361 & 105-0, beat Middlesex, 300 & 164, by ten wickets.

Lunch

The morning session could scarcely have gone any better for Worcestershire after they claimed four Middlesex wickets inside 18 overs to reduce them to 28-4 at lunch, having batted on a further 25 minutes to extend their lead to 61, the Midlands side look odds on to gain a victory that would take them to the top of the second division table.

Kabir Ali produced an outstanding opening spell of 8-2-10-2, dismissing both openers as well as running out Eoin Morgan with a deflection off his own bowling.

He started by having Ed Joyce caught behind in his second over, and in his next over, conjured up a beauty that left Nick Compton late and found his edge, giving Steven Davies a second catch. Morgan was backing up at the non-striker’s end when he was stranded out of his crease after Owais Shah’s drive was finger tipped into the stumps by Ali.

Just before lunch, Gareth Andrew, in his first over after replacing Matt Mason at the nursery end, struck a vital blow when he found some extra bounce to have Shah caught at second slip.

Tea

Another disastrous session for Middlesex ended when they were bowled out at 4.30 for 164, their lowest score of the season, leaving Worcestershire to make only 104 to register a three-day victory and go top of the Second Division. Gareth Batty claimed five of the six wickets to fall in the afternoon session, doing so within 34 balls for a cost of just two runs.

The former England off-spinner began by breaking a stubborn fifth wicket stand of 113 in 25 overs between Ben Scott and Dawid Malan, who both reached 50s in 74 and 75 balls respectively. Scott went first, edging an arm ball to slip before Shaun Udal skied to mid wicket. Malan then gave a return catch off a leading edge before Murali Kartik was caught at backward point and Danny Evans at the wicket. Steve Finn was last out, bowled neck and crop by Gareth Andrew. Batty’s return of five for 33 was his first five-wicket haul in the championship this season.

Close

Worcestershire charged to a ten-wicket victory in the final session, taking only 17 overs to score the 104 runs they needed. Stephen Moore and Daryll Mitchell hit 11 fours apiece, with the former galloping to his fifty from as many balls. This was the first time that Worcestershire had won a Championship match at Lord's since 1985. Their three-day triumph lifts them to the top of the Second Division table.

Middlesex, beaten by the top two sides inside a week, must re-appraise their promotion aspirations after being dismissed for less than 200 three times in seven days.