TCP VERDICT

A contest that was absorbing for three days, where the advantage swung between the two sides, ultimately petered out into a tame draw.

Middlesex fought back well to claim the last six Surrey wickets for 49 after the first of Kumar Sangakkara’s twin hundreds put the visitors in a strong position.

Middlesex skipper James Franklin and Dawid Malan then both posted centuries of their own before Surrey ran through the tail. Middlesex were 98 in front by this point. A lead of 150 might have been decisive.

Two quick wickets had Surrey in trouble at 16-2, but Sangakkara again demonstrated all his quality to bat for the remainder of day three and edge Surrey towards safety. Ultimately the target of 242 in 39 overs proved too many in too few overs for Middlesex to attempt.

There were questions for captains of both sides about whether more could have been done to force a win on day four, but Franklin thought the draw was probably a fair result.

One of the secrets of Middlesex’s success last season was finding a way to win at Lord’s. After facing another largely unhelpful surface in this match, it’s a skill they are going to need to rediscover soon.

Like their next opponents Somerset, Middlesex have a game in hand over the rest of Division 1. It’s a match they need to win.