Fit-again Woakes boosts England with flying start

At Lord’s Warwickshire (126 & 12-0) trail Middlesex (161) by 23 runs with 10 wickets remaining

Chris Woakes claimed two wickets on his return from injury on a remarkable start to Warwickshire’s match with Middlesex at Lord’s.

The England bowler is targeting next week’s first Test against West Indies at Edgbaston for his international return, having recovered from the nine-centimetre tear in his left side that wiped out two months of his summer.

His performance yesterday will encourage the England selectors as he finished on two for 57 as his side bowled Middlesex out for 161 at Lord’s, in reply to Warwickshire’s measly first innings of 126 all out. Woakes claimed the wickets of the hosts’ openers, having Sam Robson caught for three from Woakes’s fifth delivery of the innings. He then had Nick Gubbins trapped lbw for 14.

Another England quick bowler, Steve Finn, stood out during Warwickshire’s innings, claiming four for 53, including Woakes’s wicket for 12. Tim Murtagh (three for 20) and Tom Helm (two for 42) were almost as impressive.

Warwickshire, winless so far this season and cast adrift at the bottom of the Division One table, fought back and wickets fell either side of tea, leaving Middlesex in deep trouble on 59 for six before James Franklin and Ryan Higgins added 93 in 19 overs to tilt the balance of an absorbing day back towards the champions.

Franklin played a captain’s innings of 55 from 76 balls, with a six and seven fours, and Higgins a gutsy 38 after being hit on the head, to rally Middlesex to 161 all out.

Franklin was last out, caught at slip trying to run a ball from offspinner Jeetan Patel to third man.

Higgins had an eventful day. A late inclusion after Adam Voges was injured in the warm-up, he chipped in with the wicket of Matt Lamb, had to retire hurt after being hit on the helmet trying to hook the first ball he faced and then returned to bat with courage and character in support of Franklin.

Middlesex’s initial collapse featured a memorable championship debut for Warwickshire’s Ryan Sidebottom, a 27-year-old Australian seamer with a British passport.

He finished with four for 29 after castling Middlesex tail-enders Helm (two) and Murtagh (four). In his first spell, Sidebottom had John Simpson lbw for two and bowled Nathan Sowter for a duck.