Middlesex struggle but remain confident at Edgbaston

MIDDLESEX’S ambitions of lifting the County Championship title for the first time since 1993 were jolted by Warwickshire leg-spinner Josh Poysden on the opening day at Edgbaston.

Poysden, playing only his ninth first-class match, took a careerbest 5-53 as Middlesex were bowled out for 242.

Against a Warwickshire attack fired up to earn the win they need to secure their Division One status, that was plenty fewer than the league-leaders envisaged when they chose to bat.

But having seen 25-year-old Poysden extract turn from the pitch on the first day, Middlesex will be optimistic about what their two spinners might do as the match lengthens and Warwickshire, who closed on one without loss from two overs, have to bat last.

Bottom-placed Nottinghamshire’s bid to avoid relegation from Division One was boosted when Harry Gurney’s career-best first-class figures of 6-61 triggered a collapse by hosts Durham.

The hosts slipped from 115-1 to 244 all out and, despite reducing Notts to 16-2, half-centuries from Jake Libby and Michael Lumb helped Chris Read’s side close 115 runs behind on 129 -2.

Tom Abell compiled a third century for Somerset but Tom Bailey’s three-wicket over dragged Lancashire back into the clash at Old Trafford.

Abell struck 135 and shared an opening partnership of 134 with Marcus Trescothick, who contributed 60, before Bailey removed Jim Allenby, the centurymaker and Lewis Gregory in the space of five balls to limit Somerset, for whom Peter Trego is unbeaten on 49, to 339-7.

Division Two leaders Essex took a step closer to promotion after David Masters claimed 7-52 at Chelmsford.

Worcestershire recovered from 48-5 following Masters’s early burst to post 230 courtesy of half-centuries from George Rhodes and Ben Cox.

But, despite losing Nick Browne in the second over, Essex remained in the driving seat with England Test captain Alastair Cook (43) and half-centurion Tom Westley taking the score to 11-1.

Derbyshire collapsed to 242 all out after Ben Slater compiled his first Championship century in almost two years against Gloucestershire at Derby. The hosts, having lost their last seven wickets for just 67 runs, then reduced Gloucestershire to 27-1.

Fifteen wickets fell at Hove as Kent, boosted by Sam Billings’s 64, closed on 211-5 in reply to Sussex’s 180 all out.

Kiran Carlson claimed his maiden first-class five-wicket haul as Northamptonshire collapsed from 140-0 to 269 all out against Glamorgan, who reached 23-0 at Wantage Road.