Bowlers keep Middlesex in contention

Close, day three: Yorkshire 210 & 130-5 lead Middlesex 128 by 212 runs

Middlesex’s bowlers hit back on another day disrupted by bad weather to keep alive their slim hopes of victory at Headingley.

No play was possible until 2.40pm, by which time Durham were celebrating winning the County Championship, leaving their two former title rivals fighting it out for second place.

When the action finally got underway, Corey Collymore and Tim Murtagh took two wickets apiece to leave Yorkshire on 50-4, a lead of 132.

Skipper Andrew Gale and Gary Ballance put on 79 to wrest back the initiative but 19-year-old Tom Helm broke the partnership just before bad light ended the day prematurely.

If they are to somehow pull off victory on Friday, Middlesex will need a repeat of their blistering start to Thursday’s play when Collymore and Murtagh both picked up a wicket inside the first two overs.

They remained on top as Phil Jacques top edged Murtagh to Dawid Malan and Collymore castled Jonny Bairstow, leaving Yorkshire wobbling at 50-4.

An early tea was taken during a half hour rain delay and when play resumed, Ballance took the attack to Middlesex, reaching his half century off 48 balls.

Helm made the breakthrough, trapping Gale lbw for 40, shortly before the umpires called the players off for bad light.

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