Middlesex season ends with Yorkshire loss

Middlesex 128 & 196 lost to Yorkshire 210 & 194 by 80 runs
(Yorkshire 20 pts, Middlesex 3 pts)

Middlesex’s season ended on a low note as they were beaten at Headingley in spite of a half century from skipper Chris Rogers.

The visitors enjoyed a good morning, taking the last five Yorkshire wickets for 66, to set Middlesex a victory target of 277 in a little over two sessions.

Rogers, in his final County innings before he resumes battle with England in this winter’s Ashes series, made 65 but he found little support from his colleagues.

Dawid Malan’s 31 was the next best score as Middlesex slipped from 134-4 to 196 all out.

They could finish anywhere between third and fifth, depending on results in the final round of Championship matches next week.

Needing early wickets to have any chance of victory, Middlesex were initially frustrated as Yorkshire took their overnight lead of 212 up to nearly 250.

But Tim Murtagh struck the first blow and then Tom Helm and Gareth Berg shared the last four wickets between them, including that of Gary Ballance for 90, to bowl Yorkshire out for 194.

The run chase began badly for Middlesex when Sam Robson and Joe Denly fell either side of lunch.

Chris Rogers and Dawid Malan (31) upped the scoring rate but their promising stand of 56 in 10 overs proved a false dawn.

The Australian opener reached his 50 from 64 balls but once he was given out caught behind, so went Middlesex’s realistic hopes of avoiding defeat.

Neil Dexter, John Simpson and Gareth Berg all went cheaply as Middlesex slumped to 149-7 at tea, still needing another 128.

Helm and Ollie Rayner added a useful 36 after the interval but it was merely delaying the inevitable.

Brooks removed Helm and Murtagh in the same over and then had Rayner caught in the next over to wrap up the victory.

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