Gubbins ton keeps Middlesex on track in title clash

Nick Gubbins’ superb unbeaten century defied Yorkshire’s five-man seam attack on the opening day of the potential County Championship title decider at Lord’s.

Opener Gubbins, called into the England Lions squad this week, reached his fourth Championship ton of the season by pulling Ryan Sidebottom for six.

He shared in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 54 with James Franklin (21 not out) before bad light lopped 14 overs from the first day’s play.

Yorkshire – aiming to win a third successive Championship title – began the game nine points behind leaders Middlesex, with both counties also wary of third-placed Somerset, in action against Nottinghamshire at Taunton.

Middlesex slid to 57-3 early on, with Jack Brooks trapping both Sam Robson (0) and Nick Gubbins (8) and David Willey bowling Dawid Malan off an inside edge.

But Gubbins led the fightback and there was a big moment just before tea when Franklin, on one, was badly missed by Gary Ballance at third slip off an unlucky Tim Bresnan.

After the interval, Gubbins, on 96, looked to have tickled a legside catch to the keeper off Sidebottom, but umpire Rob Bailey turned down Yorkshire appeals.

The visitors only had themselves to blame, though, for letting the left-hander get that far as he had been dropped on 22 by Azeem Rafiq at point.

Stevie Eskinazi (12) and John Simpson (15) hung on with Gubbins in partnerships of 40 and 57 as they began to turn Middlesex’s innings around.

After his early scare, Franklin batted sensibly and he and Gubbins ensured this potential decider was still in the balance when the light faded.