Roland-Jones puts squeeze on Lancashire
Middlesex 327: Robson 77, Gubbins 69; Kerrigan 4-80
Lancashire 102-5: Jones 42*; Roland-Jones 4-24, Murtagh 1-24
Close, day two: Lancashire trail Middlesex by 225 runs
A topsy-turvy day at Old Trafford ended with Lancashire’s sixth wicket pair battling to save the follow-on after a sensational opening spell from Toby Roland-Jones had left them 6-4.
In the morning session, the home side had taken the last seven Middlesex wickets for 69 runs to limit them to 327 and, vitally in a tight title race, just three batting points.
But Roland-Jones took four wickets in 29 balls to wrestle control back to the Division One leaders.
Having started the day well set on 258-3, Middlesex were bowled out by lunch, losing 3-10 in 39 balls after Dawid Malan had completed his half century.
Captain James Franklin was the not out batsman, guiding Middlesex to their third batting point with three balls to spare thanks to a four off Simon Kerrigan, but the left-arm spinner finished with 4-80.
When Lancashire batted, the wickets continued to fall. Roland-Jones got one to nip away from England hopeful Haseeb Hameed, who could only edge to slip, while Luke Procter drove hard at Murtagh and edged straight to gully.
Roland-Jones, himself hoping for an England call this winter, struck twice in an over, with Alviro Petersen caught by Simpson down the legside and Croft bowled by a full ball.
Jos Buttler, playing his first Championship match since September 2014, looked to counterattack but was caught by Simpson for 16, also off a leg-glance.
From 32-5, Jones and Liam Livingstone looked to rebuild and when bad light brought an early tea, they had shared 25.
By 4.30pm, when the players left the field due to rain, and did not return, that stand had swelled to 70 as they stymied more impressive Middlesex bowling.
