Four for Patel as Middlesex rein in Sussex

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Close, day two: Middlesex 234 & 47-0 trail Sussex 300 by 19 runs

Ravi Patel’s four wickets and an unbeaten 41 from Sam Robson helped Middlesex virtually restore parity at the end of the second day at Lord’s.

Luke Wells (61) and Matt Machan (81) had batted Sussex into a good position, taking the visitors to 155-1, 79 behind Middlesex’s first innings.

But a beautifully flighted delivery from Patel – playing his first Championship match for Middlesex since last September – bowled Machan and he picked up Wells in his next over.

Michael Yardy made 70 while seeing partners depart regularly as Sussex slipped to 216-6, still 18 behind. But he shared in stands of 39 and 40 with Ashar Zaidi and Ollie Robinson to give his side a first-innings lead of 66.

Middlesex went a long way to wiping out that deficit in the last 15 overs of the day, with Robson scoring 41 from 47 balls.

At the other end Nick Gubbins dropped anchor, managing just three from 43 deliveries but crucially both remained at the crease going into Sunday’s third day.

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