Middlesex are boosted by Malan century

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Close, day one: Middlesex 324-7 v Warwickshire

Middlesex 3pts, Warwickshire 2pts

Dawid Malan batted a century on the first day at Uxbridge as Middlesex looked to keep the pressure on the top pack in the County Championship.

Opener Joe Denly made a superb 95 as captain Chris Rogers and Neil Dexter both fell within 27 overs with less than 100 on the board.

Denly and Malan made 135 together and Malan then went on to make 106 before England’s Chris Woakes struck in back-to-back balls and Chris Wright took Eoin Morgan.

It was not the greatest day for batting in the London suburbs, with overcast conditions following a fresh bout of overnight rain making things perfect for the seamers.

But Denly and Malan showed their quality with a fantastic partnership that turned 97-2 early in the day to 232-3 in the afternoon.

Warwickshire seamer Wright struck first to dismiss Rogers when he was on 16.

And veteran Rikki Clarke disposed of Dexter after he had just forced his way in with Denly and put 26 runs to his name.

Denly and Malan kept the run rate at over three an over to make their 135-stand within 40 overs, but Denly was denied his century five runs short in the afternoon when Wright struck again with a fine delivery.

Malan made his century from 162 balls before tea but was unable to take the side over 300 and his wicket triggered a collapse as Woakes disposed of John Simpson (0) and Gareth Berg (0) in the following over.

And after England batsman Morgan fell for 19, Ollie Rayner (16no) and Toby Roland-Jones (13no) lifted the run rate to over four an over to make a combined 34 before close.

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