Middlesex frustrated by Notts rearguard

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Close, day two: Nottinghamshire 258-4 trail Middlesex 505 by 247 runs

Middlesex remain on top at Trent Bridge but their hopes of forcing the follow-on are fading after fine knocks by Alex Hales and Samit Patel.

Eoin Morgan took his County Championship-best score on to 191 as the visitors passed 500 for the second time this season.

Tim Murtagh then took the early wicket of Phil Jacques but England T20 stars Hales and Michael Lumb led the fightback with a century stand.

The belligerent Hales hit 96 off 110 balls and Lumb made 47, before Patel scored an unbeaten 75 in the evening session.

Nottinghamshire closed needing another 97 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Earlier in the day, Middlesex added 88 to their overnight score of 417-5, with Paul Stirling (31), Toby Roland-Jones (18) and Tim Murtagh (28 not out) providing very useful lower-order contributions.

Morgan was kept relatively quiet and fell agonisingly short of a double century as he was caught behind off Luke Fletcher, one of three Notts bowlers to take three wickets.

Murtagh hit boundaries off three successive balls to ensure Middlesex reached 500 for only the fourth time in the last five years.

The Ireland bowler then struck in the fifth over of Nottinghamshire’s reply – but the hosts refused to crumble.

Hales and Lumb put on 102 in 130 balls either side of lunch to launch the recovery, before the latter was bowled by Steve Finn.

James Taylor supported the more flamboyant Hales but scored just nine in a partnership of 36 before he was bowled by Neil Dexter minutes before tea.

Hales, who hit 16 fours and a six, looked to be closing in on a century but was trapped lbw by Murtagh in a vital breakthrough.

That left Notts on 164-4, still 181 runs short of avoiding the follow-on, but Patel and Riki Wessels saw out the day, adding 94.

Middlesex will now hope to take quick wickets on Monday’s third day to at least establish a healthy first innings lead, which will allow them to post a big target to bowl at.

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