Middlesex given hope of win at Taunton

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Close, day three: Middlesex 317 & 31-0 trail Somerset 408 & 310 by 370 runs

Middlesex will require 371 runs on the final day to win at Taunton after Steven Finn helped dragged his side back into the match.

Somerset secured a first-innings lead of 91 and built on it with sizeable contributions from Marcus Trescothick (76) and James Hildreth (86).

But they lost their final five wickets for 56 runs, with Finn taking three of them, to set the visitors a target of 402.

Sam Robson (8 not out) and Nick Gubbins (15 not out) survived a testing seven overs before stumps, knocking off 31 of the runs required.

Middlesex had resumed their first innings on 306-7 but they were only able to add a further 11 before being bowled out, with Tim Murtagh carrying a back injury and unable to bat.

Trescothick and Tom Cooper put on 82 for the second wicket to guide Somerset to 108-2 before the former England opener teamed up with his fellow first-innings centurion James Hildreth for another 50 partnership.

The 39-year-old Trescothick was bowled by Ollie Rayner for 76 and James Harris picked up three wickets but when Somerset were on 254-5 midway through the evening session, they held a commanding lead of 345.

Middlesex could have been looking at chasing 450-plus but instead Finn bowling Peter Trego led to a mini-collapse of sorts, which included Gubbins running out Tim Groenewald and Hildreth holing out for 86.

Somerset weren’t able to pick up the wicket that would have made them firm favourites but Middlesex will need to score at just under four an over on Wednesday if they are to win.

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