Rain means Middlesex match is drawn

Draw, day four: Middlesex 98 & 239-2 v Nottinghamshire 329

Middlesex 3pts, Notts 6pts

Middlesex’s County Championship match with Nottinghamshire was declared a draw before the fourth day’s play could even start.

Umpires surveyed the surface at around 9.30am following torrential downpours overnight.

And with the forecast equally bleak for the rest of the day, play was abandoned shortly after 10am with the pitch declared unplayable.

It will come as a disappointment to Middlsesex and especially England captain Andrew Strauss after his unbeaten 127 on Friday pulled them right back into the game.

Middlesex began day three chasing a 231-run Nottinghamshire lead after André Adams took six wickets as hosts were bowled out for 98 on day one, and then an Adam Vogues century went most of the way to the visitors posting 329 on day two.

But Strauss, making a rare cameo for his county in an attempt to maintain tremendous international form ready for the imminent and imperative series with South Africa , put on a master-class before rain stopped play at tea-time.

He and Sam Robson (26) made a 55-run partnership from less than 20 overs in a fine start to the third day, but the real leg work was made with the captain Chris Rogers (59).

Strauss and Rogers made respective half-centuries either side of the lunch interval before Strauss brought up his century from just 157 deliveries to move Middlesex within 33 runs of the Notts lead.

But it took Joe Denley’s 15 not out and Strauss’s extras to move Middlesex into an eight-run lead of their own with eight wickets remaining, when rain descended before the final session.

Continued downpours caused an unfortunate end to an exciting match, but with three points gained Middlesex move above Somerset into third.

See also: Middlesex boosted by Srauss century

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