Rogers inspires stunning Middlesex win
Middlesex 123 & 472-3 beat Yorkshire 178 & 416 by seven wickets
(Middlesex 19 pts, Yorkshire 3 pts)
Chris Rogers’ masterful double century saw Middlesex home to a magnificent seven-wicket win as they completed the third-highest run chase in County Championship history.
Skipper Rogers carried his bat for an outstanding unbeaten 241 – his best score for Middlesex – to seal one of the most remarkable wins ever seen at Lord’s.
He was well supported by Neil Dexter (72 not out), who hammered two lusty blows off Kane Williamson before hitting the winning boundary himself.
Only 12 sides have successfully chased more than 472 in cricket’s history, with Cambridge University’s 507 to beat the MCC at Lord’s in 1896 the highest recorded in England.
Top five County run chases
502-6 – Middlesex v Notts 1925
479-6 – Somerset v Yorkshire 2009
472-3 – Midd’sex v Yorkshire 2014
461-3 – Notts v Worcester 2001
455-8 – Sussex v Gloucester 1999
The match was very much in the balance at the start of the final day, with Middlesex resuming on 230-1 and still needing another 242 to win.
Rogers and Dawid Malan took the score past 250, although not before both had survived big appeals and the latter had edged short of second slip.
Malan was the first of just two wickets to fall as he was trapped lbw for 35 in the eighth over of the day.
Eoin Morgan partnered Rogers and together they overcame the first psychological hurdle, getting the target beneath 200.
The skipper brought up his 150 by with a half-volley through the covers, one of 37 boundaries he hit during a six-and-a-half hour innings.
Morgan failed to cash in on good batting conditions as he top edged a sweep off Kane Williamson to offer up a catch to slip to give Yorkshire some hope at 327-3.
But Dexter, out for a 15-ball duck in Middlesex’s first innings, was a tougher nut to crack second time round and he and Rogers demoralised the visitors’ attack.
They took the score past 350 just before lunch and the target came down below 100 shortly after the interval.
When Rogers reached his double century, scored off just 250 balls, the crowd gave him a standing ovation and thoughts turned to the winning post.
Dexter made 50 with a big six off Williamson which flew over the Compton Stand and then produced another fine hit to edge Middlesex close to their target.
And with Rogers looking on from the non-striker’s end, Dexter finished the job himself around 3pm and put shell-shocked Yorkshire out of their misery.
This innings will be marked forever in the record books. It was the third-highest run chase at Lord’s and the third-highest in Middlesex’s history.
Rogers’ knock was also the seventh best score by a batsman in the fourth innings of a match.
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