Worcester respond to Middlesex pressure

Close, day two: Worcestershire 195-3 trail Middlesex 309 by 114 runs

Worcestershire came through a tough examination from Middlesex’s bowlers to shade a rain-affected second day at Uxbridge.

England batsman Moeen Ali made 54 and Tom Fell and Alex Gidman shared in an unbroken stand of 83 as the visitors ground out a slow and steady reply to Middlesex’s 309.

No play was possible in the morning session but Worcestershire wasted little time after the resumption to take the final three Middlesex wickets, the home side adding just 20 runs to their overnight score.

There was no such briskness from the Worcestershire openers though, who were kept in a clamp by the miserly Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones (pictured).

The early pressure allowed James Harris to nip out Richard Oliver while Daryl Mitchell painstakingly compiled 18 from 87 balls before falling to Roland-Jones.

At the end of the 30th over, Worcestershire were being held down to 52-2 but Moeen and Fell upped the scoring rate a little as they added 60 in just over 14 overs.

After Moeen’s departure, Fell and Gidman returned to the steady accumulation tactic, which paid dividends as they survived to the close to establish a strong platform for their side.

Roland-Jones was the pick of the Middlesex attack as he ended the day with 1-31 off 17 overs.

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