Sam Whiteman century helps Northants take command in relegation tussle
Northamptonshire 219 and 372 for 7 (Whiteman 114*, Gay 85*, Procter 63) lead Middlesex 277 (Higgins 64*, Stoneman 51, Keogh 3-52) by 314 runs
Sam Whiteman and Luke Procter shared Northamptonshire’s highest partnership of the season to offer their aspect hope of forcing an important LV= Insurance County Championship win towards fellow strugglers Middlesex at Merchant Taylors’ School.
Whiteman batted many of the day for his majestic knock of 114 on a pitch that confirmed indicators of flattening out, including 158 together with his captain for the third wicket after Emilio Gay had limped off injured.
However, the opener later returned to the center, scoring a useful unbeaten 85 that enabled the guests to set one other file by posting 372 for seven, their highest red-ball complete of the summer season and an general lead of 314.
With an in a single day declaration doubtless and each side – who occupy the relegation locations in Division One – determined for victory, it units up an enthralling ultimate day.
Northamptonshire resumed their second innings simply three runs behind the house aspect and worn out that deficit when Gay flicked Ryan Higgins to lengthy leg within the second over of the morning.
Minutes later, nonetheless, the opener was hobbling off within the route of the dressing room, having pulled up after finishing a single and Procter took his place on the crease.
The skipper registered his aspect’s first boundary of the day, clipping reverse quantity Toby Roland-Jones neatly to the rope as each he and Whiteman proceeded to benefit from wayward deliveries on the leg aspect.
Apart from one wild thrash exterior off stump by Whiteman towards Tom Helm, there have been no alarms for both of the pair as they prolonged their aspect’s result in 51 earlier than rain arrived round 12.30pm.
With lunch taken early, solely 20 minutes had been misplaced and, quickly after the resumption it appeared as if Helm had usual a breakthrough when an obvious leg-glance by Whiteman, on 29, flew into John Simpson’s gloves.
But umpire Paul Pollard remained unmoved by Middlesex’s impassioned attraction and the Australian continued to make regular progress as he introduced up his half-century, pulling Ethan Bamber to the fence at sq. leg.
The dwelling aspect rotated their bowlers – together with eight overs of Sam Robson’s occasional leg-spin – with out success and Whiteman’s edge by means of the slips off Roland-Jones for 4 lifted the partnership into three figures.
Another downpour later within the over triggered an extra delay at 161 for 2 however, as soon as the gamers re-emerged, Procter accomplished a watchful half-century, his second of the marketing campaign, from 135 deliveries.
Middlesex took the brand new ball on the earliest alternative, reverting to an all-seam method they usually lastly claimed the day’s first wicket within the 63rd over when Procter minimize uppishly at Helm and Josh de Caires, at deep third, judged the catch completely.
Gay, who restarted his innings on 24, seemed to be unhampered by his earlier damage and promptly pumped two leg-side fours off Higgins earlier than dancing down the observe to slam De Caires for six.
Whiteman superior to his hundred from 220 balls, driving Helm off the again foot for 3 as Northamptonshire started to speed up and he ultimately misplaced his off stump to Roland-Jones, trying to drag.
Saif Zaib quickly adopted, caught at level after miscuing a reverse sweep off De Caires, who additionally collected the wicket of Tom Taylor earlier than a brisk knock of 48 by Rob Keogh helped Gay to propel the overall past 350.