Wednesday 29 April 2015 19:12, UK
Adam Voges and James Franklin both made superb centuries as Middlesex chased down 402 to pull of an amazing five-wicket LV= County Championship Division One victory over Somerset at Taunton.
The visitors would probably have been outsiders when they began the day on 31-0 but, on a typically flat Taunton pitch, they comfortably reached their imposing target.
However, the day began badly for Middlesex as Sam Robson (15) was caught in the slips off Lewis Gregory (2-100), who then bowled Nick Compton (four) when he shouldered arms to an inswinger.
That made it 45-2 but captain Voges came to the crease and made a brilliant 132 off 210 balls, adding 92 for the third wicket with Nick Gubbins (78).
Gubbins was eventually bowled by Abdur Rehman (2-100) but that just brought New Zealand international James Franklin to the crease, and he and Voges settled down to compile a match-deciding stand.
The duo put on exactly 200 in just over 56 overs and took the total to 337 before Voges was caught behind off Tom Groenewald.
Neil Dexter (11) then helped Franklin add a further 44 before James Simpson (18 not out) came in and smacked three boundaries off a Rehman over to secure the victory.
Franklin finished unbeaten on 115 from 221 balls as Middlesex secured their first victory of the season with seven balls to spare.
It was the third-highest winning run chase at Taunton and Somerset, who were denied the services of their quickest bowler Jamie Overton due to injury, have now begun the season with a pair of home defeats.
Voges said: "It was an outstanding win for us given our position on the first day, and particularly without Tim Murtagh bowling in the second innings. He had a back spasm but seems fine now.
"James paced his innings perfectly and was totally unflappable as we got nearer our target. I believe we have a squad capable of challenging strongly in the Championship this season."
Somerset director of cricket Matthew Maynard said: "Not having Jamie Overton available to bowl today was a blow and perhaps we lacked sufficient variety without him. He will be having an MRI scan on his ankle, before we know the full extent of the damage."
The in-form Scott Borthwick made a fine 97 not out as Durham defeated early pace-setters Sussex by six wickets in their clash at Chester-le-Street.
Borthwick made 94 and 51 not out at Taunton last week and he was on song once again as the hosts chased down 262 to make it two wins from two matches to start the season.
The first three days had been hard-fought and a tense final day appeared to be in prospect when Durham resumed on 115-2.
The contest was very much in the balance when Michael Richardson (eight) lost his leg stump to Ajmal Shahzad (4-86) in the day’s fourth over, making it 122-3.
However, the left-handed Borthwick, who turned 24 last week, saw off the dangerous Shahzad in partnership with Callum MacLeod (26), who took 25 balls to get off the mark but ended up helping to add a crucial 83 for the fourth wicket.
Shahzad returned to have MacLeod caught at third man attempting an upper cut, giving the paceman eight wickets in the match and 22 in three games to start the season.
However, the experienced Paul Collingwood joined Borthwick just before lunch and made a jaunty 35 not out off 44 balls, as the duo knocked off the remaining runs needed with ease.
Borthwick applied the coup de grace, hitting the 12th and 13th boundaries of his innings from the first two balls of an Oliver Robinson over to wrap up a fine victory for Durham.
The match between Hampshire and Nottinghamshire petered out into a draw due to poor weather at the Ageas Bowl.
Nottinghamshire declared on their overnight score of 296-4 and set Hampshire 392 to win but on-off showers thwarted any hopes they had of bowling the hosts out to force a victory.
Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams (10 not out) and Liam Dawson (19 not out) safely negotiated the 40-minute spell after lunch which turned out to be the only action of the day and the captains shook hands at 3.30pm with the hosts on 29-0 after 9.4 overs.
Nottinghamshire's director of cricket Mick Newell said: "We knew the weather forecast wasn't very good and the way the rain came it was very heavy, which made the groundsman's job very difficult and made the game drift to nowhere.
"It would have been an interesting day today. I think Hampshire would have fancied chancing the 390 down on a normal day and we believe we could have bowled them out."
Warwickshire and Yorkshire also played out a draw, the hosts finishing on 221-4 as they batted the day out comfortably at Headingley, where they have not lost in the County Championship since the first game of 2013.
The visitors began day four on 108-2 and they reached 219-7 before declaring, first innings centurion Ian Westwood making 84 before falling lbw to James Middlebrook, who took 5-82.
Warwickshire were possibly a shade over-cautious, having had the better of much of the match, and the declaration set the county champions 352 off 68 overs.
The Yorkshire top order all got themselves in and then got out, and they were 136-4 following the dismissals of Alex Lees (21), Will Rhodes (29), Cheteshwar Pujara (33) and Andrew Gale (28).
Jeetan Patel (3-70) claimed three of the wickets but there were no more successes for Warwickshire as Jack Leaning (35 not out) and Andy Hodd (54 not out) safely batted out the remainder of the day.
