Malan denies Leicestershire

Dawid Malan’s stoic 61 not out helped Middlesex claim a hard-working draw with Leicestershire in the LV County Championship Division Two match at Lord’s.

The hosts had looked in trouble before lunch as they trailed Leicestershire’s first innings total by 93 runs with four wickets down in their second innings.

But Malan and Eoin Morgan steadied the ship as the game completely fizzled out after tea and a draw was taken 20 minutes early.

Leicestershire began the day on 475 for five, and strangely did not take the decision to declare as Middlesex tore through their middle and lower order before lunch.

The hosts took the new ball at the start of the day, and it took only four balls for Tim Murtagh to deny HD Ackerman the chance of a double-hundred.

Dawid Malan scored an unbeaten 61 to ensure Middlesex ended with a draw

The South African fell for 194 to finally break his 270-run partnership with Joshua Cobb - who finished unbeaten on 148 as the tail fell to pieces around him.

Alan Richardson had Dillon du Perez (eight) and Claude Henderson (nought) caught behind in consecutive overs before Murali Kartik finished off the visitors with Nadeem Malik edging to wicketkeeper Ben Scott for 10 and Garnett Kruger going in the same fashion for just three.

That left the visitors all out for 533, with a lead of 166 after the first innings.

Middlesex’s second innings got off to a rocky start as they lost Dan Housego (six) in the seventh over, well-caught by James Taylor off the bowling of du Preez.

Henderson took three wickets after lunch to leave Middlesex on 73 for four before Malan and Morgan stepped in.

Ed Joyce was the first to go, edging the orthodox left-arm spinner to Ackerman at first slip for 12.

Andrew Strauss edged Henderson to captain and wicketkeeper Paul Nixon for 38 before Ben Scott was trapped lbw for a duck two overs later.

Morgan and Malan’s crucial 71-run partnership was finally broken 16 overs after tea as Morgan played a forward defensive and edged Henderson to Nixon for 27.

But by that time Middlesex had all-but secured the draw and no more wickets were forthcoming as Leicestershire captain Nixon had one last throw of the dice by putting himself on to bowl for the final over.