Six of the best for Nannes

Worcestershire are facing a heavy defeat at the hands of Middlesex after a lethal bowling display from Dirk Nannes in the LV County Championship Division Two match at Kidderminster.

Seamer Gareth Andrew's career-best 5-58 had looked like containing the visitors and was backed up by spinner Gareth Batty, whose 4-84 haul included Andrew Strauss, who made 101.

The Andrew-Batty combination restricted the visitors’ first-innings lead to 56, but woeful Worcestershire were ripped out for a mere 122 in their second knock to leave Middlesex a modest victory target of 67.

Paceman Nannes finished with a career-best 6-32, including 4-9 in 21 balls, to put the Division Two leaders in severe danger of failing to secure the single additional point which would guarantee them promotion.

Middlesex, who began the day on 126 for one off 26 overs in reply to the hosts’ 265, were finally dismissed for 321 in 78.1 overs.

It was a total which centred around a 129-run stand in 30 overs for the second wicket between Strauss and Owais Shah, who scored 81.

Strauss, on 66 overnight, and Shah, with nine, were in control until Vikram Solanki’s men launched their impressive revival with four wickets in 32 balls for just 10 runs.

The sequence began after Shah had reached his 50 with two sixes and six fours off 83 balls followed shortly afterwards by Strauss registering his first championship century for nearly two seasons. It came up with a sweep to the boundary off Batty and contained 17 fours off 124 balls.

Andrew Strauss notches a fine 101 for Middlesex as they controlled their encounter against Worcestershire

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Strauss, however, received only five more deliveries before he sparked Worcestershire’s comeback by being expertly caught at leg slip by Stephen Moore off Batty.

In the next over Eoin Morgan became Andrew’s first victim when he was snapped up at second slip by Solanki for a duck.

Andrew then had Dawid Malan comfortably caught behind by Steve Davies before Batty got in on the act again by flattening Ben Scott’s off-stump.

After being 215 for one, Middlesex went in at lunch on 240 for five with their fortunes continuing to slide after the interval when Shah pushed forward to Andrew and was caught behind after hitting two sixes and 10 fours off 131 balls.

Lively Andrew stepped up the pressure by removing Tim Murtagh and Shaun Udal with his three wickets after lunch being captured in the space of 22 balls for only eight runs.

Batty accounted for Nannes before Sri Lankan paceman Dilhara Fernando ousted Alan Richardson to finish with 1-103 on his championship debut.

Worcestershire made an inauspicious start to their second innings with Daryl Mitchell, on five, surviving a chance to Malan at fourth slip off Richardson.

Moore, a century-maker in his first innings, was not so lucky and fell for seven when he inside-edged a Richardson delivery onto his middle stump.

Shortly after tea Richardson experienced mixed fortunes during an eye-catching spell from the Railway End. Firstly, he had Solanki put down at second slip by Morgan before removing Mitchell courtesy of a catch behind by Scott.

Solanki, however, failed to make a major impression by falling to Nannes’ fourth delivery for 18.

Nannes followed up soon afterwards by ousting Moeen Ali and Davies in one over before reducing Worcestershire to a grim 80 for six by seeing off Batty.

Their plight worsened when Udal struck twice in one over to get rid of Ben Smith for a battling 52 and Chris Whelan.

When Nannes returned to the attack he rapidly accounted for Fernando and Andrew as Worcestershire were all out in 39.1 overs.