Troughton stands firm

Jim Troughton's 83 not out helped Warwickshire recover from 86 for four

Half-centuries from Jim Troughton and Tony Frost gave Warwickshire the upper hand after the first day of their LV County Championship Division Two match with Middlesex at Uxbridge.

The pair shared a fifth-wicket stand of 157, with Troughton unbeaten on 83 at the close as Warwickshire finished the day on 271 for five.

That represented a significant recovery after Middlesex had reduced the visitors to 78 for four with Steven Finn picking up a couple of wickets in the top-of-the-table clash.

The stand was eventually broken with the first ball of the 84th over when Frost was bowled for 84, an innings spanning 186 balls and including 14 fours.

The unfortunate Frost played all round a straight delivery from Alan Richardson and saw his off stumped knocked out of the ground.

Having elected to bat, Warwickshire were soon into their stride with captain Darren Maddy smashing three early boundaries.

However, Maddy fell to Tim Murtagh for 18, leg before playing down the wrong line to the first ball of the ninth over.

Michael Powell struck consecutive boundaries off his first two deliveries before he edged Danny Evans to Ed Joyce at third slip.

Evans bowled a superb opening spell - it was not until his fourth over that he conceded his first run - and Navdeep Poonia took 46 balls to get off the mark.

Poonia had reached 28 when he fell to a stunning catch behind the stumps by Ben Scott, diving low to his right to hold on an edged drive off Finn.

Finn grabbed his second wicket in the last over before lunch when Trott was caught behind for 18, beaten by a full-length delivery as he looked to drive.

Troughton was fortunate to survive a difficult chance off Murali Kartik when the left-hander had reached 32, with Joyce spilling the catch at short-leg.