Udal helps Middlesex recover

Shaun Udal made 91 as Middlesex recovered to reach 300 © Getty Images

Shaun Udal’s highest score for 11 years rescued Middlesex after the first day of their LV County Championship Division Two match with promotion rivals Worcestershire at Lord’s.

His batting display was just what Middlesex needed after they had earlier been reduced to 19 for three thanks to some superb bowling from a Worcestershire attack minus the rested Simon Jones.

Along with fellow all-rounder Tim Murtagh the pair shared a seventh-wicket stand of 105 before Murtagh was finally out in the 75th over off a top-edge sweep after he had scored 44.

Udal went on to reach 91 from 147 balls with seven fours and two sixes, before he was the ninth man out with the score on 291 when he skied a hook to Steven Davies behind the wicket.

Earlier, Middlesex were soon in trouble in the fifth over of the day, when Nick Compton was trapped in front for one having taken fourteen balls to get off the mark.

It was slow progress for the hosts and it was no surprise when Owais Shah departed soon after for one as the former skipper missed a straight one from Kabir Ali.

Dawid Malan (12) was the next to fall in the 13th over as the left-hander reached at a wide delivery from Ali and edged a drive to Davies behind the stumps.

Skipper Ed Joyce struggled at first, playing and missing on numerous occasions before he struck his first boundary, a superb back-foot drive and together with Eoin Morgan pushed the score past 50, before Morgan (18) edged to the wicketkeeper with the score on 61.

Although Joyce survived a dropped chance when on 34 just after lunch, he fell just four short of his half-century when he was run out to a brilliant piece of fielding from Stephen Moore whose direct hit left Joyce well short of his crease.

A further 17 runs were added before Ben Scott fell in the 51st over. Scott who had scored 37 attempted a pull shot from Gareth Andrews rising delivery but only succeeded in gloving a catch to the wicketkeeper to leave Middlesex on 147 for six.

Fifty runs in 59 balls from Udal and Murtagh pushed the score past 200 to give the home side their first batting point.

Murali Kartik was then dismissed for 12 but Middlesex claimed their next point in 89th over as they were eventually dismissed for 300 when Finn was caught off the bowling of Kabir Ali who finished with five for 58.

In the five overs that were left at the end, Worcestershire had advanced to nine without loss.