Departing Shah helps Middlesex take charge

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Owais Shah completed a fine century in his final match at Lord's as Middlesex moved into a position of strength on day three

Owais Shah’s century in his farewell appearance saw Middlesex take control of their LV= County Championship Division Two match against Worcestershire at Lord’s.

Shah converted his unbeaten overnight 70 into his 38th first-class hundred for Middlesex and, with Neil Dexter adding a classy 97, the hosts reached 392 to earn themselves a first-innings lead of 79 despite Moeen Ali’s career-best 5-36 with his off-spin.

Toby Roland-Jones and Pedro Collins then spearheaded a good performance in the field from the home side as Worcestershire struggled to 195 for seven in their second innings.

Moeen, adding 71 not out to his first innings 66, led what resistance there was and finally found a resilient partner in Gareth Andrew.

At the close of day three Andrew had made 34 not out, including five fours, and put on 47 with Moeen, who has faced 92 balls and hit 11 fours.

But, with Worcestershire only having an overall lead of 116, it is Middlesex who are strong favourites to claim victory on the final day.

Middlesex resumed on 244 for five and Shah thrilled the home crowd by going to his farewell hundred in some style, cover-driving Alan Richardson for his 10th four and saluting spectators with his bat raised above his head before turning back to embrace captain Dexter.

Shah scored 117 before edging Moeen to slip where Daryl Mitchell took a sharp catch. He had batted for 315 minutes, faced 261 balls and hit a six and 12 fours.

Dexter looked like following him to three figures, especially when he drove Moeen straight down the ground for four to reach 97, but two balls later he chipped a return catch to the same bowler.

A rain shower briefly interrupted play just after lunch, but Moeen finished off the Middlesex innings by claiming the wickets of Tim Murtagh and Roland-Jones, who chopped on.

Roland-Jones then produced a brilliant piece of fielding at backward point to break the Worcestershire opening stand of 47, his athletic stop and throw over the stumps beating David Wheeldon’s attempt to regain his ground.

In the same over, Vikram Solanki was leg before on the back foot to a delighted Shah and Worcestershire’s decline continued in the final session when Collins saw Mitchell play on and Alexei Kervezee fall lbw to the next ball.

Shakib Al Hasan kept out the hat-trick ball but made only 10 before edging Roland-Jones to first slip where Dawid Malan parried the ball upwards and spun around to dive and grab it at the second attempt.

Malan pouched an easier catch when James Cameron also edged Roland-Jones, who was then on a hat-trick himself when Ben Cox nicked to second slip.

Left-hander Andrew edged the next ball, angled across him, but it fell short of the slips and went for four.