Middlesex face the drop

Middlesex slipped to the bottom of the NatWest Pro40 Division One table after going down by 19 runs in their clash with Nottinghamshire at Lord's.

Despite Eoin Morgan top-scoring with 39, they were unable to deal with a solid bowling display from the Outlaws with Graeme Swann picking up 3-27 runs as the Crusaders look to avoid the drop into the second division.

Middlesex lost their first wicket in the sixth over when England opener Andrew Strauss was beaten for pace and trapped leg before for 13 and he was soon followed by Ed Joyce for 18.

Joyce hit a couple of superb boundaries but was bowled by a Charlie Shreck yorker to leave Middlesex struggling on 33 for two. Owais Shah and Morgan put on 39 for the third wicket before the former fell to the bowling of Mark Ealham for 12.

The veteran all-rounder then snapped up the wicket of Morgan for 39, deceiving him with a trademark slower ball.

With the score on 107, Dawid Malan was bowled for 16, attempting a reverse sweep in Swann's first over and, with 51 runs still needed from 10 overs, Tyron Henderson (16) was bowled by Samit Patel after a couple of mighty sixes.

Graeme Swann picked up three wickets on his return to the side © Getty Images

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Patel then snapped up Ben Scott for 22 attempting a reverse sweep.

Swann picked up his second wicket with a smart return catch to dismiss Middlesex captain Shaun Udal for six and then saw Tim Murtagh (seven) top-edge to midwicket. The innings was wrapped up with the run-out of Dirk Nannes for just one.

Earlier, Nottinghamshire got off to reasonable start with openers Will Jefferson and Swann sharing a stand of 57 before Jefferson was run-out by a smart piece of fielding by Malan for 22 when attempting a quick single.

In the next over, Mark Wagh was trapped in front of the stumps for just a single, playing half-forward to an in-swinger from Murtagh to leave Nottinghamshire on 58 for two. A further 13 runs were added before Swann became the third wicket to fall.

The England all-rounder was completely beaten by Murtagh, playing all around a straight one and seeing his stumps knocked out of the ground having scored 33.

Patel did not last too long, caught behind for two to the returning Nannes as the visitors were reduced to 76 for four which then became 90 for five when Ashwell Prince was caught at long-on by Shah for 25, giving Udal his only wicket.

Chris Read and Bilal Shafayat steadied the ship and shared a stand of 49 for the sixth wicket before the partnership was broken by Henderson who had Read caught at fine-leg for 21.

The same combination then accounted for the wicket Paul Franks for 13 in the penultimate over after Shafayat had earlier gone for 31, caught at mid-on off a leading edge.

The final two wickets fell in the last over with Andre Adams caught in the deep for four and Shreck run-out for a duck.