Middlesex v Warwickshire: Rain scuppers visitors' push

Murtagh is Middlesex's leading wicket-taker with 42 scalps so far this season

Persistent rain and bad light saw only seven overs bowled between Warwickshire and Middlesex on day two at Lord's.

Play began at 17:30 BST, with the visitors resuming on 338-6, but Rikki Clarke (94) added just one to his overnight score as Toby Roland-Jones had him caught and bowled.

Jeetan Patel (8) fell two overs later to Tim Murtagh (3-74) before Warwickshire declared on 362-8.

However, bad light prevented any further play from taking place.

Warwickshire are still battling for this year's County Championship title and went into the first of their three remaining matches trailing second-placed Nottinghamshire by 15 points and leaders Yorkshire by 21 points.

Meanwhile, Middlesex could yet be dragged into a relegation battle.

The home side are in sixth place but are only 10 points ahead of Durham, who currently occupy the second relegation spot, with bottom club Northants almost certainly destined for Division Two.

Warwickshire Director of cricket Dougie Brown:

"If you are still involved in a couple of competitions at this stage of the season then that's great.

"It's what you plan to be and we always say it's not so much how you start the season as how to finish it.

"What has been brilliant is the way we have maintained our competitive edge under pressure. We have had players injured and unavailable through England call-ups and despite that we have still managed to be competitive and that's great credit to the guys who have come in."