County Championship: Middlesex pair frustrate Yorkshire at Lord's

Nick Compton passed 1,000 Championship runs in 2015 during Middlesex's second innings against Yorkshire

Champions Yorkshire were held up by Middlesex as they attempted to secure a 10th win of the season and dent the home side's hopes of finishing second.

Yorkshire clinched a second successive Division One title on Wednesday.

And they looked set for a two-day win at Lord's when they reduced Middlesex to 143-5 in their second innings.

The hosts still trailed by 50 runs at that stage, but Nick Compton (86no) and captain James Franklin (60no) saw them to 274-5 at the close, leading by 81.

If Middlesex fall to a second defeat of the season, third-placed Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire in fourth will have genuine ambitions of overhauling them in the table.

Earlier, Jack Brooks (50) and Ryan Sidebottom (28) helped Yorkshire to 299 all out with a last-wicket stand of 78.

The visitors had resumed on 238-9 and had extended their advantage to 193 runs by the time Sidebottom, who took three wickets in the first over of the match to set up Yorkshire's title success, was out caught and bowled by Tim Murtagh.

In contrast to a chaotic first innings in which they were reduced to 0-3 after six balls, Middlesex made it through to lunch without loss.

But five wickets fell during the afternoon session, including three for no runs in 12 balls, to put them back in trouble.

Sam Robson (53) was the first man to depart, bowled by Tim Bresnan, before veteran spinner James Middlebrook (2-52) removed Paul Stirling and Dawid Malan in the following over.

However, as Yorkshire sensed victory, they were frustrated by Franklin and Compton, the latter passing 1,000 Championship runs in 2015.

They batted through the entire final session and enjoyed an unbroken partnership of 131 for the sixth wicket to lead their side's fightback.

Jack Brooks put on 78 for Yorkshire's last wicket with Ryan Sidebottom

Tim Bresnan (second left) started Middlesex's afternoon collapse by bowling Sam Robson

James Middlebrook removed Paul Stirling and Dawid Malan in the space of four balls