County Championship: John Simpson century saves follow-on for Middlesex against Sussex

Middlesex batter John Simpson

A century from wicketkeeper John Simpson saved Middlesex from the follow-on on day three of their County Championship match with Sussex at Lord's.

He reached three figures for the ninth time in his career in an almost five-hour vigil as the hosts recovered from 137-4 to reach 485 all out on the stroke of stumps.

Simpson (109) shared stands of 130 with debutant Pieter Malan (64) and 90 with Toby Roland-Jones (85) amid the fightback.

Sussex seamer Brad Currie, meanwhile, had a debut to remember, producing a spell of 4-16 in the morning session to rip out Middlesex's top order.

The 23-year-old later returned to claim two more scalps for figures of 6-93.

The hosts began the day on 103 without loss and when Sam Robson (62) creamed the first ball of the session through the covers it suggested a continuation of the run-fest.

However, in perfect swing conditions, Currie's devastating spell threatened to change the entire landscape of the game.

The younger sibling of Hampshire's Scott Currie swung the ball with impunity and reward came quickly as his in-swinger beat Mark Stoneman's inside edge to trap him lbw without adding to his overnight score.

It was not long before Steve Eskinazi became his next victim, an outside edge flying through to Oli Carter who clung on at the second attempt.

Currie's next two wickets came in the space of four balls. Former England opener Robson had his off-stump pegged back by one that beat the outside edge, before Max Holden was castled too via the inside of the bat.

The hosts were in disarray at 137-4, leaving Malan and Simpson to re-entrench.

Both players looked confident from the off and the hosts prospered through the early afternoon, although Malan was given a life when Carter spilt an edge off the bowling of Currie, with the resulting single taking the batter to 50.

And when Simpson followed his partner to the half-century mark from 137 balls, Middlesex appeared to be inching towards safety.

However, in the shadows of the tea interval Greek international Aristides Karvelas got a debut wicket with one that lifted and left Malan, although the right-hander looked aggrieved to be given out caught behind and replays suggested he may have had cause.

When teenager Danial Ibrahim had Luke Hollman well caught in the gully by Tom Clark from a full-bloodied square cut soon after the resumption, Middlesex were still 82 short of the follow-on.

By now the floodlights were on, but Simpson and Roland-Jones launched a counter-attack amid the gloom, reviving memories of their century-stand against Glamorgan back in April.

A hard-run two to mid-off carried Simpson to his century in a shade over four and three-quarter hours, and by the time Delray Rawlins bowled him soon afterwards the follow-on had been saved.

Currie then completed his day to remember by ending Roland-Jones' innings before scattering Umesh Yadav's stumps but, barring something extraordinary on day four, this game seems destined for a draw.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.