County Championship: Ryan Higgins steadies Middlesex at rain-hit Trent Bridge

Middlesex's Stevie Eskinazi has to retire hurt after being struck on the helmet

Relegation-threatened Middlesex closed a truncated opening day of their County Championship match against Nottinghamshire on 162-3 as they began the last round of the season with one eye on Kent's progress against Lancashire.

Middlesex have to better Kent's result at Canterbury or match it with at least one more bonus point than their rivals if they are to avoid joining Northamptonshire in Division Two next season.

Toby Roland-Jones might have taken a few by surprise with his decision to bat first, considering they have won only two batting bonus points all season.

However, he might argue that his players are at least close to the four-an-over run-rate required in the 42 overs possible after rain delayed the start at Trent Bridge.

Whether they turn that into a substantial hand of points is another matter, especially after Stevie Eskinazi was hit on the head by a ball from Lyndon James on 23 and was not deemed fit to continue.

• Relive day one in the County Championship as it happened

It looks vital that the unbroken partnership between Ryan Higgins (60) and John Simpson (26), worth 69, turns into something substantial on day two.

The day had begun with Nottinghamshire announcing the pending departure of Jake Ball, their 32-year-old former England fast bowler, who has made only a handful of Championship appearances in recent seasons because of recurrent injury problems.

Thankfully fit currently, and with Nottinghamshire already assured of remaining in Division One next season, Ball was able to make his first outing in the red-ball side since July in place of Asitha Fernando.

He took the new ball alongside Brett Hutton, who has been the mainstay of the Nottinghamshire attack this year with Olly Stone and Luke Fletcher also sidelined.

Neither started particularly well but took wickets in consecutive overs to remove both Middlesex openers with 33 on the board.

Ball drew an edge from Sam Robson for his 204th first-class wicket for the county, before Hutton straightened one to dismiss Mark Stoneman lbw.

Eskinazi was dropped by Joe Clarke at first slip with Ball about to celebrate a second wicket, but the introduction of James brought a divided immediately when the all-rounder's first delivery, angled in to Max Holden, took out the left-hander's middle stump.

Middlesex were 93-3 when Eskinazi, struck a nasty blow on the side of the head attempting to pull James, had to leave the field.

A brief stoppage for a shower at 117-3 was followed by another interruption after Steven Mullaney landed heavily making a diving stop, the Nottinghamshire skipper becoming the second injury casualty of the day, although he was soon back on the field.

It will be determined overnight whether Middlesex need a concussion sub for Eskinazi. In his absence, Higgins took on the lead role, reaching his second consecutive half-century and his ninth of the season, from 63 balls with six fours.

Middlesex's omission of Tim Murtagh - who is retiring at the end of the season at the age of 42 - means his appearance against Warwickshire last week, in which he took 6-83 in the first innings and eight in the match, was his farewell after 23 years as a player.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.