Holden's century aids Middlesex fightback v Lancs

Max Holden scored his century for Middlesex from 193 balls

Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Lord's (day three)

Middlesex 260 & 288-6: Holden 135* Geddes 74; Bailey 3-47

Lancashire 359: Harris 138; Gohar 4-79

Middlesex (3 pts) lead Lancashire (5 pts) by 189 runs

Match scorecard

Max Holden's sixth first-class hundred led a Middlesex fightback on day three at Lord's to set up the prospect of an exciting finish against Division Two title favourites Lancashire.

The left-hander followed up his half-century of the first innings with an unbeaten 135 to rescue his side from the havoc of 7-3 in the wake of Tom Bailey's superb three-wicket opening salvo.

Holden shared stands of 106 with Ryan Higgins (43) and 163 with debutante Ben Geddes (74) as the hosts reached 288-6 at stumps.

Bailey (3-47) could not add to his pre-lunch heroics, but late wickets with the second new ball gave the visitors the edge once more ahead of day four.

All this unfolded after Lancashire added just six to their overnight first innings score to be bowled out for 359, Saturday's centurion Marcus Harris last to go 138, Zafar Gohar finishing with 4-79.

It was only two seasons ago Middlesex found themselves 4-4 in the first game of the season with the top four all dismissed without scoring, and while this was not quite as calamitous, Bailey's new-ball spell still caused much scrambling on of pads in the home dressing room.

Nathan Fernandes looked nervous from the start and Bailey soon lured him into fencing at one he should have left alone, allowing wicketkeeper Matty Hurst to gobble up the chance.

If Fernandes was culpable, then Sam Robson was undone by a super piece of bowling, Bailey squaring up the former England opener and rapping him on the pad. Any hope it would be considered too high was quickly dashed as umpire Surendiran Shanmugan sent him on his way.

And two balls later 7-2 became 7-3 as Leus du Ploy slashed wildly at a wider ball giving Hurst his second catch in the space of a few minutes. Bailey had taken 3-2 in 15 balls, leaving the hosts staring at the prospect of defeat inside three days.

Calm heads were required and for the second time in the match it was former England Lions batter Holden who stepped up, employing studious defence with drives caressed through the covers and savage square cuts.

Six such boundaries carried him past 50 and there would be seven more on the way to three figures, reached in style with an on-drive back past the stumps to the pavilion rope.

Fightbacks of course need co-conspirators and not for the first time, Ryan Higgins was first to come to Holden's assistance. A classy pull shot in front of square got the all-rounder moving, and he then dispatched a couple of Luke Wells deliveries to the fence in the same over.

Bailey returned immediately after lunch as a game of patience unfolded, the two batters resisting his second surge, and a miserly spell from Will Williams, to raise the 100 partnership.

It required a fine delivery from George Balderson to castle Higgins with the hosts 14 in front, but Geddes, hailed this week by Richard Johnson as a player with a 'high ceiling', came in and after a shaky start he too blossomed, an off-drive through mid-wicket the pick of his early boundaries.

By tea the lead had swollen to 72 and the pair showed greater intent after the resumption to move the stand to 100 and beyond.

Geddes reached his half-century with five fours, before falling to the second new ball, though replays suggested he had not made contact with the delivery which found its way to Hurst's gloves.

Nightwatchman Blake Cullen also perished before stumps, but Holden remains to try and steer Middlesex to a defendable total on day four.

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