Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

It's been a terrific half-century from Ryan Higgins, he's only hit three boundaries in it, which shows you the seriousness with which he's taken this job,

50 for Ryan Higginspublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 28 April

16:49 BST 28 April

Derbyshire 472 v Middlesex 315 & 281-6 f/o

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesex are nearly safe but Derbyshire are still in this if they can strike now.

Ryan Higgins moves to 49 with two runs reverse swept.

A single worked to leg on the back foot and that's his half century.

His first of the season and a timely one for his team.

112 balls with three fours.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

Gohar offered a flaky backfoot waft at one and then... hands on heads all around from Derbyshire. Disbelief and disgust.

There was always going to be a moment with the new ball. That's a thick edge off Zak Chappell and races away for four.

I think it might be a draw...

Zak Chappell is again round the wicket to Zafar Gohar, who defends into the off side.

A big lofted drive on the back foot misses the next ball completely.

Zafar drives with a thick edge past a diving Martin Andersson at gully for a streaky four.

A drive and a miss outside off to end the over, again the bat is well away from the body.

Ryan Higgins goes for a sweep off Alex Thomson and the ball bounces high off the pad for no run and indeed no LBW. Well outside off.

He sweeps again and connects, sending the ball to backward square.

Four runs and he has 47. Yet another sweep but he hasn't timed it and the ball is stopped at backward square.

Now then.

Zak Chappell is coming back in and he's replacing Blair Tickner.

Can he get the breakthrough? He's round the wicket with two slips to the left-handed Zafar Gohar and the third ball is a half volley clipped to leg for four.

That's the 50 partnership with Ryan Higgins in 120 balls.

Zafar does well to block a ball that keeps low on the back foot and time is running out for Derbyshire. 27 overs left. Middlesex 113 ahead.

Another bowling change. Now off spinner Alex Thomson is going to ball with a nearly new ball.

Ryan Higgins sweeps and that is half stopped by short leg. No run.

He tries a reverse sweep instead and survives an LBW shout.

Sliding down. Another reverse and this barely gets off the square.

Maiden over.

If Derbyshire can prize Ryan Higgins out now, they will still believe.

Blair Tickner floats one to leg stump and Higgins glances it for one.

A play and miss from Zafar Gohar, pushing the bat out a long way from the body with an attempted block.

The next ball is driven to point for four, opening the face. Lovely.

Jack Morley will continue.

It's quite possible Zak Chappell isn't coming back.

Remember, he left the field this afternoon.

Single to Ryan Higgins to backward square.

Zafar Gohar is defending, albeit not quite out of the middle of the bat.

He ends the over padding the ball away outside the line of the stumps, without playing a shot.

30 overs left. Middlesex lead by 104.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

They've all gone up and were convinced they had got Zafar Gohar.

Unless he's got bat on that it's a very good shout.

That was as plumb as they come. He hadn't got out of his crease at all. It was a full ball so height was absolutely not a problem.

Only one lbw in the match.

Middlesex are nearly there... another 10 overs maybe.

A penny for Blair Tickner's thoughts...

Big lbw shout for Blair Tickner v Zafar Gohar on 18 but it's been turned down.

Struck on the crease but perhaps outside off stump. Did he hit that?

It's very, very close. Let's leave it at that.

The second ball is wider and lashed through cover for two.

Four runs driven through cover point.

Tickner digs the ball in short and Zafar defends on the back foot.

Who will share the new ball?

It's going to be left arm spinner Jack Morley, at least for now.

One slip and a short leg in place.

Ryan Higgins defends down the pitch.

One ball really spits and turns out of the rough on a length.

Higgins does well to play it into the ground. He gets a single off the fifth ball driven to cover.

Single to Zafar to point.

This feels like the last throw of the dice for Derbyshire, but don't forget about the errors that gifted them two wickets before lunch today.

Blair Tickner's first ball is driven to the on side by Ryan Higgins and a half stop at mid wicket keeps him to two.

That's the Middlesex 250 in the 82nd over.

Higgins cuts for a single and Zafar Gohar crouches over a ball that jags in and strikes the midriff.

Zafar is forward to defend, showing no ill effect.

New ball taken at Derbypublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 28 April

16:09 BST 28 April

Derbyshire 472 v Middlesex 315 & 249-6 f/o

Left arm spinner Jack Morley has a couple of short leg fielders in.

One slip in play too.

Zafar Gohar tries to work the ball to leg but there's no run and he now defends into the off side.

A quicker delivery keeps a tad low. Maiden over.

Now the new ball is taken. Blair Tickner is back on.

Ryan Higgins is a bit surprised by extra bounce first ball but survives and he latches on to a shorter ball, nudging to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

He sweeps the next ball square for one more.

Single to Zafar Gohar to wide mid on.

Two more to Higgins to deep mid wicket. Over.

Will Derbyshire take the new ball now? Not yet.

Jack Morley is bowling.

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

The second new ball will be the final throw of the dice.

That could be fun...

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

36 overs left in the day. We reckon they need to make it through the best part of 20 overs before the lead would be too many to chase.

36 overs left, less two if Derbyshire bowl Middlesex out.

The current Middlesex lead is 86.

They have a new ball due after this first post-tea over, bowled by Alex Thomson to Ryan Higgins.

The Middlesex all rounder is 32 not out and his wicket is surely key for both teams.

Zafar Gohar has looked a bit skittish at times but he's still there on 16 not out.

Derbyshire 472 - Andersson 107, Lloyd 93, Reece 60 v Middlesex 315 - Geddes 59, Davies 54, du Plooy 52, Chappell 4-55 & 243-6 f/o - Holden 94, Eskinazi 61, Higgins 32*

Middlesex lead by 86 runs with four wickets remaining.

Results

Division One

Surrey 367 - Burns 76, Lawrence 55* & 36-2 v Somerset 283 & 119 - Pretorius 54, Worrall 3-16 - Surrey win by 8 wickets

Notts 300 & 148-1 Hameed 62*, Duckett 59* v Sussex 169 & 278 - Haines 64, Simpson 74, Ahmed 4-54 - Notts win by 9 wickets

Worcestershire 162 & 81 - Raine 4-20, Codi Yusuf 4-26 v Durham 136 & 108-4 - Durham win by six wickets

Division Two

Gloucestershire 252 & 152 - Price 43, Holland 4-32 v Leicestershire 262 & 146-8 - Cox 47, Goodman 4-33 - Leicestershire win by 2 wickets

Dave Fletcher
BBC Radio Derby Sport

A good afternoon for Derbyshire with three wickets but Ryan Higgins is holding them up.

There will be 36 overs in the evening session, with Middlesex leading by 86.

Derbyshire need four quick wickets for a chance to force a victory.

The evening session promises to be a thriller, don't go anywhere...