Summary

  • Middlesex beat Nottinghamshire by four wickets in thrilling finish at Lord's.

  • Kasey Aldridge hits unbeaten half-century as Somerset draw with Lancashire

  • Kent and Essex draw with no play possible on final day

  • Durham have to settle for draw because of rain, with Glamorgan 104-6 after following on

  • Division Two matches at Worcester and Hove abandoned as draws.

  1. Postpublished at 17:44 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 198-4 (Target 249) - 10 overs left

    Another fine Middlesex contribution. Holden made 53 off 57 balls, but the pressure is on here as Simpson has only faced five and Higgins has only just begun his own knock.

    Broad is leg side and Simpson gets a bit of bat on it. Four to fine leg.

    Tested down the leg side again as Simpson pulls and misses.

    But eight off the over nonetheless.

  2. Middlesex chasing first Division One win for 2040 dayspublished at 17:44 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 198-4 (Target 249)

    If successful with this run chase, Middlesex would win a Division One Championship game for the first time since 21 September 2017.

    That day, Steven Finn took 8-79 as they beat Lancashire by 36 runs at Lord's.

    That was 2,040 days ago!

    Steven Finn playing for MiddlesexImage source, Rex Features
  3. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Holden c Clarke b Broad 53 (Middlesex 192-4 - Target 249 - 10.4 overs left)

    Holden goes for the pull and sprints for a well run two.

    Out!

    Another leg side ball is guided to keeper Joe Clarke behind the stumps, diving to his right.

    Four down - and Notts are still in this contest.

    Ryan Higgins - your county needs you.

  4. 6 runs

    Postpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 190-3 (Target 249) 11 overs left

    Slog sweep on bended knee played by Simpson and the Mullaney delivery sails over mid wicket for six!

    That ball must have gone into the middle tier at least.

    Middlesex cruising it at the moment.

  5. 50 runs

    50 for Max Holdenpublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 180-3 (Target 249) - 11.4 overs left

    Max HoldenImage source, Rex Features

    The umpires appear to have had a brief chat about the light. But we're still playing.

    Another fine effort by a Middlesex batter as Holden taps the ball away in front of square leg for one to get to 50 off 54 balls with five fours.

  6. Postpublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 179-3 (Target 249) - 12 overs left

    Broad's second ball is leg side - and there are five in the deep, so Holden can only get it away for one.

    One more pulled to long leg by Simpson - and that's his first run.

    Holden hooks and misses a couple of sharp bouncers but he connects with the last ball and pulls to long leg for one to move to 49.

  7. GLAMORGAN DRAW WITH DURHAMpublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Glamorgan 305 & 104-6 v Durham 471-9 dec

    Martin Emmerson
    BBC Radio Newcastle

    A heavy burst of rain late on the final afternoon saw Durham’s game in Cardiff end in a draw. Glamorgan, who were following on, were 1still 63 runs away from making Durham bat again when it rained just after 5.00pm. At the time 22 overs remained.

    Groundstaff managed to cover half the square, but strangely did not bother with the other half, leaving it open to the elements.

    In the meantime they went off to cover another part of the field instead and the umpires ruled there would be no more play.

    It was a bitter disappointment for Durham who came so close to forcing a win in a match where 165 overs were lost to the weather.

  8. Frustration as New Road match denied natural endingpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Worcestershire (157 & 51-4) draw with Gloucestershire (231 & 226-4 dec)

    Gloucestershire head coach Dale Benkenstein was pleased with his side's recovery from 45-7 on the opening morning, only for bad weather to spoil their chance of a first win of the season today.

    "The positives are that we are playing some really good cricket, getting into these positions where we want to be," he said.

    "It would be nice to finish these situations off but that isn't in our hands."

    With Worcestershire 51-4 when the rain intervened, it was a bit of a let-off for the Pears, although head coach Alan Richardson was disappointed it could not have been drawn in a proper manner.

    He said: "You have to try and dodge the showers and it's frustrating, I guess more so for Gloucestershire than us if I'm honest. But again weather intervenes in a game of cricket."

  9. Postpublished at 17:29 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 176-3 (Target 249) - 13 overs left

    Shame. Pieter Malan made 61 off 71 and perished with a high risk shot when Notts were on the defensive.

    He's done more than enough to bring the equation down to manageable numbers though.

    Broad is back on.

  10. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Malan c Slater b Mullaney 61 (Middlesex 176-3 - Target 249 - 13.1 overs left)

    Malan tries a reverse sweep against Mullaney but can't get it away and there's no run.

    The fifth ball is short... and smashed to Ben Slater at deep mid wicket.

    The wicket comes out of nowhere and there may be a twist here yet.

    Jon Simpson to bat next.

  11. Postpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 175-2 (Target 249) - 14 overs left

    A nervous moment for Holden who almost drags on and the ball squirts away to fine leg for four byes.

    The next ball is gently pushed down the ground for a single.

    A slog sweep attempt and a miss by Malan - and the LBW shout is turned down.

    Three more byes as the Notts spinner drifts leg side again.

    A push and run off the last ball and Malan has to dive to avoid a run out at the keeper's end.

  12. Postpublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 166-2 (Target 249) - 15 overs left

    Good bowling from Mullaney, bowling a tight line and nibbling the ball off the seam.

    But the fourth ball is a bit wider and hammered through deep cover just wide of Hameed by Holden for two.

    Two more to deep cover.

  13. rain stops play

    Weather worsens in Cardiffpublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Glamorgan 305 & 104-6 v Durham 471-9 dec

    It's raining now at Sophia Gardens and the covers are out.

    On the one hand, Durham might see this as a welcome breather, but they won't want too many overs to go AWOL with just four wickets needed for victory - assuming Glamorgan don't score the 62 they need to make the visitors bat again.

    If they don't get out there again, you would imagine will feel as sick as Gloucestershire and Yorkshire, who were both denied by the weather.

  14. Postpublished at 17:15 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 160-2 (Target 249) - 16 overs left

    Late cut to backward point off Patterson-White - and that's four!

    Super shot from Pieter Malan.

    Seven off the over in total. Are you nervous yet?

  15. Postpublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 153-2 (Target 249) - 17 overs left

    Notts captain Steven Mullaney has brought himself on to bowl.

    Malan whips the ball to backward square for one - and Holden drives through cover to bring up the innings 150.

    They've only been out there for 22.2 overs!

    Five runs in the over without any undue risk from the batters. Notts are under the pump.

  16. 50 runs

    50 for Pieter Malanpublished at 17:08 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 146-2 (Target 249) - 18.3 overs left

    It's getting a little bit gloomy at Lord's but we're fine to play for now.

    Malan reaches a fine 50 with a hit to long on for a single.

    54 balls, two fours and one six.

  17. Bad light stops play in Cardiffpublished at 17:06 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Glamorgan 305 & 104-6 v Durham 471-9 dec

    Short cover, silly mid-off and silly mid-on, Durham are really ringing the changes in the field to try and induce further errors from Glamorgan.

    Dan Douthwaite survives, with partner Billy Root on 23, but the umpires reach for their light meters and they are going off.

    BBC Radio Wales Sport's Nick Webb thinks this will be a brief interruption. Let's hope so.

  18. Postpublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 143-2 (Target 249) - 19 overs left

    Shot! James concedes his first four as a full ball wide of off stump is drilled through cover by Holden.

    Single off the second ball.

    The floodlights are on now and James drops just short of a length.

    Malan is forward to pull to the on side for four, beautifully dissecting the field.

    A slog and a miss outside off comes in the fifth ball. Steady on. Middlesex are very much in touch here.

  19. Postpublished at 17:01 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    And so we have two games left and both are building up to exciting finishes. Stay with us.

  20. Postpublished at 17:01 British Summer Time 23 April 2023

    Middlesex 133-2 (Target 249) - 20 overs left

    Patterson-White gets away with a full toss outside off stump which is hit through cover for two.

    Could easily have been more.

    A tap to long on by Malan brings up the 50 partnership for the 3rd wicket off 50 balls.