Poysden’s maiden five-for checks Middlesex

Warwickshire 1 for 0 trail Middlesex 242 (Malan 57, Poysden 5-53, Wright 4-41) by 241 runsScorecard

If Middlesex, the narrow Division One leaders, are to end their 23-year wait to claim the County Championship title for the 11th time outright they will do so via a difficult route, having to negotiate three away fixtures even before they contemplate a potentially decisive finale against Yorkshire.

Lancashire at Old Trafford, where they secured a draw to avoid relegation only a couple of years ago, will not be easy, and they can expect even hapless Nottinghamshire, where they travel next week, to be fighting for survival. Yet this one might be the biggest test, even though Warwickshire have not won at Edgbaston all season.

They have a depleted side, for one thing. George Bailey has left to join Australia’s one-day squad in Sri Lanka, and the expected return of Adam Voges for the title run-in has been blocked by Cricket Australia, who want him to rest after picking up a hamstring injury. Steven Finn remains sidelined with injury, though he is back in training and may feature at Notts. There is no Eoin Morgan, of course, but Ireland’s call on Paul Stirling and Tim Murtagh has not been well received.

For another, Warwickshire have prepared a pitch – the same one used for both Twenty20 Finals Day and the 50-over semi-final earlier this week – for turn, selecting both Jeetan Patel and Josh Poysden, the legspinner, who excelled himself by completing his first five-wicket haul even before Patel had claimed one. Middlesex have countered by …

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