Rayner and Franklin take command for Middlesex

Middlesex 100 for 1 trail Durham 204 (Rayner 4-17, Franklin 3-26) by 104 runs Scorecard

Graham Onions had bowled a spell of high quality, jagging the ball around in the evening sunshine. He had taken one wicket, but Durham were still far behind the match, and the umpires had stubbornly ignored his furious gesticulating when appealing for several lbw shouts. Then, in the fifth-last over of the day, he elicited an edge from Nick Gubbins’ bat behind. Onions’ exuberant leap in the air spoke of his joy and relief at claiming another wicket. This, though, would soon give way to howls of despair: Gubbins was spilled by Michael Richardson behind the stumps, and Onions was left punching the air in anger and disbelief.

The next delivery, Nick Compton pushed a ball into the off side; Gubbins prematurely hared towards the striker’s end, leaving Durham the chance of a run-out. The stumps were missed, and Durham’s frustration intensified.

In the next over, Chris Rushworth found the edge of Compton’s bat. This time Scott Borthwick, at second slip, spilled a hard, low chance. It was Middlesex’s third reprieve within five minutes: no howls of Durham anguish this time, only quiet despair that their admirable bowling had earned so little reward.

Durham’s day had all begun so well. After five consecutive draws at Lord’s, there is a distinct tinge of green to this Lord’s pitch. Add in cloud cover, and one fancied Durham to refrain from tossing at all. Instead Paul Collingwood elected to bat, allowing Middlesex to bowl, just as they had intended.

Yet initially Collingwood was vindicated. The sight of Ollie …

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