Middlesex claimed their second win of the season with a six-wicket triumph over Lancashire on a dramatic third day of the County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.
A superb bowling performance saw Naavya Sharma register a career-best four for 17, while Ryan Higgins took four for 27 as the home side were dismissed for just 84. This marked Middlesex’s first victory at Old Trafford since 1996.
Chasing 117 for victory, the visitors encountered some trouble when they slipped to 64 for four shortly after lunch. However, Ben Geddes produced a brilliant unbeaten 73 off 70 balls to guide Middlesex home with relative ease. Higgins remained not out on seven, adding an unbroken 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Geddes.
The result lifted Middlesex above Lancashire in the Division Two standings, though final positions will only become clear once the current round of fixtures concludes.
The morning session proved most dramatic as Middlesex continued their domination of Lancashire’s second innings from where they left off on Saturday. Resuming at 45 for three, Lancashire lost their remaining seven wickets for just 39 runs, with the last six falling for 21 in 10.1 overs.
Sharma claimed the headlines by taking three wickets in his first over and four in ten balls, ending with figures of four for 17 from 4.4 overs. Yet it was a collective effort from all four bowlers in Leus du Plooy’s attack.
Higgins began the day by dismissing Marcus Harris caught behind by Harry Duke for one in the second over. Toby Roland-Jones then trapped Michael Jones for 10 and bowled nightwatchman Mitch Stanley for eight, clipping the off-stump bail before the leg-stump bail fell.
Lancashire found themselves at a precarious 64 for six, but the real drama was still to come. Replacing Roland-Jones at the Brian Statham End, Sharma struck with his first ball, having Michael Hurst caught at slip by Higgins for seven. He then trapped Tom Hartley caught behind for a golden duck with his next delivery, and Tom Bailey was pouched at slip by du Plooy off his sixth ball. Sharma sealed his career-best return in his following over when Chris Green skied to Roland-Jones at deep mid-on.
Lancashire’s innings ended on 84, their lowest total against Middlesex at Old Trafford since 1935. Nightwatchman Stanley spent the longest at the crease, facing 51 balls for his eight runs across 71 minutes.
Set 117 to win, Middlesex opened positively. All four Lancashire seamers conceded heavy runs as the visitors reached 57 for two after 9.1 overs at lunch.
Middlesex accepted the loss of two wickets as acceptable collateral damage. Sam Robson was caught at midwicket by Bailey off George Balderson for 14, and Max Holden was caught down the leg side by Hurst off Stanley for nine.
But the dismissal of du Plooy caught behind for one, just five balls after the resumption, tested their composure. When Caleb Falconer was also caught by Hurst off Stanley for a first-ball duck on debut, Middlesex stood at 64 for four, and Lancashire’s bowlers threatened a miraculous comeback.
Instead, Geddes reached a well-judged 50 from 47 balls, including five fours and two pulled sixes, both off Stanley, and the extraordinary match concluded shortly after.
