County Championship 2022 Division II | Middlesex top the points table with a dominating win against Leicestershire

It was a perfect performance from the home team at Lord’s, wherein they secured a dominating victory by 10 wickets against Leicestershire on Day 3. 

Foxes started the day on 37/3, with Samuel Evans and Wiaan Mulder at the crease. With only two overs being bowled in the morning session, Ethan Bamber induced an edge off Evans, which was caught at second slip by the captain Peter Handscomb. 

After this wicket, Mulder displayed fine composure along with the wicket-keeper, Harry Swindells. Both survived and thrived against the lethal pace attack of Middlesex and raised a 59-run stand. 

In the 37th over of the game, Toby Roland Jones caught Swindells off-guard and dismissed him for a score of 26 off 75 balls. 

Soon, in the 2nd session, Mulder was holed out to Hollman at deep square leg off Shaheen Afridi for a well-made 58 off 109 balls, which provided confidence to the batting department. 

After that, a counter-attack from Ben Mike and Ed Barnes was the highlight of the Day 3 action. The duo slammed every bowler all around the park to stitch a 98-run stand before Hollman dismissed Barnes for 36 off 58 balls. 

His dismissal was a one-off affair, with Mike retaining the strike on most occasions in the next 8-10 overs. However, Chris Wright and Callum Parkinson could not pose much resistance, and the team was dismissed at a score of 272, with a lead of 51. 

At the end of the innings, Mike remained unbeaten and registered his highest score of 99 in first-class cricket. Afridi and Jones picked up three wickets each for Middlesex, while Hollman and Bamber returned with 2-a-piece. 

The home team's openers, Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman remained unbeaten on 30 and 22 respectively and chased down the score in 10 overs. 

With this victory, Middlesex has topped the points table with 2 wins in 3 matches, and Leicestershire is at seventh position with no wins in 4 appearances. 

Brief Scores: 

Middlesex- 52/0 in 10.3 overs (2nd innings)

Mark Stoneman 30*, Sam Robson 22* 

Leicestershire - 272/10 in 76.5 overs (2nd innings)

Ben Mike 99*, Wiaan Mulder 58

Toby Roland-Jones 3/67, Shaheen Afridi 3/93

Middlesex - 370/10 in 110.2 overs (1st innings) 

Mark Stoneman 108, John Simpson 71

Ben Mike 4/15

Leicestershire - 149 all-out in 56.5 overs (1st innings)

Callum Parkinson 25, Beuran Hendricks 22; 

Shaheen Afridi 3/54, Tom Helm 3/23