Young Middlesex guns go for it, but D’ Oliveira and Hannon-Dalby put Worcestershire on top at Lords

Consistency was the watch word stressed at the Middlesex Media Day ahead of the season opening victory over Gloucestershire. Consistency – a much desired, but often illusive commodity that defines top teams and slips elusively from those beneath them. Can Middlesex find it with back to back Lord’s wins, or will Worcestershire, who shipped runs at Derbyshire, but held on for a gutsy draw, dent early season home optimism.

With a green looking wicket set well towards the Mound Stand, Middlesex were encouraged Middlesex to bowl. Conditions somewhat brighter than they had been when put in a week ago.

A stylish Daniel Lategan square drive got Worcestershire moving with a boundary off the first over from Toby Roland Jones who opened from the Pavilion End.

Morgan shows Murtagh class from the Nursery End

The first two balls from young Seb Morgan, a star for England in the Under 19 World Cup, zipped past the outside edge of Jake Libby’s bat though, as Middlesex looked to strike early having opted to bowl. They only had to wait until the first ball of Morgan’s second over. A perfect ‘Nursery End delivery’ on a challenging length nipped down the slope and back cartwheeled Libby’s off stump. It was fair to say that the eighteen year old Morgan had his number and I would strongly suspect Middlesex bowling coach Tim Murtagh, previous sitting tenant of the Nursery End, will have been nodding in appreciation.

Roland Jones was not quite clicking but had a huge shout against Lategan that gave umpire pause for thought before judging that ball may just have been sliding down.

After a wicketless but probing spell from Roland Jones, a change of bowling at the Pavilion End saw Ryan Higgins trap the dangerous Lategan for 31 and leave Worcestershire 40/2. With the wisdom acquired through years of experience, Roland Jones will know that is how life sometimes goes, but for Higgins it was reward for his usual relentless accuracy.

A cracking Cracknell diving catch followed as 20 year old Naavya Sharma and the Lords slope accounted for Adam Hose for 11 and left Worcestershire were 56 for 3.

Sam Robson had put down a sharp chance off Kashif Ali, but to Middlesex and particularly Sam Robson’s relief, he had only added four more when bowled by Higgins whose nip backer found the top of his off stump from the Pavilion End to reduce the Pears to 60 for 4. Middlesex were sniffing blood and sure enough, wicket keeper Gareth Roderick had only faced a run less six balls before he became the second victim of the Sharma/Cracknell combination and five Pears had fallen from the tree for 61.

Worcestershire had shown commendable resistance against Derbyshire though and led by captain Brett D ‘Oliveira set about stabilising a perilous situation here. Together with Ethan Brooks, brother of Middlesex’s Henry, the score moved past three figures before Brooks finally provided success for Roland Jones as he tickled the ball into the hands of Josh de Caires at first slip. Worcestershire were 106 for 6 and very quickly for seven, when Sharma at wide mid-on arrowed in a direct hit and Waite who was never going to make his ground was gone without adding to the score.

Brett D’ Oliveira leads from the front for Worcestershire

D’ Oliveira moved relentlessly on though, passing his fifty in some style with lovely straight drive off Higgins and away to the Pavilion before the timely introduction of spin in the shape of Zafar Gohar accounted for stubborn Tom Taylor, edging to Cracknell for a resilient 19. Neither Worcestershire nor D’ Oliveira were done yet though and Adam Finch provided some sold support for his captain before the Worcester captain, who at 8 down had decided to go on the attack and smashed two sixes in the process, perished attempting a third and was safely held by Holden at deep cover off Morgan.  Adam Finch and the perennial Oliver Hannon-Dalby added eleven more before a Higgins nip backer accounted for Finch and finished the job.

With Worcestershire all out for 191, Middlesex will certainly have felt that the decision to bowl was justified and but for the excellence of D’ Oliveira Worcestershire would have been in a very sorry state. However, this was a distinctly spicier wicket than last week’s against Gloucestershire where the home side had notched 445 for 9.

Could Middlesex now muster that much craved consistency? It was immediately evident that it would not be easy in bowler friendly conditions. Josh de Caires thick edge was dropped at second slip off a ball that sped on for four to compound the Worcester misfortune.

Tom Taylor had picked up 3 wickets but for costly 160 runs in Derbyshire, but struck early when Sam Robson appeared to check a cover drive and chipped back to him 16 for 1 and no runs added when Hannon Dalby drew an edge from de Caires that was held by Roderick to have Middlesex reeling on 16 for 2.

The much desired consistency also eluded Leus du Plooy and just before the flood lights popped into life to illuminate the gathering gloom, his loose attempt to cut Worcestershire born Adam Finch instead provide Roderick his second catch. From hunters to hunted, Middlesex were now 32 for 3 as old jitters returned.

Holden was tested to his limits as Worcestershire sought a fourth that would have them feeling on very much on top. Ben Geddes for a while was more fluent before Holden also found his range and together they move Middlesex past 50 and onto 86 but then a treble whammy threated to undo the young gun’s good work. Holden was dropped on 25 at second slip off Brookes but soon after Geddes on 34 edged Hannnon-Dalby to Adam Hose at 2^nd slip. Holden followed, having not added to his 25, also edging into the eager hands of Adam Hose and suddenly Middlesex were 86 for 6. Worse was to follow when the out of form Higgins was bowled by Hannon Dalby for 2. It was his third wicket and suddenly, a day that seemed to be looking good for Middlesex had lurched in very much the opposite direction, with Middlesex 88 for 6.

With Joe Cracknell and Zafar Gohar at the crease, the umpires conferred, somewhat  belatedly some Middlesex followers will have grumbled and at 91 for 6 the players left the field.

Consistency can indeed be illusive and Middlesex, exactly 100 behind and with just four wickets remaining, will be desperately hoping that Joe Cracknell and Zafar Gohar can find the same resistance tomorrow that Brett D’ Oliveira mustered for the visitors today.