Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, Seat Distinctive Stadium, Bristol (day 4)
Middlesex 326 & 326: Duke 94, Robson 92; Langridge 5-87
Gloucestershire 296: Ahmed 90* & 145-9: Ahmed 42; Roland-Jones 4-30
Gloucestershire (12 pts) drew with Middlesex (13 pts)
Middlesex had been pissed off by the Bristol climate of their pursuit of victory over Gloucestershire on the ultimate day of the County Championship Division Two match on the Seat Distinctive Stadium.
Chasing 362 to win, Gloucestershire subsided to 145-9 and had been getting ready to a tenth defeat in 13 pink ball video games when rain saved them.
Seamers Toby Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins had taken 4-30 and 3-35 respectively, just for the defiant last-wicket pair of Matt Taylor (16 not out) and JT Langridge to carry out for seven overs earlier than umpires Hassan Adnan and Ben Pevarall took the gamers off at 16:10 BST with 41 overs nonetheless obtainable.
Harry Duke had earlier usual an enterprising 94 from 116 deliveries as Middlesex posted 361 of their second innings.
Langridge took three of the final 4 wickets to fall to complete with 5-87, his second five-for in as many matches for Gloucestershire.
Enjoying their closing match forward of Sunday’s One-Day Cup closing in opposition to Leicestershire at Trent Bridge, Middlesex took 13 factors, whereas Gloucestershire had been lucky to emerge with 12 from their first draw of the season.
Middlesex resumed their second innings on 298-6, a lead of 328.
Having raised a cautious half century the earlier night, Duke did his finest to enliven proceedings, smashing Langridge over the long-off boundary for six.
The on-loan Somerset seamer responded by persuading Zafar Gohar to flash at a short-pitched supply and provide a catch behind.
Unperturbed, Duke continued to put down the regulation, pulling Taylor behind sq. for one more six as he continued to maneuver by means of the gears.
Sebastian Morgan got here and went shortly, pulling Taylor excessive to Kamran Dhariwal at deep mid-wicket, whereas Langridge bowled Roland-Jones within the subsequent over to additional cut back the guests to 343-9.
Duke was by now in full-on one-day mode, ramping consecutive Taylor deliveries for 4, solely to then pull a supply from Langridge straight to deep mid-wicket in pursuit of the six that may have introduced him a second hundred in as many matches.
Langridge had higher purpose to be glad after registering his second five-wicket haul in his third Gloucestershire look.
Middlesex instantly utilized stress with the brand new ball, Higgins getting one to nip again and bowl Ollie Value between bat and pad within the second over. Roland-Jones then pinned Joe Phillips in entrance with a supply that saved low and Miles Hammond opened the face and guided the following ball to Sam Robson at second slip, bagging a pair as Gloucestershire slumped to 18-3.
James Bracey drove Higgins by means of the covers to lift a thousand first-class runs for the second successive season, however Tommy Boorman fell later in the identical over, pushing tentatively at a supply from Higgins and providing a low catch to a tumbling Roland-Jones at third slip.
When the ever-present Roland-Jones trapped Bracey lbw within the subsequent over, shell-shocked Gloucestershire had been 36-5 and staring down the barrel.
Dhariwal and Daz Ahmed mustered resistance of types in a sixth-wicket stand of 41, just for the previous to play on and succumb to Danru Ferns for 15 as the house aspect limped to 77-6 at lunch.
The seventh wicket pair of Ahmed and Ed Middleton superior the rating to 111-6 earlier than rain moved in, inflicting the lack of an hour and 20 minutes and 16 overs, throughout which period tea was taken.
Higgins shortly made up for misplaced time, drawing Middleton right into a shot and Duke taking a regulation catch behind. Roland-Jones then had Ahmed expertly held by Caleb Falconer at further cowl for 42 as the house aspect continued to subside. Middlesex turned to spin thereafter, Zafar eradicating Sai Kishore lbw earlier than gentle rain returned to pressure the gamers off for a closing time.
Rain continued to fall and the umpires took the choice to desert at 17:25 BST.
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