<
>

Middlesex make it four in a row as Ethan Bamber seals final-day spoils

Ethan Bamber claimed a four-wicket haul Getty Images

Middlesex 144 and 247 (Simpson 59, Morris 6-52) beat Worcestershire 171 (Baker 61*, Murtagh 5-64) and 119 (Roderick 42*, Bamber 4-28) by 101 runs

Ethan Bamber's four wickets led the charge as Middlesex beat Worcestershire by 101 runs to record four consecutive wins in a County Championship season for the first time in 26 years.

The young seamer passed 50 first-class wickets for the season in returning 4 for 28 as Worcester fell well short in their quest for 221 despite a battling 42 not out from Gareth Roderick.

Martin Andersson was also among the wickets for the Seaxes with 3 for 22, all this after Middlesex were bowled out for 247 in their second innings early on the final day, Charlie Morris taking 6 for 52.

After Tuesday's washout Middlesex resumed on 233 for 6 and capitulated quickly. Joe Leach had John Simpson caught at slip without adding to his 59 before Morris took centre-stage trapping Roland-Jones lbw and finding the edge of Luke Hollman's bat, the youngster distraught at falling four short of a maiden first-class 50. When Tim Murtagh skied one to square leg to give Morris his sixth wicket the hosts had lost four for eight in 20 balls.

Needing 221, the visitors were soon in trouble, Bamber claiming the prize wicket of Jake Libby caught behind for 6, the opener still five short of 1000 first-class runs for the season.

It should have been two in two, umpire Neil Bainton turning down a huge lbw appeal against new batsman Roderick despite replays suggesting he was plumb, but compensation came quickly when Daryl Mitchell fenced a wide one from Murtagh to Sam Robson at slip in the next over.

Roland-Jones struck in his first over, bowling Jack Haynes with a beauty between bat and pad which plucked out the off-stump and when Brett D' Oliveira miscued Roland-Jones to mid-off shortly after lunch the visitors were 51 for 4.

Roderick though continued to make the most of his early reprieve, passing 5000 first-class runs and with Ed Barnard unfurling a flurry of boundaries runs began to flow.

Skipper Murtagh turned to Andersson in search of a breakthrough and the all-rounder immediately obliged removing Barnard caught behind and three balls later he pinned Ben Cox lbw with one which kept low.

Then it was Bamber's turn to take two in an over, first yorking skipper Leach before castling Josh Baker, so making sure he couldn't repeat his first-innings heroics.

Andersson splayed the stumps again to send Morris on his way, before fittingly Bamber had last man Dillon Pennington caught behind to seal victory.

Worcs 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st12DKH MitchellJD Libby
2nd8DKH MitchellGH Roderick
3rd19GH RoderickJA Haynes
4th12GH RoderickBL D'Oliveira
5th43GH RoderickEG Barnard
6th4OB CoxGH Roderick
7th15J LeachGH Roderick
8th2GH RoderickJO Baker
9th3GH RoderickCAJ Morris
10th1GH RoderickDY Pennington

County Championship

Division 1
TeamMWLDPT
NOTTS431068
LANCS421157
WARKS421156
HANTS421153
YORKS412140
SOM404014
Division 2
TeamMWLDPT
ESSEX430177
GLOUC431064
DURH311140
NHNTS412138
SUR301227
GLAM403123
Division 3
TeamMWLDPT
KENT440083
MIDDX431067
WORCS422049
LEICS412143
DERBS412142
SUSS404018
Group 1
TeamMWLDPT
NOTTS10424151
WARKS10415145
DURH10325132
ESSEX10325129
WORCS10136109
DERBS1005572
Group 2
TeamMWLDPT
SOM10415148
HANTS10424145
GLOUC10532131
SUR10226123
LEICS10244111
MIDDX1027184
Group 3
TeamMWLDPT
LANCS10415150
YORKS10514149
GLAM10226127
NHNTS10334123
KENT1003797
SUSS1015494