On Jubilee Tuesday, Middlesex start their 5th home game of the season at Lord's, this time against Sussex. For the first time this season Middlesex won the toss and fielded first.
Ninth ball of the day, Alex Barrow was tucked up by a short ball from Corey Collymore finding the edge for John Simpson to take a great diving catch to go for nought, 0-1. Then Nick Compton, scorer of 1000 runs this season, left an inswinger from Tim Murtagh which trimmed the off bail, Somerset 1-2 inside three overs. Arul Suppiah and James Hildreth then showed some lasting power, albeit with luck, as runs came about slowly with the run rate at 2 an over. Toby Roland-Jones then got one to skid past Suppiah's prod to be bowled for 15, 45-3. Craig Kieswetter came in and batted out until lunch. After lunch, runs began to flow as Kieswetter played some powerful drives and pulls, bringing up the 50 partnership in a good fightback. Hildreth found the going easier against the older ball and he reached 50 off 108 balls with 5 fours, as Somerset passed 100. Corey Collymore pulled up with a knee injury one ball into the 47th over, meaning Gareth Berg had to complete the over, and Hildreth swung and edged the last ball behind for 58, Middlesex back ahead with Somerset 125-4. The rain then came two overs later, at 130-4, and it didn't stop, so the play was called off at 4:40, and with the forecast dodgy for the next three days, it couold be hard for one side to force a result.
There was one last thing, the aircraft from the royal flypast flew over the Grand stand, a great sight for those of us left at Lord's in the rain.
