Middlesex began the Championship campaign by taking on Notts at Lord's, and it was a fairly even day as Notts finished 298-9 with Brendan Taylor making a Championship debut hundred and James Harris taking four wickets.
Notts won the toss and batted, and Steve Mullaney and Taylor did well to last the opening burst from Murtagh and Finn who got some sharp movement on a good pitch. After that runs were easier to find against Helm and Harris, but were helped out by the slips as first Malan and then Voges put down Mullaney both times off Helm. Mullaney failed to capitalise as he dragged on off Helm for 22 and Alex Hales soon followed prodding a ball to Murtagh at cover and setting off for the single to run out for a duck from the direct hit.
Now James Taylor came to the crease and he helped Brendan forge the partnership of the innings.
After lunch Brendan completed 50 and pushed on, making batting look easy as first Harris, then Helm gave too many loose balls which were gleefully plundered. Brendan raced through the 90s and completed his hundred from 160 balls with a push through cover. Finally a break came just before tea, as James hashed a pull to Gubbins at cover, it looked a worse shot as Samit Patel was LBW three balls later. Riki Wessels made one, before he became Harris's third victim and finally Brendan was sent packing by Harris for 106 as an amazing spell of 4-1 in 11 balls had dragged Middlesex out of the miasma as 180-2 became 183-6.
Will Gidman nearly went first ball but only made nine to give Helm a 2nd and Vernon Philander walked past a Voges off break to be stumped.
It looked like Middlesex would keep the score down, but Chris Read swung the day back towards Notts as he found an able ally in Jake Ball and then Harry Gurney as he made a battling 50 getting more expansive and celebrated by walloping Helm into the Grand Stand for six and then a one bounce four as he finished the day on 62 not out and Gurney on 8. Middlesex will be looking for the quick last wicket and then some solid top order batting, especially from the returning Nick Compton as Dawid Malan spent most of the afternoon off the field with a likely broken finger (after dropping another catch) and looked unlikely to bat.
