MATCH RESULT - DRAW
Middlesex 410 all out & 125/4 - 12 points
Glamorgan 288 all out - 9 points
Rain washed away hopes of a final-day run chase at Radlett as Middlesex and Glamorgan were forced to settle for a draw.
Middlesex, who held a 247-run advantage when play was halted with 58 overs scheduled to be bowled, appeared to be toying with the idea of setting their visitors a target.
But the bad weather that had already disrupted days one and three returned to dispel any possibility of a positive outcome to the inaugural County Championship fixture at Cobden Hill.
The draw leaves Middlesex with just one victory from their first seven Championship games, while Glamorgan remain undefeated this season and will go into the second half of the campaign occupying a promotion spot.
The initial target for the Welshmen, resuming at 274-9 in the morning, was to try and snatch an additional batting bonus point by hitting the 300 mark.
They fell 12 runs short of that despite the efforts of Graham Wagg, who eventually perished for 48 as he heaved a Tom Helm bouncer into the hands of Nick Gubbins, running in from the boundary.
However, Middlesex appeared reluctant to force the pace and build on their 122-run lead at the start of their second innings, with tight bowling by Marchant de Lange and Lukas Carey restricting them to only two boundaries in the first 15 overs.
Timm Van der Gugten made the breakthrough for the visitors, with Marnus Labuschagne snapping up Stevie Eskinazi (13) at point, while opening partner Sam Robson hit 36 before he fell to Charlie Hemphrey’s superbly-judged catch in the deep.
Gubbins did appear keen to accelerate proceedings, blazing four fours and a six in his breezy knock of 38 before he departed lbw, attempting to reverse-sweep Labuschagne (2-25).
Dawid Malan followed that up with 18 from as many deliveries, but he was caught behind off de Lange for the second time in the match as the home side struggled to gain traction.
Paul Stirling (8 not out) and George Scott (11no) advanced the Middlesex total to 125-4 from 33 overs before light drizzle developed into heavier rain and the players left the field at 2.15pm.
Umpires Graham Lloyd and Neil Bainton eventually abandoned the contest at 4pm, with Middlesex taking 12 points to Glamorgan’s nine.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
TEA - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 410 all out & 125/4
Glamorgan 288 all out
Middlesex and Glamorgan look on course for a draw at Radlett after the rain returned to delay a potential run chase on the fourth afternoon.
Only nine overs were bowled in the post-lunch session, with the home side adding 40 runs in that time to advance their second-innings total to 125-4.
That gave Middlesex an overall lead of 247 with a scheduled 58 overs still to be bowled, but the weather looks unlikely to give them the opportunity of setting Glamorgan a target.
It took the home side only three overs in the morning to wrap up Glamorgan’s first innings for 288, with Graham Wagg (48) missing out on a half-century when he skied Tom Helm into the hands of the diving Nick Gubbins on the boundary.
Middlesex struggled to gain any momentum when they batted again, despite Gubbins’ swift knock of 38 from 36 balls, ended when he was leg before trying to reverse-sweep Marnus Labuschagne.
Dawid Malan, who scored 18 at a run a ball, was the only other batsman to depart during the afternoon, edging Marchant de Lange behind.
Drizzle gave way to heavier rain soon afterwards and the players left the field at 2.15pm, with the tea interval brought forward to 3.10pm in the hope of restarting at some stage.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
LUNCH - DAY FOUR
Middlesex 410 all out & 85/2
Glamorgan 288 all out
Nick Gubbins hit a quickfire unbeaten 34 as Middlesex stretched their advantage over Glamorgan beyond 200 on the final morning at Radlett.
The home side reached lunch on 85-2, leading by 207, and may be weighing up a declaration – although, with rain forecast for the afternoon, a draw remains the most likely outcome.
It took Middlesex only three overs to polish off the visitors’ first innings, with Graham Wagg’s attempts to earn the Welshmen a third batting bonus point proving unsuccessful as they were bowled out for 288.
Having struck successive Steven Finn deliveries for four and six, Wagg was dismissed two short of his half-century, heaving Tom Helm’s bouncer to the boundary where Gubbins judged the diving catch perfectly.
Glamorgan gained two successes prior to the interval, with Stevie Eskinazi (13) falling to Marnus Labuschagne’s tumbling catch at point before Charlie Hemphrey ran in from the boundary to remove Sam Robson (36).
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
STUMPS - DAY THREE
Middlesex 410 all out
Glamorgan 274/9
Middlesex and Glamorgan look destined to share the spoils in Radlett’s inaugural County Championship fixture after rain restricted them to 48 overs on day three.
The prospects of a positive result rested mainly on Middlesex forcing the visitors to follow on, but Glamorgan’s ninth-wicket pair scrambled beyond that landmark to close on 274-9, still 136 runs adrift of their hosts’ total of 410.
Captain David Lloyd led the way with a knock of 59, ably supported by Tom Cullen (50) in a sixth-wicket stand of 86 before Graeme Wagg’s unbeaten 37 hauled Glamorgan away from danger.
Middlesex made it difficult for the Welshmen, with their attack spearheaded by a hostile display of fast bowling from Steven Finn, who recorded his first five-wicket haul of the campaign.
Glamorgan resumed at 112-3 in the morning, but soon found themselves under pressure after Finn captured two early wickets in a ferocious opening spell.
The Middlesex seamer unleashed one rising delivery that almost cut Billy Root (17) in half before his next ball, a gem of a yorker, uprooted both the off and middle stumps.
In his next over, Finn persuaded Owen Morgan (0) to edge an outswinger into the gloves of John Simpson, reducing Glamorgan to 118-5.
However, Cullen looked lively as he dispatched George Scott through the covers twice and, with Lloyd also scoring freely, the pair thwarted Middlesex’s hopes of getting among the tail.
The Glamorgan skipper progressed to his half-century, but his was the only other wicket to fall before lunch as he attempted to pull Finn and spooned the ball into the hands of Tom Helm.
Cullen followed suit after a brief rain delay, completing his third Championship half-century in five games before Paul Stirling’s introduction brought about two wickets in an over.
The off-spinner produced a ball that climbed on Cullen, who could only send it looping into the hands of close fielder Stevie Eskinazi – and he then tempted Marchant de Lange (4) into a big heave that was taken at deep mid-wicket.
At that stage, Glamorgan were still 28 runs short of avoiding the follow-on, but Wagg and Lukas Carey dug in and gradually brought that deficit down.
Wagg began to cut loose, driving Nathan Sowter over cover for six, but the leg-spinner was unlucky not to remove Carey in his next over, with the diving Sam Robson unable to cling onto a sharp chance at slip.
The pair ran two to finally banish all threat of the follow-on and, although Finn snatched his fifth wicket when Carey (12) slammed him to Scott at backward point, the heavens opened again soon afterwards.
Umpires Graham Lloyd and Neil Bainton eventually abandoned play for the day at 5pm.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
TEA - DAY THREE
Middlesex 410 all out
Glamorgan 274/9
Steven Finn collected his first five-wicket haul of the season – but it was not enough to force Glamorgan to follow on during a rain-affected afternoon at Radlett.
The Middlesex paceman’s endeavours were rewarded with figures of 5-64 as Glamorgan reached 274-9 when the rain returned to prompt an early tea interval.
By then, the visitors had clambered past the follow-on target of 261, largely thanks to Graeme Wagg’s undefeated 37 that followed earlier half-centuries from David Lloyd and Tom Cullen.
Finn prised out Billy Root (17) and Owen Morgan (0) early on before Lloyd and Cullen put on a partnership of 86 that was ended shortly before lunch – and the first shower of the day.
With only four overs lost during an elongated interval, Cullen advanced to his half-century from 103 deliveries soon after the resumption.
But he fell victim to Paul Stirling, who returned to the attack and got his second ball to spit, surprising Cullen who could only squirt it up into the hands of Stevie Eskinazi on the leg side.
Marchant de Lange replaced Cullen at the crease, striking his first ball for four – and, after another 25-minute stoppage for rain, heaved his third delivery to deep mid-wicket to leave Glamorgan in trouble at 233-8.
However, Wagg and Lukas Carey batted sensibly, nudging singles to bring the deficit down and it was the latter who eventually hauled his side past the follow-on target with an edge that eluded Sam Robson at slip and ran away for two.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
LUNCH - DAY THREE
Middlesex 410 all out
Glamorgan 214/6
Glamorgan captain David Lloyd registered his first County Championship half-century of the season as the visitors edged closer to avoiding the follow-on against Middlesex at Radlett.
Lloyd led Glamorgan’s fightback on the third morning, scoring 59 from 122 balls and sharing a sixth-wicket partnership of 86 with wicketkeeper Tom Cullen to steer his side to 214-6 at lunch in response to Middlesex’s total of 410.
Resuming at 112-3 overnight, Glamorgan were soon on the back foot following an early burst from Steven Finn.
The Middlesex paceman removed Billy Root (17) with an unplayable yorker that took out his off and middle stumps before having Owen Morgan (0) caught behind in his next over.
Cullen played an attacking role from the start and remained unbeaten on 44 when rain forced an early lunch – Lloyd having become Finn’s third victim of the morning when he miscued a pull shot to mid-wicket.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
STUMPS - DAY TWO
Middlesex 410 all out
Glamorgan 112/3
Centuries for Paul Stirling and Sam Robson put Middlesex firmly in charge after two days of their County Championship clash with Glamorgan at Radlett.
Stirling hit a County Championship career-best 138, his first 4-day century in almost two years, while Robson’s 107 was his first ton of the campaign.
In a quirk of fate, Ireland international Stirling’s previous career-best, 111 against Yorkshire in June, 2017 also came on a day when Robson hit three figures.
The duo’s efforts carried the hosts to 410 before the bowlers took over to reduce Glamorgan to 112-3 in an elongated final session.
Middlesex resumed at 151-3 with Robson 15 short of his century and while the former England man accumulated quietly, Stirling was typically aggressive.
An on-drive to mid-wicket took Robson to three figures, but soon afterwards Marnus Labuschagne spun one just enough to take the edge of the right-hander’s bat to give Tom Cullen his second catch of the innings.
Stirling pressed on and with George Scott providing good support, the pair added 76 either side of lunch before the latter was bowled offering no shot to one which came in a touch from outside off-stump.
This was Stirling first red-ball knock at first-class level since Ireland’s Test Match with Afghanistan in India back in March, but he played with authority, reaching his own century with a sumptuous drive down the ground – his 12th boundary.
To their credit, Glamorgan kept plugging away on a pitch offering less bounce than day one and a little bit of spin and eventually wickets began to fall with regularity.
John Simpson nicked Timm van der Gugten into the gloves of Cullen and then it was the turn of Labuschagne to take centre stage, pinning Tom Helm LBW with one which kept low before castling centurion Stirling nine short of what would have been his highest first-class score.
Nathan Sowter struck three boundaries in a breezy 28, but the end came swiftly after tea, Marchant de Lange (3-94) having the leg-spinner caught behind, before sending Tim Murtagh’s middle stump cartwheeling out the ground.
That left the visitors 35 overs to face and they made the worst possible start. Charlie Hemphrey pushed the second ball of the innings into the covers and called for a run, but non-striker Nick Sellman hesitated before setting off and wasn’t in the frame when Nick Gubbins’ direct hit sent him packing.
Labuschagne counter-attacked, producing a succession of boundaries, though he was given a life when edging one from Helm to Robson at first slip on 32, only for the umpire to call no-ball.
The Australian Test all-rounder made the most of the reprieve, moving to 50 from 57 balls, passing 700 runs for the season in the process, before the second wicket stand of 80 was ended by Murtagh who trapped Hemphrey in front.
New batsman Lloyd could have gone cheaply when flashing at a bouncing delivery from Steven Finn, Stevie Eskinazi just failing to cling on to what would been a blinder above his head.
However, the former England paceman gained ample compensation from the next delivery when Labuschagne (51) skied another ball which climbed on him, giving Stirling a simple catch at point.
There was still time for in-form Billy Root to be spilt at slip by Robson in the final over of the day, denying Sowter deserved reward for an excellent spell.
Nevertheless, Middlesex still have hopes of enforcing the follow-on on day three.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
TEA - DAY TWO
Middlesex 394/8
Paul Stirling struck a County Championship career-best as Middlesex raised a fourth batting point against Glamorgan on day two at Radlett.
The Ireland international, in his first Championship hit of the season, made 138 out of total of 394-8 at tea, surpassing his previous best of 111 made against Yorkshire at Lord’s almost exactly two years ago.
In a strange quirk of fate, as on that occasion against the Tykes, Stirling’s ton was made in the wake of a century for teammate Sam Robson (107).
Stirling and Robson resumed on 151-3 and while the former was aggressive from the get go, Robson made steady progress to his hundred from 190 balls with 10 fours. It was the former England man’s first century of the campaign.
Spinner Marnus Labuschagne made the breakthrough, finding enough spin to take the edge of the bat and give Tom Cullen his second catch of the innings.
George Scott (31), proved another staunch ally to Stirling either side of lunch, the pair sharing a stand of 76 before Scott was bowled by Lukas Carey, not offering a shot.
Stirling’s 12th boundary, a sublime off-drive brought him to three figures, but Glamorgan’s attack stuck at it and wickets began to fall at the other end.
John Simpson edged one to Cullen off Tim van der Gugten, before Labuschagne (3-39) struck twice, trapping Tom Helm in front and then bowling Stirling nine short of what would have been a first-class career-best.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
LUNCH - DAY TWO
Middlesex 272/4
Sam Robson’s first County Championship hundred of the season put Middlesex in control on the second morning of their game with Glamorgan at Radlett.
The former England opener made 107 as the hosts progressed to 272-4 in what is the first ever Championship match held at Cobden Hill.
Resuming on 85 not out, Robson moved steadily to three figures with the help of 10 fours, sharing a stand of 89 for the fourth wicket with Paul Stirling.
It took the introduction of spin in the shape of Marnus Labuschagne to make the breakthrough, turning one sufficiently to find the edge of Robson’s bat to give wicketkeeper Tom Cullen his second catch of the innings.
Stirling (85 not out), in his first Championship innings of the season, continued to play fluently, passing 50 with his seventh boundary.
The Ireland international shared a 50-partnership with George Scott and was in sight of a ton of his own when lunch was called.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
STUMPS - DAY ONE
Middlesex 151/3
Middlesex opener Sam Robson demonstrated his penchant for batting at Radlett again as he hit his highest first-class score of the season against Glamorgan.
Robson – whose only century of the campaign came at the same venue, against Somerset in the Royal London One-Day Cup – is closing in on a second ton, having compiled an unbeaten 85 on a truncated first day of County Championship cricket at the Cobden Hill ground.
As well as playing at Radlett, the 29-year-old clearly enjoys taking on the Glamorgan attack – he notched 79 against them in white-ball cricket earlier in the season – and his latest effort enabled Middlesex to post 151-3 from 51 overs after being put in to bat.
Rain in the morning postponed the arrival of first-class cricket at Radlett until 3pm, but it was little surprise that Glamorgan declined the toss of a coin and set about getting their bowlers warmed up.
The recalled Marchant de Lange found some movement during a tidy opening spell, getting Stevie Eskinazi to push forward and miss on more than one occasion as the opener struggled to get off the mark.
There were a few anxious moments for Eskinazi, who survived two lbw shouts by de Lange and was also dropped on 15, flashing hard outside off stump and getting a thick edge to third slip, where Charlie Hemphrey was unable to hold on.
Despite those chances, the opening pair added 77 and seemed set to remain in tandem at the tea interval – only for David Lloyd to strike with the final ball of the session, removing Eskinazi lbw for 31.
Nick Gubbins made a cagey start, getting under way with a bottom edge that flew to the boundary, but he managed just five before Graeme Wagg produced a ball that nipped back and pinned him leg before.
Dawid Malan might well have made an immediate return to the pavilion, opting to hook his first ball and watching in relief as it dropped short of Timm van der Gugten, fielding at long leg.
However, the Middlesex skipper (20) seemed to be into his stride and had just dispatched de Lange for a sweetly-driven boundary when he feathered one through to Tom Cullen, who sprang in front of first slip to take the catch.
Robson, having progressed to his half-century from 95 deliveries, continued to look strong on the off side and carved Lukas Carey for two boundaries to advance to 85 at the close, with Paul Stirling (3 not out) alongside him at the crease.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
TEA - DAY ONE
Middlesex 77/1
Middlesex lost opener Stevie Eskinazi on the stroke of tea after he and Sam Robson had put together a partnership of 77 against Glamorgan at Radlett.
David Lloyd made the breakthrough for the visitors, trapping Eskinazi leg before for 31 with the last ball before the interval on day one of their County Championship clash.
The start was delayed until 3pm following persistent showers during the morning but, with significant cloud cover remaining, it was no surprise that Glamorgan took up the option to bowl.
Robson looked strong off the back foot, cutting and driving Lukas Carey for a series of boundaries as he reached 42 not out.
Eskinazi made the slower start of the pair, pushing forward and missing a number of deliveries before he finally got off the mark and began to settle into his groove.
He survived a few close calls, including a leg glance that eluded the diving Tom Cullen and a thicker edge off Marchant de Lange that flew hard towards Charlie Hemphrey in the slips, but the fielder was unable to cling on.
Eskinazi lifted the Middlesex total past 50 by swatting a short ball from Carey to the leg-side boundary as Glamorgan continued to search for the breakthrough.
Graeme Wagg briefly limped off the field after being injured by a robust drive from Robson, but returned to bowl two overs prior to tea.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
LUNCH - DAY ONE
Radlett’s debut as a County Championship venue was delayed by a morning downpour that prevented any play before lunch on the first day of Middlesex’s clash with Glamorgan.
Lunch will be taken early at 12.30pm and it is hoped that an improved weather forecast will allow the match to get under way during the afternoon.
The Cobden Hill ground has never previously hosted a first-class game, although Middlesex have played one-day fixtures there regularly since 2013.
Match Updates provided by ECB Reporters Network.
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All the action from the final day at Radlett, as rain prevented any chance of a win against Glamorgan.
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On a rain affected third day at Radlett, Steven Finn secured his first 5 wicket haul of the season as Glamorgan closed on 274/9.
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Steven Finn speaks about his successful return to the Middlesex squad after injury, claiming figures of 5-64 as Glamorgan closed on 274/9 on Day Three.
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Both Sam Robson & Paul Stirling hit centuries on the second day of our Specsavers County Championship match against Glamorgan.
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Paul Stirling reflects on a solid day with the bat for Middlesex, with both himself and Sam Robson reaching excellent centuries for the club.
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All the best images from Day Two of our Specsavers County Championship match against Glamorgan at Radlett.
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Sam Robson finished unbeaten on 85 after Middlesex were put in to bat on Day One against Radlett. The hosts finished the day on 151/3.
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After finishing unbeaten on 85 after a testing day at the crease, Sam Robson reflects on Day One of our Specsavers County Championship clash against Glamorgan at Radlett.
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All the best images from Day One of our Specsavers County Championship match against Glamorgan at Radlett.
Session by session updates as Middlesex take on Glamorgan at Radlett Cricket Club.
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Head Coach Stuart Law previews our Specsavers County Championship game against Glamorgan tomorrow at Radlett, in what will be the grounds first ever First-Class match.
After just eleven overs play were possible across the entire four days at Grace Road this week, Middlesex’s next outing in the Specsavers County Championship comes at Radlett Cricket Club’s Brunton Memorial Ground, where they’ll face a Glamorgan side currently sat in second place in the Division Two table.
Paul Stirling speaks to Jon Batham of the ECB Reporters Network ahead of Radlett's first ever Specsavers County Championship match, as Middlesex take on Glamorgan this Sunday.
