Comment

MIDDLESEX were set to resume their second innings today with a lead of 114 runs after they closed the second day on 19 for three, having dismissed Essex for 207 at Chelmsford.

But the hosts bowled themselves back into contention on a sporting wicket with bounce when Andre Nel grabbed three wickets in six deliveries, without conceding a run, to apply pressure on the visitors.

The South African bowled with typical fire and aggressive venom to rip out Andrew Strauss for 12, who was caught at first slip by Jason Gallian before sending Shaun Udal packing first ball when he guided a bumper to gully.

Four balls later, Ed Smith completed a pair when the rampaging Nel produced a lifting delivery that the Middlesex captain top-edged to give James Foster a running catch down the leg side.

It was a rewarding day for fast bowlers.

Twenty-year-old fast bowler Dan Evans, playing his first championship match of the season, had wrecked the Essex innings with figures of six for 35, including a spell of four for seven in 22 balls that completed the home side's capitulation after they had been 125 for two in mid-afternoon.

The last six wickets fell in 13 overs after tea for just 27 runs as the 6ft 5ins paceman, with impressive accuracy, gave his side a 95-run first innings lead.

Tom Westley and Gallian provided the main contributions to the home side's total but Alastair Cook again struggled to find his fluency in his 50 minutes at the crease in reaching 25 before he was trapped leg before to a full-length delivery from Vernon Philander.

After Varun Chopra was caught behind, Westley joined Gallian as the pair opted for careful reconnaissance before both began to play with increasing freedom as 72 runs were added for the third wicket.

Gallian struck seven boundaries, but, having reached 56, he nibbled outside off stump at a delivery from Evans with late movement and was caught by wicket-keeper David Nash.

Then three balls later, he found the edge of Mark Pettini's bat to give Morgan a catch at second slip but Ryan ten Doeschate proved a useful ally for Westley as the duo added 51 runs for the fifth wicket.

Westley adopted an uncomplicated approach executing a number of stylish drives that brought his eight boundaries as he reached a well-merited half-century from 118 deliveries but he added only a further ten runs before edging Philander to first slip.

Tim Murtagh hoodwinked ten Doeschate, on 23, into shouldering arms to a ball that came back in to hit off stump before Evans ripped out the last four wickets in double-quick time with a wicket in each of four overs with Foster top-edging a pull while James Middlebrook succumbed to a ball that cut back.

Chris Wright was adjudged leg before and then last man Nel was bowled middle stump.

It completed a remarkable spell of 4.5-3-7-4 for the Hartlepool-born player playing only his fifth first-class match and illustrating the merits of a persistent line and length attacking approach.

Earlier in the day, ten Doeschate took two of the three remaining Middlesex first wickets to finish with five for 69 as the visitors were dismissed for 302 having added a further 39 runs to their overnight score.

The visitors were left with ten overs to face but they were rocked by Nel's invigorating intervention that leaves the match nicely poised.

7:59am Friday 9th May 2008

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