Middlesex recover after poor start against Northants

Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, County Ground, Northampton (day one)

Middlesex 284-6: Cracknell 66*, Geddes 65, Gohar 62*; Sanderson 3-49

Northamptonshire: Yet to bat

Bonus points here

Match scorecard

Zafar Gohar and Joe Cracknell shared an enterprising seventh wicket stand of 120 to prevent Middlesex from being bowled out cheaply on day one of their County Championship game with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

The pair came together with their side in trouble at 164-6 and former Pakistan international Gohar, playing his 100th first-class game, hit 62, while Cracknell top scored with 66.

They had taken the total to 284-6 from 73 overs when bad light stopped play early at 17:00 BST.

Middlesex were in early trouble as opening bowlers Ben Sanderson (3-49) and Harry Conway (2-63) took early wickets to reduce the visitors to 20-3.

Ben Geddes fought back with a fluent 65, putting on 85 in a quickfire stand with skipper Leus du Plooy, who made 51.

Sanderson then had both caught in the slips giving the hosts hope they could finish off Middlesex cheaply but Gohar and Cracknell had other ideas.

Earlier Middlesex rued their decision to bat after winning the toss as Northants struck twice in the first three overs, Josh de Caires and Max Holden both well caught at short leg by James Sales off Sanderson and Conway respectively.

Conway soon picked up a second when Sam Robson prodded outside off-stump and was well caught above his head by Calvin Harrison at second slip.

The ball kept nibbling around enough to keep the slip cordon interested, but runs started to flow more easily, du Plooy pulling and driving Luke Procter for consecutive fours.

Geddes was driving the ball cleanly too and the pair marked their 50 partnership at just over a run a ball.

Du Plooy fell two balls after bringing up his half-century when Sanderson nipped one away and Ricardo Vasconcelos took a low catch at first slip.

Geddes was soon into his work after lunch, looking assured as he unfurled a sumptuous cover drive to reach his half-century. Soon afterwards, though, he edged Sanderson, with Harrison taking a well-judged tumbling catch.

Ryan Higgins had played a largely supporting role to Geddes throughout their partnership of 45 in 10 overs but when he tried to break the shackles, playing across the line to Harrison, he only picked out Saif Zaib at mid-on.

That brought Gohar out to join Cracknell, and he went for his shots, often aerially, including upper cutting Liam Guthrie for six, but looked more composed and assured as the afternoon wore on.

Both batters marked their half-centuries after tea and while they each edged just wide of slip off Harrison they looked largely untroubled before play finished early.

Report by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay.

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