Matt Critchley hit his first century at Lord’s and claimed four wickets as Derbyshire kept a foothold in the Specsavers County Championship match away to Middlesex.
The all-rounder continued his form from Day Two and added valuable runs before spinning through the Middlesex middle-order to keep Derbyshire in the game heading into the final day.
Valuable lower order runs took Derbyshire past the follow-on, but four wickets for James Harris (4-83) helped Middlesex earn a 128-run first innings lead by dismissing the visitors for 295.
Play was halted by rain early on, but it didn’t take Critchley long to reach three figures once play got underway at midday. The all-rounder crashed three fours in the opening overs to bring up his century off 130 balls, with 14 fours.
His fine innings, which held the Derbyshire reply together in partnerships with Gary Wilson (31) and Anuj Dal (23), came to an end on 105 and Dal soon followed, both caught in the slips.
Tony Palladino was unable to add to the total, but a late last-wicket cameo from Hardus Viljoen (31 not out) and Lockie Ferguson (16) added 43 runs before Derbyshire were eventually all out for 295.
In a good position at the start of their second innings, Middlesex went past 50 without loss before Nick Gubbins (19) was out in a bizarre fashion, adjudged to have hit his own wicket when facing a fast leg-side yorker from Lockie Ferguson.
Stephen Eskinazi (14) became the first of Critchley’s four wickets as the spinner saw him advancing and sent the ball wide to be picked up by Harvey Hosein who removed the bails for a smart stumping.
Middlesex began to accelerate the rate, but lost wickets at regular intervals and stuttered in the process as Critchley removed Dawid Malan (13) and Sam Robson was run out for a well-made 73 to bring the tea interval.
Derbyshire continued their momentum with frequent breakthroughs and soon Critchley had four – Robbie White (7) and James Fuller (15) both caught as the lead reached 300.
The hosts remained in control as Martin Andersson (23 not out) hit boundaries around the ground in an unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership with James Harris (5 not out) worth 28 runs before bad light brought an early close.
Middlesex are set to resume on the final day on 199-7, leading by 327 runs.
Four-day cricket is back! Derbyshire host their final Specsavers County Championship match of the season against Gloucestershire from Monday 24 September. Buy your tickets in advance and save.
