Petersen thrives as Lancashire feather Middlesex's nest

Middlesex 146 for 1 (Gubbins 71*, Eskinasi 43*) trail Lancashire 513 (Petersen 191, Livingstone 58, Rayner 4-120, Roland-Jones 4-122) by 367 runs
Scorecard

What ingredients there were for a high-quality encounter at Lord's look already to be heading for a bland conclusion. That may seem melodramatic - should Middlesex collapse tomorrow, it may enter into "misguided" or "facetious" - but there were few other conclusions to draw from a day in which eight wickets fell yet only one was taken.

Lancashire's seven were shed in the pursuit of quick runs to hammer a tiring Middlesex attack further into the dust. Even Tim Murtagh's shoulders, constantly in a slumped relaxed state, plummeted to knee height. Even Murtagh, a bowler who can make the ball talk for fun could barely muster a whimper from a pitch that does the long-form more harm than good.

What should have been a compelling day's cricket, in near-perfect conditions, asked spectators to find their own source of amusement. The evening session hosted a low sun and with it the chance for them to shed some clothing, get some colour and indulge in the sorts of conversations with opposing fans that only beer and minor heatstroke encourages.

"So you see, it's those bastards across the way - they're the tight ones," concluded one such tête-à-tête. It's those across the way that Lancashire are looking to build a lead over: level on points with Yorkshire going into this match but leading Division One by virtue of number of games won.

Middlesex, with their six draws from seven, sat 16 points off the Northern rivals. This fixture between first and fourth felt like it could set the tone for the next half of the season, when captains roll the dice and each session weighs heavier on the nerves.

The opening exchanges were very much in Lancashire's favour as they amassed their highest innings score of the season. Alviro Petersen was thoroughly unflustered, picking up where he left off to add 86 to an overnight 105: perhaps the only surprise was his failure to bring up his double hundred. Looking to move the game on, he was caught and bowled by Toby Roland-Jones, whose 31-over toil was made relatively worthwhile by four wickets.

Flanking Petersen were the offerings from the middle order cavalry of Steven Croft, Karl Brown and Liam Livingstone. It was with Livingstone in particular that the most damage was done: 103 runs put on together at six an over - 67 coming in 11 overs after lunch, as Livingstone brought up a 54-ball half-century filled with reverse sweeps and the odd wristy thwack through the leg side. To nitpick, 500 perhaps should have come up easier than it did: a scampered single between Lancashire's 10 and 11 that nearly resulted in a run out.

But even with scoreboard pressure and a 12-over session before tea bowled by Kyle Jarvis and Neil Wagner - perhaps the best opening duo in the domestic game at present - Lancashire were unable to land a telling blow on the hosts. Even the one wicket they managed looked a tad lucky, though that is simply going by Sam Robson's forlorn expression after he had been adjudged caught at first slip off the leg spin of Matt Parkinson. The disappointment was understandable: he had looked on the cusp of one of those Lord's vigils he embarks upon when he basically invokes squatter's rights.

If anything, Robson's wicket sharpened Nick Gubbins' focus, who gave up driving for a while and worked his way to 71 at the close. He will recommence tomorrow with Stevie Eskinasi, who goes to bed on a new first class best of 43.

Lancashire will be hoping that when they wake up tomorrow the pitch might too. Unfortunately this is yet another Lord's track that needs a defibrillator rather than a roller. The new ball brings something out of it but not for long. From then on, whatever movement there is comes once the ball had passed the stumps. Steven Croft found that out the hard way as he scrabbled around to contend with the late dips and swerves. The skip in his step at the start of the final session had slowed to a trudge when stumps was called.

If anything, perhaps the Lancashire bowlers might leave the match with a bit of sympathy for their Middlesex counterparts, whose charge has consistently been hampered by these sorts of pitches. Still, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose. If they are not still bowling by this time tomorrow then they should consider that a victory.