Berg and Rayner seal Middlesex chase

Middlesex 230 (Palladino 5-39) and 329 for 7 (Berg 80, Rayner 58*) beat Derbyshire 154 (Berg 4-18) and 403 (Durston 96, Finn 3-55) by three wickets
Scorecard

Middlesex continued their impressive start to the season when half-centuries from Gareth Berg and Ollie Rayner carried them to a thrilling three-wicket victory at Derby.

Derbyshire looked favourites when Middlesex slipped to 197 for 6 chasing 328, but Berg and Rayner turned the game with a stand of 97 in 24 overs. Berg became Tony Palladino's fourth victim when he had made 80 from 115 balls but Rayner hit an unbeaten 58 to secure Middlesex's second LV= County Championship Second Division win.

It was an impressive recovery by the visitors after Derbyshire had struck twice in the opening two overs. Middlesex had added only four runs to their overnight total of 145 for 2 when Dawid Malan pushed forward at the fifth ball of the morning from Tim Groenewald and was caught behind.

Groenewald had been expensive in his opening spell on the previous evening but there were no cheap runs on offer on his return and the home side celebrated another success in the next over. Neil Dexter had scored only 2 when he was beaten by Palladino and trapped leg before to reduce the visitors to 154 for 4 and shift the balance towards Derbyshire.

Dan Housego had shown composure and sound temperament in the first innings and he was again proving a considerable obstacle as he and John Simpson began rebuilding the innings. The scoring rate had dropped considerably which was an indication of the accuracy of the attack and the tension out in the middle and it was a tentative shot that finally ended Housego's stubborn innings.

He had faced 110 balls for his 27 when he prodded at Palladino and edged into the gloves of Tom Poynton. Derbyshire's celebrations showed just how important that wicket was and they had another one before lunch when Simpson became a victim of the growing pressure.

He and Berg had scored 21 in 12 overs when Simpson went for a big cut at Ross Whiteley but hit it straight to short cover where Dan Redfern held on to give the seamer his first Championship wicket.

At lunch, Middlesex were 216 for 6, 112 short of their target, and Berg came out determined to break the stranglehold of the bowlers who had sent down 15 maiden overs in the morning.

He drove Wes Durston's off-spin for six and when Derbyshire claimed the new ball, he cut the first delivery from Greg Smith past point to the boundary.

Berg had taken his side to within 34 runs of victory when he cut Palladino to backward point to give the seamer his ninth victim in the match. But Rayner shut the door firmly in Derbyshire's face and drove Whiteley for two consecutive fours to win a pulsating contest shortly after 3pm.