Rains slows Leicestershire's progress

Leicestershire 186 for 5 v Middlesex 219
Scorecard

Only 39 overs were possible at Lord's where Leicestershire did their utmost to edge toward a first-innings lead over Middlesex despite persistent showers.

Resuming on their overnight score of 105 for 2, the visitors reached 186 for 5 and trailed by only 33 runs when heavier rain forced the sides from the field at 2.35pm.

Former England Under-19 batsman James Taylor scored a dogged, unbeaten 65 from 160 balls in a shade under four hours. The 20-year-old battled through seamer-friendly conditions with Pedro Collins, Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones all impressing for the home attack.

After overnight rain delayed the start by 30 minutes, Taylor lost his third-wicket partner Greg Smith in the third over of the day when he tamely chipped a short one from Murtagh into the hands of Scott Newman at mid-wicket having added only a single to his overnight score of 64.

Five overs later former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon (10) followed a Collins out-swinger and edged to first slip, where Dawid Malan allowed the ball to slip from his grasp, only for it to lodge between his thighs. The fielder finally got the ball under control to claim the catch and, after brief consultation between umpires Peter Willey and Nigel Cowley, Nixon was sent packing.

On the stroke of lunch Tom New attempted to cut a wide delivery from Roland-Jones through backward point only to drag the ball onto off stump and make it 147 for five at the interval. Taylor reached a 123-ball half-century soon after the break, but only 13 overs into the afternoon session the heavens opened, forcing play to be abandoned for the day at 4.30pm.