Middlesex narrowly survive Brown's heroics

With 51 to get for Sussex and just one wicket remaining, Ben Brown had to make a choice. On 42, with a field that was looking to gift him singles for the first four balls of an over, he made the right one - turning most down as he searched for boundaries.

In making the right choices, Brown would eventually fall as the last man, hitting a juicy long-hop from Tim Murtagh into the hands of James Franklin on the edge of the square leg boundary. Middlesex would win by 20. Sometimes, the right decisions lead to the worst results.

But for those here - players, press and spectators - Brown's knock will not be forgotten in a hurry. A punchy batsman, with an attitude to match, his protection of the No 11 Chris Liddle and brave display that at one point saw eight fielders hugging the boundary was a testament to the fight that still burns within that Sussex dressing room.

Upon seeing the catch being taken, he turned away in disgust and flung his bat across the width of three pitches. His opposite number, John Simpson, went straight over with a consoling arm on the shoulder and a shake of his hand. As Simpson went on to celebrate with his on-field teammates, Brown trudged off to solitude in the pavilion.

Middlesex move into second and Sussex are now entrenched in a bottom four separated by just 14-points. They are three points above south coast rivals Hampshire and two behind Worcestershire who were beaten at home by Nottinghamshire

In keeping with the visitor's professional approach in the field, the remaining two Middlesex wickets had fallen for the addition of just five runs. Both were sourced by Steve Magoffin to give the Australian his first five-wicket haul at Lord's. First, he got Tim Murtagh to mistime a drive to a diving Chris Liddle at mid-on and then he had Ravi Patel fending to Michael Yardy at second slip.

It meant that Sussex required 266 runs for victory on what was essentially a fifth-day pitch - the day before the start of this match it had been used for the Royal London Cup match against Nottinghamshire.

A solid start from Luke Wells and Ed Joyce was turned sour by an inspired James Harris who immediately used the benefits of the slope from the Nursery End to aid his natural gifts. With his first delivery, he sent one up the hill that Wells followed through to John Simpson behind the stumps.

For Harris' ninth, he caught Ed Joyce walking across his stumps: three balls later, the dangerous Matt Machan edged Harris to James Franklin at first slip. What that did was expose Middlesex to Sussex's experienced middle-order of Chris Nash, Michael Yardy and Luke Wright.

While Yardy was the only one of the three to excel in the first innings, it would be he who would contribute the least of the three, reaching 11 before being bowled by Ravi Patel. And while Luke Wright looked to attack - thumping bottom-hand-heavy shots through the covers and over the top for his cameo of 20. he would fall edging Tim Murtagh to a diving Ollie Rayner at second slip for his 500th first class wicket.

It was left to Nash to produce a contribution that would carry the chase forward. Coming to the crease at 43 for 2, he departed with 163 on the board and 103 left to get. However, during his stay that saw him amass 66 runs with an array of classy drives and deft cuts through backward point, he lost three partners. With the benefit of hindsight, that was the game.

But still, Brown battled on and, before shielding Liddle, ensured singles were picked up at regular intervals. And, with Ashar Zaidi and Ollie Robinson and eight and night in the order respectively, both of whom have Championship hundreds to their names this season. Middlesex started to lose their cool, with Rayner furious that a big turner to Zaidi was not given. He wheeled away in disgust, past bat-pad, and kicked a divot out of the hallowed Lord's turf.

But a period of 16 balls that Brown observed entirely from the non-striker's end returned 2 for 11 for Middlesex, as Toby Roland-Jones, in the midst of a mammoth 15-over spell from the Pavilion End, had Zaidi caught behind and Robinson caught at second slip. Upon receiving the strike after 15 minutes, Brown, on 36, flailed hard at a wide delivery from Harris that Rayner misjudged and dropped, to his left.

The result seemed a formality when Magoffin flicked Harris to Dawid Malan at square leg. But when Liddle timed his first ball through the covers for four, then defended what strike he had with a good stride and a straight bat, all at Lord's sensed a sting in the tail.

Unfortunately for Sussex and Brown, they would be the ones smarting as Brown was caught in front of a well populated Mound Stand, Franklin turning to the spectators and presenting the ball aloft like New Zealand's answer to the Statue of Liberty.

To look at Sussex's squad and their performance over the four days, you would be tempted to say they are too good to go down. Now, with four games left, they have to prove it.