Cracknell hundred carries day for Middlesex after Guthrie six-for

Joe Cracknell scored an unbeaten 106, his maiden first-class century, while Leus du Plooy struck 66 as Middlesex staged a spirited fightback against Northamptonshire on day one of this Rothesay County Championship match at Wantage Road.

Keeper-batter Cracknell, whose previous first-class best was just 33, having largely played white-ball cricket to date, played a superbly-paced innings, facing 164 balls and striking 11 fours and a six to take the visitors to 397 for 8 at stumps. It was Cracknell's third century of the week after tons in each innings of Middlesex's Second XI game against Glamorgan at Radlett.

Middlesex bounced back after Liam Guthrie, who took 6 for 87 with the Kookaburra ball, his first five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire, had the Seaxes reeling on 33 for 3 inside the first half an hour, removing the visitors top order.

But du Plooy started to revive Middlesex's fortunes, sharing two 60-run stands, first with Ryan Higgins and then with Ben Geddes. When they fell, Middlesex were still in a precarious position at 160 for 6 before Cracknell and Luke Hollman (51) combined to add 103 for the seventh wicket. Cracknell was then joined by Zafar Gohar and Toby Roland-Jones in stands of 81 and 53 at the end of a satisfactory first day in charge for Middlesex's new men's first-team coach Dane Vilas.

Earlier left-armer Guthrie struck in the second over, coming round the wicket. Josh de Caires fell into the leg-side trap as he worked one off his hip straight to leg gully. Then Max Holden was trapped lbw by a Guthrie delivery that moved in and straightened. When Sam Robson became Guthrie's third wicket, edging low to Harrison at second slip, the visitors were in real trouble.

Leus du Plooy and Higgins rebuilt positively, keeping the scoreboard ticking as they put on 62. Du Plooy garnered boundaries off back-foot punches off the seamers and played Guthrie down the leg side for four to take Middlesex past 50 in the 12th over before driving him sweetly through cover.

Higgins was proactive, strong on the reverse sweep against the spinners, but was adjudged lbw to a Justin Broad delivery that looked a little high as he stepped down the wicket aiming to play to leg.

Du Plooy joined forces in another confident stand worth 60 with Geddes who started positively, Middlesex passing 100 in the 23rd over before powering Broad through extra cover. Du Plooy meanwhile punched Guthrie off the backfoot through cover point and then pulled legspinner Calvin Harrison for four to reach his half-century just before lunch.

Runs flowed quickly against the seamers after the interval. Geddes punched Guthrie off the back foot, while du Plooy drove Luke Procter for four before coming down the wicket and pulling him dismissively through mid-on. He had a rush of blood though, attempting to repeat the shot, failing to control it and instead top-edging to long-on where Rob Keogh took an excellent diving catch running back.

Geddes drove Procter handsomely through extra cover but departed soon afterwards, edging behind off a Broad delivery which held its line.

That brought together Cracknell and Hollman who started briskly, Cracknell pulling and driving Broad for consecutive boundaries. Northamptonshire fielded four spinners and both batters took a liking to them with the ball offering little turn. Hollman hit Harrison back over his head, smashed him through the covers and swept behind square. He swept Lloyd Pope to the boundary too and drove his next ball through cover point.

Cracknell also tucked into the spinners, muscling Keogh down the ground before dispatching his next ball, a half-tracker, over midwicket for six to go past his previous highest score.

After tea, both batters reached their fifties and brought up the 100 partnership, but were parted next over when Hollman skied an attempted hook off Guthrie, Pope taking a good catch at deep-backward square leg.

Cracknell continued to locate the boundary, driving Broad through extra, pulling a Pope half-tracker through midwicket and pummelling Guthrie through extra cover. Gohar (34) offered strong support as Cracknell neared three figures, taking consecutive boundaries off Procter with the new ball before Guthrie got one to lift, Gohar fending it to Vasconcelos at slip.

Cracknell smashed Guthrie through extra cover and then worked Broad into the off-side to take him to three figures and a well-deserved celebration before some Toby Roland-Jones fireworks ensured Middlesex rounded off the day positively.