Holden holds firm as Middlesex pile on the runs

Middlesex's Max Holden plundered an unbeaten century as he and New Zealand star Kane Williamson piled up runs on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship clash against Northamptonshire.

Holden, opening to accommodate Williamson's red-ball debut for the county at number three, batted right through the day for 137, his third ton of the season, with the pair adding an uninterrupted 197 to reach 319 for one at Merchant Taylors' School.

Sam Robson (57) shared a stand of 122 with Holden before Williamson - sampling his first taste of Championship cricket since he featured for Yorkshire in 2018 - weighed in with an unbeaten 88.

It was a testing day for Northamptonshire, with Ben Sanderson their only successful bowler after they inserted the hosts in overcast conditions, while Rob Keogh sustained a serious-looking finger injury attempting to catch Williamson's ferocious drive.

With Northamptonshire skipper Luke Procter absent for personal reasons, Lewis McManus took the reins for the first time in red-ball cricket and fulfilled his first duty by winning the toss.

However, his bowlers went through the morning session wicketless, despite a tricky opening spell by Sanderson - with Holden taking his time to settle, facing 20 deliveries before he got off the mark with a single.

First change Dom Leech struggled for consistency and Robson took advantage to steer him for successive fours as Middlesex picked up the pace, with Holden also unfurling a couple of classy straight drives to the boundary.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal entered the attack as early as the 15th over, extracting turn as he began with two maidens, but Holden danced down the wicket to take him on, driving and sweeping with confidence.

Having reached lunch with 90 on the board, the Middlesex pair advanced their partnership into three figures and Robson won the race to his half-century, pulling Liam Guthrie for two boundaries in an over.

But the opener departed in the next, caught behind leg-glancing Sanderson and that slowed the batting side's progress, although Williamson opened his account with a sweetly-driven cover boundary off Liam Guthrie.

Holden moved on to 50 with a swiped hook that flew to the rope, but soon afterwards the left-hander survived a sharp chance to short leg off Chahal - now operating in an all-spin attack alongside Keogh.

Displaying exquisite timing and placement, especially on the off side, Williamson mastered the bowling and progressed to his half-century just three balls ahead of Holden's hundred, courtesy of a back-foot punch for four off Chahal.

The Indian spinner returned for another spell earlier than expected after tea, with Keogh forced from the field after making a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to catch Williamson's rocket drive off his own bowling.

Holden pummelled Leech for another four to lift the partnership beyond 150 and, following the last of the day's three brief rain stoppages, he and Williamson resumed the Middlesex offensive.

Williamson cut Saif Zaib to the fence and then lifted his next ball effortlessly over the top for six but, with the new ball due and the light continuing to worsen, the umpires called a halt to proceedings.