Langer leads Middlesex at Bristol

Middlesex captain Justin Langer maintained his fine run of form with an unbeaten 76 on the first day of the County Championship second division match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The Australian batsman came into the game on the back of two successive championship hundreds and a third is now within his sights.

Langer elected to bat first when he won the toss, but soon found himself having to revive the innings after the early loss of Andrew Strauss, Mike Roseberry and Mark Ramprakash had left the visitors on 24-3 in the 12th over.

He found good support from fellow left-handers Ed Joyce and Ben Hutton, who scored 31 and 22 respectively, as Middlesex reached 151-5 from 53.5 overs.

Unfortunately, half the day's play was lost to rain. Only an hour's play was possible in the morning session, then no action could take place after tea.

In theory, this is a clash between the bottom two sides in the division. But such is the incredible congestion within the league that promotion is a possibility for both counties.

Gloucestershire stand just eight points behind Sussex, who occupy the third promotion place, while Middlesex are a point closer.

The home county decided not to risk opening batsman Kim Barnett and wicketkeeper Jack Russell ahead of Saturday's NatWest Trophy final with Warwickshire at Lord's.

Barnett has been hampered in recent weeks by a knee problem, while Russell has a side strain.

Reggie Williams, Russell's deputy behind the stumps, played a hand in the first dismissals of the morning as Strauss and Roseberry edged deliveries from Mike Smith and Jon Lewis into his gloves.

Lewis then bowled Ramprakash with a fine delivery that hit the seam and found the gap between bat and pad.

Middlesex were 27-3 when the first rain interruption arrived, but they accelerated smoothly when play resumed.

Langer took four successive fours from one Lewis over, all struck through the off-side, and hit 11 in total.

His fifty came from only 62 balls, but he then became becalmed to the extent that his next 26 runs have taken 68 deliveries.

It needed the occasional medium pace of Tim Hancock to prise out Joyce. The Dublin-born batsman fell lbw to a ball which kept slightly low.

Lewis then returned to break up a stand of 54 between Langer and Hutton, as the latter flicked a legside catch to Williams.

Lewis finished the day with 3-61 from 16.5 overs, which took his tally of first-class wickets for the campaign to 54 at 22 runs apiece.