Warwickshire drubbed by Langer

Alan Richardson enabled Warwickshire to retrieve two bonus points after another drubbing by Middlesex captain Justin Langer at Edgbaston.

The Australian left hander followed up his matchwinning 93 in Wednesday's floodlit National League fixture by making 109 on the first day of the Championship clash.

Langer's fourth century of the summer took him past 1,000 runs for the season before the hard-working Richardson revived Warwickshire with three late wickets to peg the total at 292 for six.

The former Staffordshire seamer had Langer and Ed Joyce caught by wicketkeeper Keith Piper and finished with four for 54 after his lbw dismissal of Andrew Strauss earlier in the day.

Richardson's first success only exposed Warwickshire to a pounding in the absence of Ed Giddins and Allan Donald, who made a flying visit to South Africa this week for an injection in an injured heel.

Mike Roseberry supported the fluent Langer with 62 out of 134 together at four-an-over and Mark Ramprakash continued his good form with 77 not out. An attempted sweep by Roseberry resulted in a catch for Piper and Neil Smith's next ball almost accounted for Ramprakash when David Hemp failed to reach a mis-timed pull to mid-on.

Langer drove Ashley Giles for two sixes during a 46-ball dash to 50, then settled for a more sedate tempo in accumulating 15 fours from 158 deliveries. A productive day was shortened by 80 minutes because of two heavy downpours.