Battling half-centuries from Brendan Taylor and Steven Mullaney backed up the early efforts of the Nottinghamshire bowling attack to see the hosts end day two on 180-4 in pursuit of Middlesex’s first innings total 374.

Taylor’s 77, which took him past 700 LV= County Championship Division One runs for the season, and Mullaney’s unbeaten 56 left Notts 194 behind heading in to day three.

Having resumed on their overnight score of 312 for 7, Middlesex pushed on during the morning session courtesy of eighth wicket pair Dawid Malan and James Harris.

In the end, Harris, was bowled by Brett Hutton, for 73 off 168 balls before Toby Roland-Jones fell shortly after to the same bowler, LBW for 14, the visitors moving to 356-9.

Eighteen runs later, Middlesex were all out when Harry Gurney trapped Tim Murtagh LBW, Malan, who batted without equal on day one, carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 182, off 270 balls.

Taylor and new opening partner Alex Hales made a decent start to their reply before losing the latter to Harris, the opening pair having added 40.

Michael Lumb departed soon after when he felt for a James Franklin delivery outside the off stump and offered a regulation catch to wicket keeper John Simpson, the wicket marking Harris' 50th Championship wicket of the summer.

Taylor, who scored over 100 runs in the Championship game against Worcestershire last week, was unmoved though and celebrated his second half-century in three knocks, off 92 balls.

The Zimbabwean, once again, looked in decent shape until Franklin, at 145 for 3, found a way through his previously impeccable defence. Two balls later, Franklin was celebrating again – Riki Wessels caught and bowled without scoring.

An interruption followed but when the bad light gave way to brighter skies, they held their nerve and finished the day in decent fettle thanks to an unbeaten fifth wicket stand of 35 between Mullaney and Samit Patel.

In the face of some aggressive bowling from the likes of Franklin and Harris, Mullaney took up the challenge and reached 50 from 92 balls, with seven fours.

When bad light came, for the second time in the day, to bring a premature end, Notts had progressed to 180 for 4 with Mullaney 56 not out and Patel 12 not out.

 

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