When Tim Murtagh took three wickets in the space of eight balls to reduce Leicestershire to 205-5, it looked as though Middlesex would win with ease as 85 overs of the final days play remained. They were denied by an unbeaten maiden first-class hundred by nineteen years-old James Taylor and by Paul Nixon’s innings of 31 off 153 balls – the pair adding 108 for the sixth wicket and more importantly, using up a further 45 overs.

Middlesex lost the services of substitute wicket-keeper David Nash before the start of play due to a ham-string injury and Neil Dexter stood in until John Simpson arrived on the ground at 12.28pm and took over; this brought the total number of wicket-keepers used in the match by Middlesex to five – surely a record. In the morning, the two South African born batsmen Borta Dippenaar and HD Ackerman took their partnership to 115 before Tim Murtagh struck. Dippenaar was the first to go when he was LBW to Murtagh for 93 before Josh Cobb fell in identical fashion for a first ball duck. In his following over, Murtagh bowled Ackerman for 60 and Middlesex scented victory.

Taylor and Nixon survived the remaining 19 overs to lunch, including three with the new-ball, as they went into the break on 240-5 – a lead of just five runs. After the break, the batsmen saw off the treat of the new-ball with Nixon content to block whilst Taylor played some shots to reach his fifty off 97 balls (4 fours).

The lead reached 77 before Dawid Malan was brought on at the Adelaide End. Taylor took a single off the first ball, before Malan had Nixon (31) caught at the wicket by John Simpson. Wayne White joined Taylor and they took Leicestershire through to tea on 333-6, a lead of 98 runs with 33 overs remaining; James Taylor was 91 not out. Taylor reached his hundred in the fourth over after the interval (off 161 balls, 9 fours) before Murtagh took his fifth wicket of the innings when White was caught at the wicket by Simpson.

Crowe joined Taylor but Middlesex were unable to make any further inroads and the match ended at the start of the final hour after Andrew Strauss had bowled an over and Phillip Hughes two overs. Taylor was 122 not out as Leicestershire declared their innings closed on 400-7. Tim Murtagh had figures of 5-83 from 32 overs; Middlesex took 12 points from the match with Leicestershire receiving 8 points.

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