Adam Voges helps Middlesex CCC keep alive hopes of salvaging Nottinghamshire CCC draw

Australia batsman Adam Voges made an unbeaten 66 in his first match as Middlesex captain to keep alive his side’s hopes of salvaging a draw against Nottinghamshire at Lords.

A victory target of 519 was out of the question when they began the final day on 57 for one but Nick Gubbins, the 21-year-old left-hander, and Nick Compton, playing his first championship match since rejoining Middlesex from Somerset, gave them a fighting chance of survival by defying Nottinghamshire until the last over before lunch with a second wicket partnership of 132.

There was nothing in the pitch for the five Nottinghamshire seamers – Vernon Philander, Jake Ball, Harry Gurney, Steve Mullaney and Will Gidman – or the left arm spinner Samit Patel and Gubbins and Compton were in no mood to surrender.

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At one stage, Compton went 10 overs without scoring a run before reaching his fifty off 140 balls with six fours and Gubbins had faced 159 balls for his 37 when Patel had him caught at short leg two balls before the break.

Compton was more expansive after lunch and had moved to 85 off 217 balls with 10 fours when Gurney found some lift to have him caught at first slip off his glove. Next ball Paul Stirling was caught at second slip in similar fashion but John Simpson helped Voges add 57 before he played on to Ball.