MIDDLESEX drew their Frizzell County Championship Division 2 game against promotion rivals Worcestershire at Lord's and are still handily placed for a real push towards top division cricket in 2003 in the second half of the season.

With Essex losing their match against Glamorgan and Derbyshire having a game off, Andrew Strauss' men have 109 points, just half a point behind Essex with a game in hand, with Worcestershire on 95.75 in third place but having played a game more. On current form, Derbyshire are the real threat, with 93 points from just six games.

The game against Worcestershire was a likely draw from a fairly early stage with a good pitch and time lost to bad weather conspiring to make a definite result unlikely. Worcestershire batted first and amassed 502-4 declared, the runs coming from just about everyone who went to the crease. Vikram Solanki scored 153 not out, Ben Smith 124, Graeme Hick 88, David Leatherdale 59 not out and Phil Weston 52.

Despite 63 from Sven Koenig, Middlesex's reply looked far from secure with three of the top four failing, and with half the side gone for 158, the follow-on loomed. However, with Ed Joyce scoring 70 and Paul Weekes going on to his second championship ton of the season, his eventual score127, the home side finally passed the key figure of 353 and declared on 417-8, having picked up five batting points to offset their failure with the ball.

Worcestershire batted again and lost five wickets for just 99, three to Abdul Razzaq and two to Phil Tufnell before time was called with the home side having profited from some poor Worcestershire fielding on the final morning.

Middlesex Crusaders took on Surrey Lions in the Norwich Union Division 2 local derby at Southgate on Sunday and lost by eight wickets in a game reduced to 42 overs by rain. Owais Shah made 74 of the home score of 194-8, but that was not be enough.

Surrey romped home by eight wickets in the 41st over with Mark Ramprakash - the target of some pithy comments from home fans - making a triumphant return against his old county. He scored an undefeated 87, crucially missed by the crestfallen Weekes, and Rikki Clarke's 62 not out helped in an unbroken stand of 121.

Middlesex are now playing a series of games at the attractive Walker Ground in Southgate. They began a four-day championship game against Gloucestershire yesterday (Wednesday), the game running through until Saturday, while they also take on Gloucestershire Gladiators in the NUL Division 2 game on Sunday.

They follow with a real top-of-the-table treat in the championship against Essex, again at Southgate, starting next Thursday, July 18.

Essex have definitely missed the inspiration of their skipper Ronnie Irani, on England duty in the NatWest Series, but he will be available again and will doubtless make a lot of difference.

July 11, 2002 10:00