Middlesex's Ryan Higgins once again proved his worth as the hosts rallied from early setbacks to post a formidable 342 for 7 against Derbyshire on day one at Lord's. The Zimbabwean-born all-rounder notched his fourth century of the season, reaching his milestone with a majestic six into the Mound Stand.
Higgins' innings, coupled with Seaxes skipper Toby Roland-Jones' unbeaten 51, rewrote the record books. Their unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 112 eclipsed the previous record of 95 set by Wilf Slack and Colin Metson in 1981.
Derbyshire's bowlers, led by spinner Alex Thomson (2 for 43), had initially put Middlesex under pressure. Zak Chappell struck in the first over, removing Sam Robson for a duck. Mark Stoneman and Max Holden also faced testing moments, with Holden eventually falling to Aneurin Donald at slip.
Leus du Plooy and Higgins steadied the innings, but Thomson dismissed both batters before tea. Nathan Fernandes and Jack Davies also departed cheaply, leaving Middlesex in a precarious position at 189 for 6.
However, Higgins found his rhythm and began to take risks. He survived two dropped catches and rode his luck to reach his century. Roland-Jones, too, played a crucial role, hitting two sixes over the short boundary into the Mound Stand.
The late flurry of runs proved harsh on Derbyshire, who had bowled well for much of the day. Middlesex's decision to bat first, initially met with applause, proved to be a wise one as the wicket played well throughout the day.
Tags: #Middlesex, #Derbyshire, #RyanHiggins, #TobyRolandJones, #Lord's
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Lancashire Trail Kent by 206 Runs in Relegation Showdown
Lancashire Trail Kent by 206 Runs in Relegation Showdown