Cricket

Middlesex's Ryan Higgins became the second batter this season to reach 1,000 runs in the Vitality County Championship, leading his team to a near-certain draw against Yorkshire at Headingley. Higgins' unbeaten 117 off 210 balls anchored Middlesex's 441 for five, trailing Yorkshire's first-innings 601 for six declared by 160 runs.Higgins, who joined Glamorgan's Colin Ingram in reaching the milestone, posted his fifth century of the Division Two campaign. He was joined by opener Sam Robson, who scored 108 off 219 balls, in posting a century.Yorkshire's Dom Bess claimed four for 168 in 64 overs of off-spin, but Higgins' aggressive approach and Robson's watchful innings kept Middlesex in the game. Robson, who scored his only Test century for England at Headingley 10 years ago, shared a 121-run partnership with Max Holden (51) before being dismissed lbw by Bess.Higgins and Leus du Plooy added 57 for the fourth wicket, while Higgins and wicketkeeper-batter Jack Davies shared 128 for the fifth wicket. Davies contributed 61 before edging to slip off Bess, but Higgins remained unbeaten, reaching 1,000 Championship runs for the season and bringing up his century with a six over long-on.Middlesex's focus on avoiding defeat prevented them from accumulating significant batting bonus points, with Bess and Dan Moriarty bowling 116 overs between them. However, the draw would leave second-placed Middlesex one point clear of Yorkshire in third with three matches remaining in the promotion race.

Middlesex tightened their grip on their Vitality County Championship clash with Derbyshire, extending their lead to 396 runs heading into the final day at Lord's.Toby Roland-Jones spearheaded Middlesex's dominance, claiming a five-wicket haul to dismantle Derbyshire's tail. The seamer's devastating spell of 5 for 81, including four wickets in 19 deliveries, saw the visitors bowled out for 339, well short of Middlesex's first-innings total of 433.Luis Reece had earlier top-scored for Derbyshire with a season-best 125, but his efforts proved futile as Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins (3 for 60) wreaked havoc. Aneurin Donald (54) also contributed a half-century, but Derbyshire's batting collapsed under the pressure.In their second innings, Middlesex extended their advantage with a total of 302. Higgins and Sam Robson both scored 67, while Leus du Plooy chipped in with 59. Derbyshire's Zak Chappell claimed the early wicket of Mark Stoneman, but Robson and Max Holden (45) put on an 85-run partnership to steady the innings.However, Chappell and Alex Thomson (4 for 115) kept the pressure on, restricting Middlesex's scoring rate. Reece dismissed Holden and Nathan Fernandes, while Thomson accounted for du Plooy, Roland-Jones, and Henry Brookes.Despite the late wickets, Middlesex remain in a commanding position. Derbyshire will need to break their record fourth-innings total to secure victory, a daunting task given their current deficit and the form of Middlesex's bowlers.

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.

Middlesex's batting prowess was on full display on day three of their County Championship clash with Sussex at Lord's, as Sam Robson and Ryan Higgins notched up centuries to keep their team in the hunt.Robson, who has now amassed 35 first-class hundreds, anchored Middlesex's response to Sussex's mammoth 554 for 9 declared with a composed 136. The right-hander's innings was characterized by exquisite driving, particularly through the covers.Higgins, known for his aggressive style, added flair to the hosts' batting with a third century of the season, scoring 106. The Zimbabwean all-rounder's innings featured a reverse sweep for four and a six into the Grandstand.Despite dropping Robson twice and Higgins once, Sussex's bowlers struggled to contain the Middlesex batsmen. Jack Carson, who returned figures of 3 for 89, was particularly unlucky, with both Robson and Higgins surviving close calls off his bowling.Robson's dismissal to the new ball brought an end to a 79-run partnership with Higgins, but the latter continued to attack, reaching his century with successive boundaries off Jaden Seales. However, Higgins' luck ran out when he was stumped by John Simpson after missing a delivery from Carson.Tom Helm and Nathan Fernandes added valuable runs in the lower order, with Fernandes finishing unbeaten on 50 to leave Middlesex just two runs short of the follow-on figure at stumps.Sussex will be disappointed with their fielding lapses, which allowed Robson and Higgins to capitalize on their good fortune. The visitors will need to improve their catching and bowling accuracy if they are to force a result in this high-scoring encounter.

Gloucestershire's hopes of a home victory in the Vitality County Championship were dashed as their match against Middlesex ended in a draw at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol.Despite a valiant effort from Middlesex to force a result, Gloucestershire's resilience in the final session secured a draw. Resuming their second innings on 262 for 3, Middlesex added 187 runs in 36 overs, with Ryan Higgins top-scoring with 155 and sharing a 202-run stand with Max Holden (111). Stephen Eskinazi's unbeaten 65 prompted the declaration, setting Gloucestershire a target of 339 in 58 overs.Gloucestershire's chase was hampered by the loss of Chris Dent early on, but Cameron Bancroft and Ollie Price steadied the ship. Despite the dismissal of Bancroft, Price remained resolute, compiling an unbeaten 52 as Gloucestershire reached 127 for 3 at the close of play.The draw leaves Middlesex atop the Second Division standings with 11 points, while Gloucestershire moves off the bottom with 13 points.