Cricket

Middlesex seized the initiative on a rain-affected opening day against Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors' School, thanks to a superb bowling performance led by Toby Roland-Jones.Roland-Jones, Middlesex's leading red-ball wicket-taker this season, justified his decision to bowl first under overcast conditions, claiming 3 for 34. Tom Helm, who had a fiery opening burst, supported his skipper with 2 for 41 as Northamptonshire struggled to 167 for 7 in the 44.4 overs played.Emilio Gay, with a resilient 42, provided the main resistance for Northamptonshire, who handed a debut to seamer Dominic Leech, who joined on loan from Yorkshire ahead of a three-year contract at Wantage Road next season.Morning rain prevented any play before lunch, and it was 1:25pm before Middlesex's bowlers could take advantage of winning the toss. Indian Test opener Prithvi Shaw made a positive start against some friendly offerings from Ethan Bamber and Roland-Jones, dispatching two leg-side half-volleys and driving two glorious shots through the covers. However, an injudicious attempted pull off Roland-Jones ended his fun, with the ball skying to Mark Stoneman at point.Tom Helm struck next, luring Ricardo Vasconcelos into a pull shot that ballooned to Roland-Jones at wide mid-on. The 30-year-old then produced a dream delivery, bringing one back from outside off-stump to bowl Northamptonshire skipper Luke Proctor, the stump careering back almost to wicketkeeper Jack Davies.George Bartlett gave Sam Robson the first of three slip catches, and while Rob Keogh briefly launched a counter-offensive, he also found the hands of the former England opener with an edge off Henry Brookes.Gay, who departs for Durham at the end of the season, batted with greater control than his teammates, using his height to defend off the back foot and driving through the extra cover region. Roland-Jones eventually dislodged him with a brute on the stroke of tea, which lifted from around fourth stump and caused Gay to edge to slip, again caught by Robson.Roland-Jones removed Justin Broad for an eight-ball duck soon after the resumption, but Lewis McManus and Ben Sanderson stopped the bleeding before rain drove the players from the field. They returned 90 minutes later, and 14 deliveries proved enough for the batters to raise a valuable 50-partnership before bad light intervened.