A lack of spectators in the ground was the reason given by MCC officials for not holding a minute’s silence for the victims of the London terror attack before the start of play at Lord’s.
After some surprise had been expressed that Lord’s had not followed the example of Edgbaston, Headingley and Hove, players and spectators stood in silence at the end of the lunch break.
Middlesex, 42 without loss overnight and needing another 251 runs to avoid the follow-on against Somerset, started the day badly when Nick Compton failed to get forward to a straight delivery from Tim Groenewald and was trapped in front — so much so that he did not wait for umpire Jeremy Lloyds’s finger to be raised before walking off.
Nick Gubbins reached a half-century but was leg-before to Peter Trego just before lunch. A battling century partnership between Adam Voges, who eventually retired hurt on 86, and Paul Stirling ended before tea, when Stirling (52) edged behind off Jamie Overton but the home side avoided the follow-on, finishing the day on 311 for seven.
Jonathan Trott returned to Southampton from a family emergency to find Warwickshire 49 for six in their first innings against Hampshire, 466 runs behind. He scored 101 to take the visiting side to 254 all out, giving them a chance of a draw today.
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Derbyshire have not won a championship match since July 2015 and they must have retained hopes of ending that sorry record when Nottinghamshire were five wickets down and only 105 runs ahead at tea. In the 55 minutes possible thereafter, however, only Riki Wessels was removed and Chris Read’s unbeaten 46 helped to add another 74, and the game returned to tantalising balance.