Shaun Udal, the Middlesex captain, was driven from the crease in an ambulance after being knocked out when he was hit on the helmet just behind his left ear as he turned away from a short ball from Johan van der Wath, Northamptonshire’s South African fast bowler.
Udal, 40, lay motionless for several minutes before regaining consciousness and play was suspended for nearly half an hour until he was able to get into the ambulance. He was treated by the Northamptonshire club doctor and paramedics before spending the rest of the day in the dressing room. His head was throbbing but he was still hoping to play a further part in a match that is finely balanced.
John Simpson, 20, was last man out for 87 on his debut as Middlesex were dismissed for 251 and Steven Finn, also 20, took his 50th wicket of the season before Nicky Boje’s 51 led Northamptonshire to 239. They seized the initiative by reducing Middlesex to 17 for three in the 11 overs remaining.
Middlesex: First Innings (overnight 205-6)
†J A Simpson b Daggett 87
*S D Udal retired hurt 4
M Kartik c Lucas b Van der Wath 7
T J Murtagh c Wessels b Daggett 2
S T Finn not out 1
Extras (b 9, lb 6, w 2, nb 2) 19
Total (75 overs) 251
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-21, 3-97, 4-97, 5-148, 6-202, 7-230, 8-248, 9-251
Bowling: Van der Wath 23-7-75-3; Lucas 11-4-35-1; Daggett 16-3-47-3; Panesar 8-1-31-0; Hall 16-3-42-1; Boje 1-0-6-0.
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Second Innings
N R D Compton c O’Brien b Lucas 5
A B London not out 4
D M Housego c O’Brien b Lucas 0
S T Finn b Van der Wath 0
D J Malan not out 4
Extras (lb 4) 4
Total (3 wkts, 11 overs) 17
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-8, 3-9.
Bowling: Lucas 6-2-7-2; Van der Wath 5-3-6-1.
Northamptonshire: First Innings
S D Peters c Compton b Murtagh 0
†N J O’Brien c Malan b Finn 1
A G Wakely b Murtagh 9
M H Wessels c Compton b Finn 6
R A White b Berg 47
*N Boje c Kartik b Berg 51
A J Hall c Housego b Finn 38
J J van der Wath b Berg 31
D S Lucas not out 25
M S Panesar c Dexter b Berg 7
L M Daggett c Simpson b Berg 1
Extras (b 4, lb 6, w 1, nb 12) 23
Total (58 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-2, 3-14, 4-40, 5-88, 6-145, 7-194, 8-205, 9-231.
Bowling: Murtagh 13-4-35-2; Finn 13-2-82-3; Berg 16-1-68-5; Kartik 12-3-31-0; Dexter 4-2-13-0.
Umpires: S A Garratt and J F Steele.