da betway： Stephen Peters fell one run short of what would have been the firstdouble-century of his career after batting for just over nine hours to putNorthamptonshire in a commanding position against Middlesex at Lord’s
06-Jun-2010
ScorecardStephen Peters fell one run short of what would have been the firstdouble-century of his career after batting for just over nine hours to putNorthamptonshire in a commanding position against Middlesex at Lord’s.He had faced 391 balls and hit 20 fours in the County Championship DivisionTwo match when he chipped a return catch to Shaun Udal, sprawling to his right. Peters looked crestfallen but he had done a great job for his side in sharing stands of 182 with Alex Wakely, 70 with Nicky Boje and 144 with his captain Andrew Hall.Hall went on to make 133 off 192 balls with 17 fours and when he declared at581 for 7, Northamptonshire’s highest score against Middlesex, they were 234ahead. Middlesex closed on 48 for the loss of Scott Newman.Northamptonshire had resumed at 280 for 4 in reply to Middlesex’s first innings347 and Peters and Boje added 50 in 14 overs before Boje pulled Pedro Collinsstraight to square leg. Peters, 115 overnight, was never in trouble as he went past his previoushighest score of 183 not out – scored in leading Northamptonshire to asix-wicket victory over Middlesex at Northampton in April – but he becameincreasingly tentative as he neared his milestone.In the end he could not get there but he had still made the highest score by aNorthamptonshire batsman against Middlesex and given Hall the perfect platformto build his first century of the season.David Murphy, a wicketkeeper-batsman from Loughborough University who isdeputising for the injured Niall O’Brien, joined him in a seventh-wicket standof 107. Murphy made an unbeaten 50, his highest score in the championship, off 87 ballsand by the time Hall was bowled driving at Pedro Collins Middlesex were indisarray.Udal, their captain, had his left hand strapped after splitting the webbingbetween his thumb and forefinger, and Gareth Berg, their newly-cappedall-rounder, was off the field with back trouble.No fewer than nine bowlers were used with only Udal himself and Collinsemerging with any credit and the fielding was so poor that there were jeers froma section of the small crowd. Their mood did not improve when Newman edged his third ball from Jack Brooks to first slip but at least Sam Robson and Owais Shah held out until the close.