County Championship: Ryan Higgins ton helps Middlesex recover against Derbyshire – BBC Sport

Vitality County Championship Division Two, Lord’s (day one)

Middlesex: 342-7: Higgins 107*, Du Plooy 57; Thomson 2-43

Middlesex 2pts, Derbyshire 2pts

Ryan Higgins again proved the saviour of Middlesex as the hosts fought back from early trouble to post 342-7 against visitors Derbyshire.

The Zimbabwe-born all-rounder battled to a fourth century of the season, reaching his ton with a six into the Mound Stand as the hosts recovered from 189-6.

He finished unbeaten on 107, having shared in an 112-run unbroken stand with skipper Toby Roland-Jones, whose 51 not out was his first championship half-century for 21 months.

The late plunder was harsh on a Derbyshire attack who were excellent for much of the day, spinner Alex Thomson the pick of the bunch with 2-43.

Middlesex decided to bat first after winning the toss but lost Sam Robson for a duck in the first over off Zak Chappell.

Both Mark Stoneman and Max Holden had uncomfortable moments but appeared to have survived the worst when the former, on 30, flicked at a delivery wide down the leg-side from Anuj Dal and was caught by wicketkeeper Brooke Guest flying to his right.

Holden was becalmed either side of lunch as the ball began to swing under increasing cloud cover and his patience ran out as he slashed a wide one from Daryn Dupavillon to Aneurin Donald at slip, departing for 36.

Leus Du Plooy, playing against his former county, and Higgins rallied before their 63-run stand for the fourth wicket ended when Thomson had Du Plooy caught behind for 57.

Thomson would also account for Nathan Fernandes before tea while Jack Davies fell to Chappell to leave the hosts six down.

However, an unusually subdued Higgins, who had been dropped on 33, found sufficient rhythm to move through the gears and, after losing Luke Hollman for 20, received fine support from Roland-Jones as they batted Middlesex towards the 350-run mark.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters’ Network