Centuries from Max Holden and Ryan Higgins dug Middlesex out of a gap on the third day of their County Championship Division Two match in opposition to Gloucestershire.
Having conceded a primary innings lead of 119 by bowling out their opponents for 322 from an in a single day 271-6, the guests slipped to 9-2 of their second innings earlier than Holden (105 not out), Leus du Plooy (30) and Higgins (102 not out) launched a strong fightback.
By the shut, Middlesex had posted 262-3, Holden and Higgins sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 183, and had a lead of 143, leaving all three outcomes doable on the ultimate day.
Middlesex wanted to make good use of the second new ball, out there when play started an hour late as a consequence of in a single day rain, to limit Gloucestershire’s first innings lead.
Ben Charlesworth, batting with Ollie Value as runner due to an ankle harm, and Zaman Akhter had prolonged their seventh-wicket stand to 71 when the latter tried one drive too many and was bowled by Tom Helm.
The hosts had been unable to construct initially of the afternoon session as Henry Brookes struck thrice in an over.
Charlesworth skied to mid-off the place Holden took a advantageous tumbling catch, Marchant de Lange swung in trademark vogue and went third ball, earlier than Dom Goodman edged a catch to 3rd slip to finish the innings.
Gloucestershire’s seamers had been quickly making inroads, with Nathan Fernandes making simply 5 when he was caught at mid-wicket.
It was 9-2 when Mark Stoneman departed for a duck and Du Plooy got here in.
Having helped take the entire to 66-2 at tea, Holden and Du Plooy added solely 13 extra earlier than the South African was brilliantly caught by Chris Dent at backward level to present Goodman a second wicket.
Holden moved to a priceless half-century, off 83 balls, and along with Higgins took Middlesex into the lead with seven wickets nonetheless in hand.
He reached his ton off 151 balls and Higgins adopted to a few figures with a pulled six off Ajeet Singh Dale.
