Owais Shah led the way for Middlesex as they started their final home game of the season well against Northants.

With second place in Division One still up for grabs, Middlesex closed the day on 280-6 after Shah top-scored on 85.

Ed Joyce (71) put on 156 with Shah for the third wicket after Middlesex slumped to 14-2 while Paul Weeks also waded in with a half-century.

Johann Louw and Paul Rofe picked up three wickets each for relegation-haunted Northants.

Middlesex: E Joyce (capt), B Hutton, S Koenig, O Shah, P Weekes, J Dalrymple, B Scott (wkt), S Cook, C Peploe, S Clark, N Hayward.

Northamptonshire: D Sales (capt), T Roberts, J Cook, T Huggins, U Afzaal, G Brophy (wkt), J Louw, B Phillips, P Rofe, A White, J Brown.

.