COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Grace Road:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY TWO: Middlesex 159 & 76-6, Leicestershire 244(Middlesex 3pts, Leicestershire 4pts)
10-13 July 2009 (1100 BST)

Iain O'Brien added to his six-wicket first innings haul with another scalp

Middlesex followed their first innings batting collapse against Leicestershire with a repeat performance on day two.

The home side posted 244, thanks to 18-year-old Josh Cobb making a season's best score of 95, to carve out a first innings lead of 85.

But Middlesex still need another nine runs to make the home side bat again on Sunday after folding meekly to 76-6.

Early rain delayed the start of the second day by an hour and intervened again in the afternoon session.

But just three balls into the morning session George Walker was caught off Tim Murtagh in the gully.

When play resumed in the afternoon it was again Murtagh who struck, this time Iain O'Brien going lbw.

O'Brien had forged a 50 partnership with teenager Cobb, who was next to go as he tried to hit Murtagh for six and was caught by Billy Godleman tracking across from mid-off.

AJ Harris and Harry Gurney added 49 for their last wicket before Harris's stumps were splayed by Gareth Berg.

Middlesex started dismally as Nick Compton, Godleman, Owais Shah and Eoin Morgan all fell to leave the visitors on 50-4.

Harris took two of the wickets, O'Brien added to his six-wicket first innings haul and Harry Gurney got the key wicket of Shah.

But, after James Allenby nipped in to pick up two late wickets in three overs for just one run, bad light stopped play, sparing Middlesex any further misery.

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