Special landmark for Zaib but Northants look to be heading for defeat at Middlesex

Zaib hit 82 in the County’s first innings as he became the first Northants batter since Ben Duckett in 2016 to reach four figures in a summer, but unless he and his team-mates produce something special on day four at Merchant Taylors’ School, then it will be no more than a consolation from this match.

Northants go into the final on 64 for three in their second innings, having been bowled out for 261 in their first knock in reply to the home side’s mammoth 625 for eight declared.

It means the County still trail by 300 runs with half of their top order already back in the pavilion.

Ryan Higgins moved to the top of Middlesex’s wicket-taking chart for the season to help his side close in on a Rothesay County Championship Division Two victory.

Higgins finished with four for 51, with Noah Cornwell taking three for 48 as the visitors were made to follow on 364 behind – and the medium-pacer then grabbed two quick top-order wickets second time around to further improve his season’s tally to 32.

Northamptonshire stumbled along to stumps, and their plight would have been deeper but for rain stoppages and Zaib’s effort.

The left-hander was very nearly the fastest to that landmark across the Championship circuit, but the 27-year-old narrowly missed out to Surrey’s Dom Sibley, who got there just 15 minutes earlier in their match against Yorkshire at Scarborough.

Middlesex rotated their seam quartet when the visitors resumed on 126 for four, but their spin options were limited after Zafar Gohar, tumbling to deal with George Bartlett’s cover drive, landed awkwardly on his shoulder and had to leave the field.

Bartlett, having steered Tom Helm neatly through gully for four, repeated the stroke later in the over and picked out the fielder this time, but Zaib continued to progress steadily as he built a partnership with Rob Keogh.

Keogh, who had injured a finger while fielding on day one, did well to withstand a couple of Helm deliveries that rose sharply down the slope and helped Zaib to add 55 before Cornwell had him caught down the leg side.

The left-hander went on to pass 50 for the ninth time in this season’s Championship, ushering Northamptonshire’s total beyond 200 before rain arrived to send the players off for an early lunch.

Dom Leech provided spirited support, finding the boundary four times in his knock of 22 while Zaib capitalised on successive short balls from Leus du Plooy, pulling the slow left-armer for six and four.

Higgins broke the seventh-wicket stand of 64 with two dismissals in as many deliveries, with Leech caught top-edging a hook before Ben Sanderson was lbw without scoring to leave the visitors eight down.

A more persistent spell of rain held up play for the next hour and a half – but it took just three balls for Cornwell to wrap up Northamptonshire’s first innings, knocking out Zaib’s off stump with one that seamed back before cleaning up Yuzvendra Chahal with a yorker.

After another weather-induced delay, Higgins reclaimed centre stage, winning what looked like a borderline lbw decision against Ricardo Vasconcelos and castling Aadi Sharma next ball to leave the visitors reeling at 10 for two.

James Sales began redressing the balance with a series of positive shots in his knock of 26, but he attempted one too many and lost his middle stump to Toby Roland-Jones.

Stand-in skipper Lewis McManus remained defiant, punching Helm off the back foot to the fence to reach 21 not out before the light deteriorated sufficiently for the umpires to bring play to a close.