Middlesex 203 and 262 for 3 (Holden 105*, Higgins 102*) lead Gloucestershire 322 (Hammond 81, van Buuren 75, Brooks 3-55) by 143 runs
Having conceded a primary innings lead of 119 by bowling out their opponents for 322 from an in a single day 271 for six, the guests slipped to 9 for 2 of their second innings earlier than Holden, Leus du Plooy (30) and Higgins launched a robust fightback.
By the shut, Middlesex had posted 262 for 3, Holden and Higgins sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 183, and had a lead of 143, leaving all three outcomes potential on the ultimate day. Holden had confronted 157 balls, hitting 14 fours and a six, whereas Higgins smashed 13 fours and three sixes in dealing with 120 deliveries towards his former membership.
Middlesex wanted to make good use of the second new ball, accessible when play started an hour late due due to in a single day rain, to limit Gloucestershire’s first innings lead on the hybrid pitch providing extra bounce than normal on the Seat Distinctive Stadium. Ben Charlesworth, batting with Ollie Worth as runner due to an ankle damage sustained on day one, produced two textbook straight drives off Tom Helm, whereas Zaman Akhter exploited the duvet area.
The pair had prolonged their seventh-wicket stand to 71 when Akhter, on 27, tried one drive too many and was bowled by Helm failing to get to the pitch of a great size supply. It proved Middlesex’s solely success within the hour earlier than lunch, which was reached with Gloucestershire 314 for 7, 111 runs in entrance.
The hosts had been unable to construct initially of the afternoon session as Henry Brookes struck 3 times in an over. Charlesworth began the slide making an attempt a giant hit and solely skying to mid-off the place Holden took a fantastic tumbling catch.
Marchant de Lange swung in trademark trend and in addition skied a catch off his third ball, wicketkeeper Jack Davies taking the catch, earlier than Dom Goodman edged a catch to 3rd slip to finish the innings
Quickly Gloucestershire’s seamers had been making inroads on a a lot livelier pitch than they’ve been used to working on in dwelling video games. Nathan Fernandes had made solely 5 when caught at mid-wicket pulling a brief ball from Goodman.
It was 9 for two when Mark Stoneman departed for a duck, caught behind driving at a large supply from Ajeet Singh Dale and du Plooy got here in to face a testing examination, edging his first ball from Singh Dale simply wanting the slip cordon.
In a single over from Akhter, the Middlesex skipper wanted therapy after being hit on a hand and was then struck once more by the primary supply after resuming his innings. One other over from the identical bowler noticed him survive three assured lbw appeals.
Holden defiantly pulled de Lange for 4 then six as he and du Plooy steadily doused the Gloucestershire hearth. However having helped take the entire to 66 for two at tea, they added solely 13 extra earlier than du Plooy, who had drawn applause from the bowler when hitting de Lange again over his head for an enormous six, was brilliantly caught by Chris Dent at backward level to provide 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. Momentum was now with the batting aspect and when spin was launched the pair first milked singles off Graeme van Buuren to extend the scoring fee after which went on the assault, Higgins hitting Worth for a six and a 4 in the identical over.
The solar was out and all venom had gone out of the bowling as Higgins marked his return to a former stamping floor by mentioning a chanceless fifty off 73 balls. On 62, he was dropped by van Buuren at mid-wicket off Worth
Holden reached his ton off 151 balls, with 13 fours and a six and Higgins adopted to a few figures with a pulled six off Singh Dale. Now Middlesex will fancy their possibilities of a last-day declaration and an unbelievable victory.
