Warwkshire close in on Middlesex win

Warwickshire's bowlers are in charge as the are on target to defeat Middlesex by an innings after day three of the top-of-the-table division one match at Uxbridge.

Begining the third day on 70-3, Middlesex lost their last seven wickets for just 75 runs as Chris Martin (3-43) and Darren Maddy (3-23) ensured their 223-run deficit.

Owais Shah, 25 not out overnight, hit 42 and Ben Scott 37 but they could do little to stop their side's collapse.

Dawid Malan and Nick Compton guided Middlesex to 20-0 at the close.

They still trail the division leaders by 203 runs with 10 second innings wickets remaining.

Earlier, Shah was dropped at slip by Jonathan Trott in the third over of the morning session, before rain intervened.

After 16 overs were lost, Middlesex suffered a blow in the in the first over back when Shah fell for 42, trapped leg before wicket by Neil Carter.

In his next over Carter picked up the wicket of Eoin Morgan, who looked to drive a ball that swung late, found the outside edge and flew to first slip where Trott snapped up the catch.

Scott played a delightful late cut to bring up the 100 for the hosts but with the score on 109, Tim Murtagh became the sixth wicket to fall.

Looking to trying to force the ball through the off-side, Murtagh only succeeded in giving Tony Frost a simple catch behind the stumps off the bowling of Chris Woakes.

A further 44 runs were added between Scott and Murali Kartik, with Scott continuing to dominate the bowling with some superb strokes either side of the wicket.

But three balls before another rain interruption, Kartik skied a dismissal to extra cover.

Scott smashed the first ball after tea over square leg for four, but Alan Richardson soon fell when he fenced at an outswinger from Maddy and Ant Botha took the catch at third slip.

Steven Finn did not last long, deceived by a full-length delivery from Martin and being trapped lbw and, two overs later, Scott was the last man out when he top-edged a pull to Navdeep Poonia off Martin

Scorecard