Warwickshire County Cricket Club were chasing Middlesex's first innings total of 452 on the second day of the County Championship game at Lords.
Middlesex resumed on 317-4 and with the score on 370, a partnership of 107 ended when Simpson was caught by Tim Ambrose after making 52 to give a wicket to Ricky Clarke, who then caught Franklin who had made three.
Meanwhile, Sam Robson had been hitting the runs and after making 231 from 345 balls including 30 fours and a six, he was caught by Ian Bell off the bowling of Jeetan Patal.
Patal then had Harris trapped lbw for twelve, bowled Murtagh for one and finished off Middlesex when he had Roland-Jones caught by Ian Bell to see Middlesex all out for 452.
That looked to be a massive target as Warwicks lost Ian Westwood without scoring and Ian Bell for fourteen to languish at 31-2.
Varun Chopra and Jon Trott came togther and had moved the score on to 108 when Chopra was bowled by Murtagh for 57.
Sam Hain could only two runs from sixteen balls before he was bowled by Finn but Trott (64 not out) and Ambrose came together and Warwicks were on 146/4 when bad light ended play.