Essex's batting line-up was blown away with embarrassing ease as Middlesex established a solid grip on their Championship clash at Lord's.

They went into the third day on 95-8 and 119 short of avoiding the follow on after their opponents had posted a total of 363.

The only prolonged resistance yesterday came from 18-year-old Ravinder Bopara, who is only playing because skipper Ronnie Irani is absent through injury.

Bopara went into the third day on 15 runs, having survived for nearly two hours by showing the type of application that was conspicuous by its absence in many of his senior colleagues.

The county's display was a pathetic response after Jon Dakin had produced a career best performance with the ball by taking 5-86 in 35 overs.

Among his victims was Ben Hutton, whose 107 provided the backbone of the Middlesex innings.

There can be no excuse for the way Essex capitulated. Admittedly, the bowlers managed to get the ball to swing but they were helped by batsmen hell bent on suicide missions.

Chas Keegan and Ashley Noffke claimed the first four wickets with the aid of wicketkeeper David Nash.

Will Jefferson was the victim of a marvellous diving catch low down to Nash's left after striking four boundaries in his 22.

But Paul Grayson was out to the first ball he received pushing attentively forward, before Keegan undid Darren Robinson and Andy Flower as a result of loose shots.

Abdul Razzaq bowled Aftab Habib, James Foster and James Middlebrook found an edge and Dakin was trapped leg before by a delivery that kept low.

These three wickets were all claimed by medium paceman Simon Cook during a 27-ball spell in which he did not concede a run.

Middlesex had resumed on 178-4 and were soon heading for their formidable total as Hutton and Razzaq made their overnight partnership worth 103 before Dakin dismissed both shortly before lunch.

Hutton's defiance spanned nearly six hours before Foster caught him behind, while Razzaq was bowled for 54.

Although Scott Brant removed Nash and Noffke cheaply soon after the interval, Cook and Keegan stayed long enough to help Paul Weekes add 81 for the last two wickets.

Published Friday, June 6, 2003

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