Strauss restores parity.

The third morning at Uxbridge started, to even the media's surprise, on time, on the day Brett Lee announced his International retirement.


Middlesex resumed 231 behind; the first half hour saw Sam Robson leading a charmed life, surviving a run out chance when Taylor shied and missed the stumps and repeatedly edging the ball, being dropped by Voges off a sharp but catchable edge and having another sail through a vacant 4th slip.



Sam Robson lasted the whole of the first hour before his streak of good fortune was ended by Andy Carter, caught Read for 26.


At lunch Middlesex were sitting much more comfortably 107/1; with no play possible today at Birmingham and the game at Worcester abandoned as a draw. In fact the only other games in play at this point today were at Guildford, where KP was batting and Canterbury where Kent started a game against the touring South Africans.

The second wicket didn't fall until the score had reached 198 when Chris Rogers fell for 59 just as Strauss reached his century; Andrew Strauss effectively dragging his side to parity undoing all the poor work by Middlesex of the two previous days.


Another shortened day ended with Middlesex ahead by 8 runs with 8 wickets intact.


At Guildford, Kevin Pietersen boosted Surrey with 234 not out ; Surrey still 55 runs behind however.

Another double centurion was Joe Root at the Armitage Shanks Bowl with 222 not out.





















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