Finn’s Spectacular Performance Eases Middlesex Worries about Relegation

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Lancashire couldn’t handle Steve Finn after a potential Ashes contender, Haseeb Hameed, had to leave the field, only to return at No 11 in a fruitless attempt to secure victory

Middlesex 233 (Roland-Jones 53, Rayner 52*) and 152 (Robson 58, Bailey 5-44) beat Lancashire 165 (Murtagh 4-49) and 184 (Finn 8-79) by 36 runs

For the second year in a row, domestic cricket concluded at Lord’s in enthralling fashion. No silverware was lifted this time, nor tears cried in the Pavilion. This year, there was relief rather than champagne in the dressing room. But, thanks to another virtuoso bowling performance, this time from Steven Finn who took 8 for 79 to see off Lancashire, Middlesex are out of the relegation zone, with a do-or-die showdown against Somerset still to play.

Everything went right for Finn, bowling with pace, control and the verve of a man operating close to his peak, wary he had to be the man to preserve his county’s Division One status. The only blemish on an immaculate day for the 28-year-old came when a member of the press accidentally kicked over his celebratory beer. Thankfully, it was only Fosters.

The cold hard numbers are remarkable in themselves, not least because they highlight some peculiarities in Finn’s back catalogue. Those figures of 8 for 79 were his best in first class cricket since a spectacular 9 for 37 against Worcestershire in April 2010 – a month after he made his England Test debut against Bangladesh in Chittagong. This was also his first five-wicket haul since July 2015, when he made a triumphant return to the format against Australia with 6 for 79. His last five-fer in Championship cricket came against Nottinghamshire – 5 for 91 at Lord’s back in April 2014.

In the context of the game, Finn’s haul was Roy of the Rovers stuff, at a time when Middlesex needed him most. Having begun the day with no Toby Roland-Jones, off-spinner Ollie Rayner suffered an intercostal side-muscle injury. Both are unlikely to play at Taunton, where a turning Taunton pitch awaits. “Ollie won’t play next week,” said Voges. “He could hardly breathe out there.” How special, then, that Rayner – as good a team man in the game – continued on in the field and took a stunning catch, diving to his left to grab a flying thick edge with his right hand, to remove the dangerous Ryan McLaren for Lancashire’s ninth and Finn’s seventh wicket.

Many thought that was Lancashire all out after Haseeb Hameed, needing a score of note to be in consideration for the upcoming Ashes tour, took a blow from James Harris on his bottom hand (right) at the start of the 26th over. After a long break with the physio and Hameed seeing if he could hold the bat effectively, he retired hurt. While he was able to return upon McLaren’s wicket,

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