Holden tightens Middlesex grip with latest hundred

Max Holden's seventh first-class hundred and his second of the burgeoning season at Lord's allowed Middlesex to remain on top on day two of their Rothesay County Championship Division Two clash with visitors Glamorgan.

The 27-year-old left-hander, who made 184 in the season opener here against Lancashire, emerged from his cocoon of stoic defence in the morning to unfurl an array of attacking shots in the middle session in making 107.

Holden got the better of a joust with England spinner Shoaib Bashir in sharing a stand of 135 for the third wicket with Leus du Plooy. Ben Geddes reached an unbeaten 50 in the day's final over, while Nathan Fernandes earlier also passed the half-century mark to leave Middlesex 353 for 4 at the close.

That the hosts were kept to a modest scoring rate overall, was largely down to Aussie-born Dutch international Timm van der Gugten (3 for 55) who bowled beautifully and Glamorgan's fielding, typified by two superb catches, was excellent all day.

Van der Gugten produced the early wicket Glamorgan needed when he had Stephen Eskinazi reaching for one and edging backward of point where Ben Kellaway took a fine catch diving forwards.

It was the start of a probing spell from the veteran seamer and Holden took it upon himself to face the bulk of it to prevent further breakthroughs. Such was his level of circumspection, the former England U19 accrued only 15 runs in the first session, facing in excess of 70 balls in the process. Nevertheless the objective was achieved and van der Gugten retreated into the outfield, his spell ending without further reward.

Fernandes grafted his way to his half-century, reached with his sixth four, a source of relief after four single-figure scores so far in the campaign. However, van der Gugten returned to snare him caught at slip from the penultimate ball before lunch.

Whatever was on the menu, Holden appeared with a radically different approach on the resumption. Bashir was given an extended bowl from the Nursery End and Holden resolved to take him down, slog-sweeping into the Mound Stand before clubbing the offspinner over mid-off for another boundary.

To his credit, Bashir got one to bounce and take the glove or top of the bat, the ball flying beyond slip's right hand, before Holden resumed his assault, forcing him out of the attack.

Holden's fifty came in 125 balls but he showed no signs of stopping. Asitha Fernando was twice cut to the fence at point and when the Sri Lanka paceman adjusted his length he was savagely pulled in front of square. Holden's second fifty came in only 62 balls.

Du Plooy, short of runs in the first two games was becalmed in comparison though one dream-like off drive underlined his class as he and Holden raised a century stand.

The new ball, ineffective so far in the game, brought reward once more for van der Gugten when Holden drove uppishly and was superbly caught by Zain-ul-Hassan on the cover fence before Ryan Higgins gloved an attempted hook to wicketkeeper Chris Cooke on the stroke of tea.

The evening's fare initially resembled that of the morning, du Plooy eventually making it to fifty after seemingly enduring a bout of the nervous 40s. Nevertheless, he and Geddes reasserted control to come within three runs of a century stand by stumps.