Currie takes six wickets on debut at Lord's

Bradley Currie put in a fantastic performance on debut as he took 6 wickets at Lord’s on day 3 of our LV= Insurance County Championship match against Middlesex.

It was a magical debut for Sussex seamer Brad Currie, who produced a bewitching spell of four for 16 in the morning session to rip out Middlesex’s top order. The 23-year-old later returned to claim two more scalps for figures of six for 93.

The hosts resumed 103 without loss and when Sam Robson (62) creamed the first ball of the day through the covers it suggested a continuation of the run-fest.

However, in perfect swing conditions, Currie’s devastating spell threatened to change the entire landscape of the game.

The younger sibling of Scott Currie of Hampshire swung the ball with impunity and found that fraction of nibble which creates uncertainty, so threatening both the inside and outside edge of the bat.

Reward came quickly as his in-swinger beat Mark Stoneman’s inside edge to trap him lbw without adding to his overnight score.

It wasn’t long before Steve Eskinazi, back from England Lions’ duty became his next victim, an outside edge flying through to Oli Carter.

Adrenaline now coursing through his veins, Currie’s next two wickets came in the space of four balls, Former England opener Robson having his off-stump pegged back by one which beat the outside edge, before Max Holden was castled too via the inside of the bat. The hosts were in disarray at 137-4, leaving Malan and Simpson to re-entrench.

When Simpson followed his partner to the half-century mark from 137 balls Middlesex appeared to be inching towards safety.

However, in the shadows of the tea interval Greek international Aristides Karvelas got a debut wicket with one which lifted and left Malan,.

When teenager Danial Ibrahim had Luke Hollman well caught in the gully by Tom Clark from a full-bloodied square cut soon after the resumption, Middlesex were still 82 short of the follow-on.  

By now the floodlights were on, but Simpson and Roland-Jones launched a counter-attack amid the gloom, reviving memories of their century-stand against Glamorgan back in April.

Roland-Jones showed controlled aggression striking the ball hard and straight, while Simpson timed the ball sweetly against a tiring attack.

A hard-run two to mid-off carried Simpson to his century in a shade over four and three-quarter hours and by the time Delray Rawlins bowled him soon afterwards the follow-on had been saved.

Currie though completed his day to remember by ending Roland-Jones’ swashbuckling innings before scattering Umesh Yadav’s stumps, but barring something extraordinary on day four this game seems destined for a draw.