Middlesex are on the verge of clinching promotion to Division One of the LV=Insurance County Championship after century-maker Steve Eskinazi, John Simpson and Pieter Malan played major roles in them securing maximum batting points against Worcestershire at New Road.

A boundary by Eskinazi off Ed Barnard ensured the 400 run mark was achieved with 10 balls to spare of the 110 overs permitted for bonus points. The efforts of the trio earned their side a first innings lead of – with Simpson becoming the first Middlesex keeper-batter to complete 1,000 first class runs in a season since Keith Brown in 1991.

With only a draw required to secure a top two spot, it will require something of extra-ordinary proportions on the final day to prevent the champagne corks from popping tomorrow afternoon after they obtained a lead of 284.

Simpson joined Mark Stoneman from earlier in the game in achieving four figures this summer with Max Holden (749) and Sam Robson (708) also making significant contributions with the bat.

On the bowling front, Toby Roland-Jones has been a magnificent leader of the attack at the age of 34 with his season’s best haul of 67 victims and with power to add on the final day of the season. But Tim Murtagh (30), Tom Helm (29) and Ethan Bamber (25) have also provided invaluable support.

After a mid-season wobble of five games without a win, Middlesex recaptured the successful formula in four-day cricket in defeating Glamorgan and Leicestershire and dominating the opening three days at New Road.

For Worcestershire, the highlight of the day was Gareth Roderick’s six catches, equalling the most in an innings by one of their players in Championship cricket. But, apart from Dillon Pennington, whose two wickets took his tally for the season to 44, their bowlers were unable to bowl a sufficiently consistent line and length to apply pressure.

Middlesex resumed on 146-2 and added only nine runs before Josh Tongue made the first breakthrough as Holden (44) nibbled at a ball which left him and keeper Roderick held onto a low catch.

There was a considerable amount of playing and missing in the opening half hour and a delay as the transfers on Eskinazi’s bat were leaving marks on the ball.

But the visitors gradually began to flourish with Malan’s straight drive for four off Barnard one of the most eye-catching strokes as the first batting point was secured in the 62nd over. Malan had scored 141 and 77 not out for Warwickshire in a Championship match on the same ground last summer and looked well set for another century.

But on 93 there was little he could do about a ball of extra bounce from Matthew Waite which cut back into him and he nicked through to Roderick. His excellent 182 ball knock contained one six and 17 fours.

Simpson needed 53 more runs to complete 1,000 in a campaign for the first time and batted with typically aggressive intent from the start. He and Eskinazi eased Middlesex past the Worcestershire total and batting began to look slightly more easier. Their half century stand occupied only 11 overs and Worcestershire Club Captain, Brett D’Oliveira, brought himself into the attack for the first spin of the match.

The second new ball was taken at 275-4 but runs continued to flow and Eskinazi pulled Tongue for his 10th boundary to complete a 104 ball half century. Simpson went to the same mark with a four to third man, also off Tongue, and a cover drive off the same bowler took him to the 1,000 mark in the campaign. He then planted Waite over mid wicket for six and looked set for a fourth hundred of the season but on 92 he was bowled behind his legs by Ben Gibbon.

Simpson struck one six and 13 fours in his 121 ball innings and added 157 in 37 overs with Eskinazi. Eskinazi, the leading scorer last month in the Royal London Cup with 658 at an average of 94.00, was not to be denied and cut Gibbon for two to complete a 179 ball hundred with 16 fours.

Roderick held onto a fine catch running back from behind the wicket to dismiss Ryan Higgins from the last ball before tea by Barnard. The all-important 400 milestone was reached when Eskinazi flicked Barnard to fine leg.

Luke Hollman (9) gave Roderick another scalp off Waite and then catch number six for the keeper away to his left finally accounted for Eskinazi on 115 on Pennington’s return to the attack. Jake Libby had a rare bowl and dismissed Ethan Bamber and Tim Murtagh but Roland-Jones enjoyed himself with some late hitting in his 58 ball fifty as he brought up the 500.

Speaking at close of play, Middlesex century-maker Steve Eskinazi said: “Back in Division One? A phenomenal day’s cricket, probably up there with the best in my career given the context of how important this first innings was for promotion hopes, and how difficult conditions for batting were and the pressure of having worked so hard all year.

“It’s been an angsty last two or three weeks, looking at different permutations, different results, but we knew that we had things in our own hands and the beauty of today was that.”

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