MCC v Middlesex: Simpson guides champions home

Match scores (Abu Dhabi)

MCC 1st inns (89.1 overs): 332 all out (Clarke 89, Buckett 69, Lees 41, Cox 40; Harryis 3-49, Patel 3-83)

Middlesex 1st inns (62.4 overs): 179 all out (Malan 56, Simpson 48, Gubbins 38; Gregory 5-32, Overton 4-37)

MCC 2nd inns (41.5 overs): 151 all out (Lyth 42, Gregory 32; Podmore 3-25, Helm 3-30)

Middlesex 2nd inns (71.1 overs): 306-9 (Simpson 89*, Compton 59, Gubbins 52, Eskinazi 44; Crame 4-95, Overton 3-55)

Middlesex won by one wicket

Day three report

Craig Overton grabbed a hat-trick but finished on the losing side as an unbeaten 89 from John Simpson secured Middlesex a dramatic one-wicket victory over MCC to win the Champion County game on day three in Abu Dhabi.

Resuming at 145 for seven, with a lead of 298, MCC's lower order was soon dismissed as Tom Helm bowled Somerset paceman Overton for 28 and then had Jack Leach caught for a three-ball duck.

A calf injury had earlier ruled Yorkshire's Liam Plunkett out of contention, so Middlesex were left to chase down a victory target of 305.

Nick Gubbins and Sam Robson put on 43 for the first wicket, with Leach removing Robson for 20 when he was caught at mid-on by Alex Lees.

Supported by Nick Compton to bring up the century, Gubbins went on to reach 52 before he was trapped lbw by legspinner Mason Crane.

Lewis Gregory dismissed Dawid Malan for 14 in the 32nd over, before Compton also holed out to mid-on, again off Crane, with his 59 having come off 84 balls.

Stevie Eskinazi and Simpson (pictured) made a stand of 84 to push Middlesex on towards a seemingly comfortable win before Overton struck to take full advantage of the twilight.

Eskinazi was caught leg-before on 44, with James Franklin then edging the next delivery behind and Overton had his treble when James Harris was struck on the pad by a full, straight delivery.

However, it was Middlesex who found the needed resolve as Harry Podmore added seven in his 46-minute knock supporting Simpson either side of the break.

Although Helm was caught for 12 at cover off Crane to give him four wickets for 95 and leave Middlesex at 300 for nine, Simpson remained composed under the lights as he smashed Overton through the legside to seal victory.

Overton finished with three wickets for 55 from his 15.1 overs.

Day two report

Somerset pair Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton shared nine wickets as the MCC gained the upper hand against Middlesex on day two in Abu Dhabi.

Resuming on nine for one in reply to the MCC's first-innings 332 all out, the county champions were reliant on a half-century from Dawid Malan to reach 179.

With a 153-run first-innings deficit, Middlesex then fought back with the ball as Harry Podmore took three wickets to reduce the MCC to 145 for seven - a lead of 298.

Rather than new-ball pair Gregory (pictured) and Overton, it was Somerset spinner Jack Leach who made the initial breakthrough in the morning by bowling Tom Helm for 15.

The seamers then took over, with Gregory bowling Nick Compton, having Nick Gubbins held in the slips and Stevie Eskinazi caught behind to reduce Middlesex to 68 for five.

Malan and John Simpson shared a 96-run stand for the sixth wicket, but when left-hander Malan was trapped lbw by Overton, the last four wickets added just 15 runs.

Gregory completed figures of five for 32, while Overton had four for 37 and will start the second innings on a hat-trick after dismissing Podmore and Ravi Patel with successive deliveries to bring the innings to a close.

Adam Lyth added 42 in the MCC's second innings but there was precious little support as Podmore's three for 25 reduced them to 100 for six, only for Gregory (32) and Overton to share a 40-run stand before the former was bowled by Helm late in the day.

The MCC will be without Liam Plunkett for the rest of the match after the England and Yorkshire paceman suffered a minor calf injury. 

Day one report

Joe Clarke fell 11 runs short of a century as the MCC posted 332 all out on the opening day of the Champion County clash against Middlesex in Abu Dhabi.

Clarke came to the wicket with the score at 125 for three and played the key role as the middle order rallied, hitting 11 fours to guide his side past the 300-mark at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

The Worcestershire batsman was eventually trapped in front by medium pacer James Harris for 89 off the fifth ball of the 81st over with the score on 301.

Clarke was well supported by Ben Duckett, who made 69 before falling lbw to off-spinner Ravi Patel, as well as Ben Cox (40) and Lewis Gregory (36).

Harris was the pick of the Middlesex bowlers as he finished with figures of three for 49, while Patel claimed three for 83 with the wickets of MCC captain Alex Lees (41), Duckett and Gregory.

Middlesex's reply got under way in unpromising fashion as Gregory picked up opener Sam Robson off the fifth ball of the innings, but Nick Gubbins and Tom Helm guided them safely through to nine for one by the close.