Middlesex’s Ryan Higgins makes highest first-class score in Glamorgan draw

Middlesex all-rounder Ryan Higgins recorded his highest first-class score of 221 as his side’s County Championship opener against Glamorgan at Lord’s drifted to an inevitable draw.

Higgins’ epic effort, which contained 21 fours and two sixes, was his first double-hundred and featured a ninth-wicket partnership of 114 with Tom Helm, who also posted a career-best 64.

Middlesex’s total of 655 was the second largest in their history, with Glamorgan off-spinner Kiran Carlson taking three for 147 while Craig Miles and Colin Ingram claimed two wickets apiece.

But a share of the spoils had always seemed virtually guaranteed on a batting-friendly pitch where only 15 wickets fell in the course of four days and Glamorgan reached 31 for two in their second innings before the captains shook hands.

Eye-catching

Ingram collected a wicket in the seventh over of the day, taking a routine return catch to dismiss Josh de Caires for 20, while Toby Roland-Jones posted an identical score before he was caught behind swishing at Jamie McIlroy.

Henry Brookes departed shortly before lunch but Helm stuck around and unfurled some eye-catching strokes, including a straight-driven boundary off Zain-ul-Hassan.

Helm also pumped Ingram over mid-on for six en route to his fourth first-class half-century and the same bowler was on the receiving end as Higgins reached 200 from 350 balls.

Higgins thrashed another six to raise the hundred partnership before Carlson finally ended his lengthy stay at the crease.

Helm became the keeper’s third victim, snapped up off a bottom edge to end an innings that had lasted 211 overs and two balls on the stroke of tea.

The luckless Ul-Hassan – caught behind cheaply off Ethan Bamber in the first half-hour of the game – was dismissed in identical fashion for just two runs and Leus du Plooy claimed his first wicket for Middlesex in the final over, having Billy Root caught at slip.