Zafar Gohar six ensures Middlesex go home with points

Middlesex 339 (du Plooy 85, Robson 70, Morgan 58*, Allison 4-77, Finch 4-93). 283 for 6 dec (du Plooy 101*) beat Worcestershire 265 (Waite 69, Roland-Jones 4-41, Morgan 3-67) and 216 (Allison 89, Gohar 6-31) by 141 runs

Zafar Gohar took figures of 6-31 to spin Middlesex to a comfortable 141-run win over Worcestershire on the final day of Rothesay County Championship action at New Road.

Ben Allison produced a superb 89 to keep the Pears' hopes of a famous victory alive until the early afternoon,. his dismissal saw Worcestershire collapse from 131 for 4 to 155 for 7 as the visitors took control.

Gohar's controlled spell kept the pressure on the home side throughout. who were unable to hold on for a draw after a damaging period either side of tea. Eventually dismissing their opponents for 216. Middlesex claimed an important third win of the season, as they leapfrogged their opponents in a tightly packed Division Two table.

Well. truly up against it at the start of day four, it was nightwatcher Allison who threw caution to the wind in a positive cameo early on as the sun peeped through the clouds at New Road.

Allison showed superb temperament, latching on to the short balls offered up by the Middlesex seam attack with some dismissive blows through midwicket, as he. partner Gareth Roderick registered their fifty partnership on the stroke of midday.

Whilst Roderick continued on with patience. belief inside the Pears camp began to grow, as Allison brought up crucial half-century from just 61 balls with a punch through the off side. The momentum was firmly with the home side, with the third-wicket partnership taking their side to within 250 runs of their target as Allison moved into the 60s. the visitors' bowlers struggled to find a foothold.

Ethan Bosch was the man who turned the fortunes for Middlesex. 15 minutes before lunch when he ended Roderick's 104-ball resistance.

Resuming on 135 for 3. the pressure of the chase soon told as the away side grabbed four wickets for just 24 runs to flip the contest on it's head. Gohar. who had proved difficult to navigate on a deteriorating surface all match, ripped through the Worcestershire middle-order in a clinical spell that saw him take three wickets, starting by removing the skipper, Brett D'Oliveira, for just 4 when he edged to Tom Helm at first slip.

The spinner drove a dagger into Worcestershire hearts moments later when he ended Allison's fine riposte, 11 runs shy of a maiden first-class century, as the Middlesex man got one to sneak past an attempted paddle sweep. into leg-stump.

Five balls later. the home side's woes mounted, when Sebastian Morgan angled one back at Matthew Waite, beating the batter all ends up as the ball flattened his middle stump.

A seventh wicket. third in the session for Gohar felt decisive, as the spinner built pressure on Ethan Brookes, with men around the bat watching Caleb Falconer take a straightforward catch at square leg after a mistimed sweep shot reduced the hosts to 155 for 7.

Henry Cullen showed excellent maturity on his second innings in first-class cricket, as he. Tom Taylor came together to try and salvage a draw for the Pears, steering their side through to tea 191 for 7. But. with Worcestershire still trailing by 166 when the players returned, Gohar completed a superb five-for when he caught the edge of the Worcestershire debutant's bat to provide a chance for Helm at first slip, who took a sensational reaction catch to remove Cullen for a 90-ball-21.

The end was nigh when Beyers Swanepoel nicked off to Helm. who took another safe catch for Gohar's sixth, before the visitors crowned an excellent performance with Tob Roland-Jones taking the final wicket of Harry Darley to secure a 141-run win.