'We have to make 450 to get back into it' - Darren Lehmann demands Northants batters step up

Northamptonshire's first innings at Lord's ended in disappointment on September 24 as they were bowled out for 103 in 37 overs. The collapse came after winning the toss and electing to bat first, with Luke Procter dismissed lbw off the third ball. Middlesex's bowling attack proved too strong, with Ryan Higgins and Danru Ferns each taking four wickets to dismantle the Northants batting order. Calvin Harrison and Louis Kimber were guilty of loose shots that contributed to the early collapse.

Middlesex replied with 255 all out, giving them a first-innings lead of 152 runs. Ben Sanderson claimed four wickets for Northamptonshire, reducing Middlesex to 32 for four at one stage. Ryan Higgins scored 115 for Middlesex, while Ben Geddes contributed 57. James Sales made 43 for Northants in their first innings. Despite the strong bowling performance, Northamptonshire faced a significant deficit heading into day two. Darren Lehmann, Northamptonshire's head coach, addressed the situation after play on September 24.

“We’re still in the game but we have to now do what we started out to do at the beginning of the game, which is make 450 to get back into it. I’m just really disappointed, we let them dictate terms and we talked about different things you’ve got to do to negate medium-pacers, and we didn't do them. Derbyshire did the same thing to us in the first innings last week, but I thought we adjusted well in the second innings, so fingers crossed they adjust and play better, because it was a pretty good wicket,” said head coach Darren Lehmann as quoted by Daventry Express.

“It's not a 20 wickets for 350 run wicket. It was an eventful day, but that is a 300-plus wicket, and I am really disappointed with the batting. Higgins played well for them, but Middlesex have probably missed the boat as well. It's difficult with the new ball but you expect that with the Dukes ball and these conditions. It's actually ended up not too bad because we have bowled them out and it has spun a bit. So for us it’s now all about batting all day and then see where we are really. The positive is we are somehow still in the game, and who knows what will happen. We might bat badly and then the game is shut, but they have left the door ajar haven't they?,” he added.

Lehmann also felt that his bowlers could have performed better, but he was not too critical of their efforts, as they managed to keep Northants in the game. Middlesex currently lead by 152 runs.

"We went at five an over all day, so that was probably the disappointing thing from a bowling point of view. But we can’t complain in that we’ve bowled a side out for 255 on a good wicket after we were rolled ourselves. So they have given us a bit of a hope,” said Lehmann.