Hodge holds up Middlesex

County Championship D1, Southgate, day three: Middlesex 620-7 dec; Leicestershire 447 & 148-2 (at close)

Match scorecard

Chad Keegan's best bowling figures for Middlesex were not enough to make victory a formality as Brad Hodge led a determined fightback by the visitors.

Australian Hodge made two half centuries in the day - 52 and 57 not out - and even though Middlesex enforced the follow-on, they were still a long way from victory at the close.

Inspired by Virender Sehwag's 130 on the second day, Leicestershire made the home side work hard for their wickets.

Hodge was caught behind attempting to square cut, but skipper Phil DeFreitas contributed 46 and Paul Nixon made 52 not out before Leicestershire ended their first innings 173 runs in arrears.

Keegan took 6-114 but he was less effective later on as his four overs in the second innings cost 21 runs.

Ashley Noffke had John Maunders caught behind first ball and also dismissed Sehwag for 13, but Darren Maddy (74 not out) and Hodge added 117 before the close.

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Middlesex: A J Strauss (Capt), S G Koenig, O A Shah, B L Hutton, E C Joyce, Abdul Razzaq, P N Weekes, D C Nash (Wkt), J W M Dalrymple, A A Noffke, C B Keegan.

Leicestershire: V Sehwag, J K Maunders, D L Maddy, B J Hodge, D I Stevens, P A Nixon (Wkt), J N Snape, P A J DeFreitas (Capt), D D Masters, R M Amin, M J A Whiley.