Voges ton guides chase of 402

April 30, 2014: Rogers steers Middlesex in record chase

Australian Adam Voges has posted his first century of the English county season to steer Middlesex to an unlikely victory target of 402 on the final day of their match against Somerset.

Kiwi allrounder James Franklin also posted three figures as Middlesex cruised to 5-405 from 101.5 overs to win with seven balls to spare.

Just one day short of being exactly twelve months to the day since Chris Rogers guided Middlesex to a record run chase of 472 against Yorkshire, it was once again an Australian who led the way in pursuit of a 400+ target.

Voges finished with 132 to go with his first-innings 98, and shared a 200-run partnership with Franklin, who finished unbeaten on 115.

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Franklin finished not out after a 200-run stand with Voges // Getty

The Middlesex skipper, the Bupa Sheffield Shield's player of the season for 2014-15, will soon head to the Caribbean for Australia's Test series against West Indies.

"It was an outstanding win for us given our position on the first day and particularly without Tim Murtagh bowling in the second innings. He had a back spasm, but seems fine now," Voges said.

"I was very disappointed to miss out so narrowly on a hundred in the first innings, so it was good to get there today, although I would have liked to stay with James Franklin until the end.

"James paced his innings perfectly and was totally unflappable as we got nearer our target.

"I believe we have a squad capable of challenging strongly in the Championship this season."

Somerset had been on top for the opening three days of the match; they posted 408 in the first innings before bowling Middlesex out for 317 in reply and set the victory target of 402 when they were dismissed for 310 late on the third day.

Middlesex started the final day on 0-31 and Somerset struck early, removing former England openers Sam Robson and Nick Compton early before Voges and young opener Nick Gubbins (78) put on 92 for the third wicket.

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Voges hit 13 boundaries in his innings of 132 // Getty

Then came the match-winning stand between Voges and Franklin, a veteran of 31 Tests and 110 ODIs for New Zealand.

Voges struck 13 boundaries in over four-and-a-half-hours at the crease as Somerset struggled without the services of strike bowler Jamie Overton, who bowled just 1.1 overs in the innings before leaving the field due to a heel injury.

The Antipodean duo came together just before lunch with the score 3-137 and batted through the middle session, with the Australian bringing up his 25th first-class century just before tea.

Needing 122 from 32 overs in the final session, the duo survived the early overs of the second new ball and when Voges was eventually dismissed for 132 - caught behind off Tim Groenewald - only 65 runs were needed for victory.

Franklin hit 15 fours in his unbeaten innings, his 20th first-class hundred, as Middlesex chased down the target - the third-highest to win at Taunton - with seven balls remaining in the day.

Elsewhere, Voges's Test teammate Peter Siddle finished with five wickets for the match as his Lanchashire side easily accounted for Kent by nine wickets.

Siddle took 2-57 in the first innings and 3-36 from 20 overs in the second, a positive sign ahead of Australia's series against West Indies and the Ashes later in the year.

John Hastings was also on the winners' list, his Durham side chasing down 262 to win by six wickets against Steve Magoffin and Sussex.

At Grace Road, Australians Mark Cosgrove and Clint McKay were part of the Leicestershire side that went down to Northamptonshire by 92 runs, while Peter Handscomb's Gloucestershire lost to Derbyshire by seven wickets.

Adam Voges 2014-15 season

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