Devastating Nel makes late breakthrough

8:36pm Thursday 8th May 2008

MIDDLESEX bowler Danny Evans put Essex to the sword on the second day of their County Championship Division 2 match at Chelmsford.

The young paceman returned superb figures of 6-35 as the home side was all out for 207, still 95 runs short of Middlesex's first innings total.

But any hope that the men from Lord's had of going into the third day with the upper hand were ended by Andre Nel, who took three late wickets as Middlesex finished the day 19-3.

The South African produced a dazzling spell with the new ball, dismissing Andrew Strauss, Middlesex's intended night watchman Shaun Udal and Ed Smith, the latter claiming his second duck of the match.

Earlier 20-year-old Evans, like Nel, made the most of the bounce offered by a benign bowling track to help skittle Essex out for 207.

He was well supported by South African Vernon Philander (3-45) with only Jason Gallian (56) and youngster Tom Westley (60) making any inroads with the bat.

Essex had to do without Ravi Bopara, who like Middlesex's Owais Shah, was playing for England Lions against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl, in Southampton.

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