MIDDLESEX rose to second in the AXA League table yesterday with a hard-fought victory over Nottinghamshire, who had given them a bath in the championship match at Trent Bridge on Friday.

Nottinghamshire seemed to have gathered sufficient momentum on the chase, thanks to an intelligent innings of 55 off 73 balls by Mathew Dowman, but Middlesex showed enough character with the ball to tip the balance on a strip in use for the sixth day.

Middlesex's innings defeat in the four-day game had accurately reflected the difference between the two sides. So their success in turning round a losing situation yesterday was especially praiseworthy.

The pitch needed to be used third hand because earth-moving work by the Radcliffe Road stand constructors had pushed the boundary inwards about 10 yards or so, which would have shrunk the outfield on the Fox Road side to an unacceptable degree if the planned strip had been used.

The pitch was understandably tired yesterday with a lack of pace similar to Northampton, where Middlesex had looked short of champion material in a nine-wicket defeat two weeks previously.

Again, they had to protect a vulnerable score and did not look like succeeding until off-spinner Paul Weekes bowled the left-handed Dowman with his first delivery through a curious prod. Notts at that stage were well ahead of the run-rate required.

Dowman was especially severe on James Hewitt and Graeme Archer gave ideal support as Nottinghamshire brushed off an early hiccup, when Richard Johnson yorked Jason Gallian and had Paul Johnson neatly held at gully in four balls.

Nottinghamshire seemed to possess a near-ideal one-day side, with batting reputations all the way down the order, but each man found a way of getting out.

Middlesex stemmed the Dowman-inspired tide of runs when Alistair Fraser, the admirable Keith Dutch and Weekes joined the attack. They bowled straight without overpitching, and Notts immediately had a problem.