MIDDLESEX, beaten in their last two outings, put themselves back in contention for the AXA League title with an emphatic win yesterday.

For this, they were indebted principally to Justin Langer, their West Australian import, who passed the fifty mark for the third time in his last five innings in the competition.

Yorkshire, whose attack was well below strength, were undermined as much by Langer's belligerence as a prolonged weather break. This reduced each side's quota of overs to 28 and necessitated the application of the Duckworth/Lewis formula.

Rain struck after Mid- dlesex, who were put in, had faced only 10 overs. But Middlesex were already galloping by then, the initial momentum having come from Keith Brown, who hit three fours before edging an outswinger from Anthony McGrath in the final over before the interruption.

Middlesex suffered two reverses not long after the resumption. Owais Shah, swinging to leg, was bowled behind his legs by Richard Stemp and Richard Johnson, promoted to give the scoring rate a boost, missed one from McGrath in the next over.

But Langer, who hit eight fours and two sixes in his 86, was so much in command against the spinners that these setbacks never mattered.

Paul Weekes played superbly in support and remained unbeaten with 42, the pair adding 110 before Langer, off the second ball of the last available over, fell lbw aiming across the line at Paul Hutchison.

Two uncapped fast bowlers in Tim Bloomfield and Chris Batt opened the Middlesex attack and not only prevented an early assault but made deep inroads. Bloomfield induced a snick from Michael Vaughan in his first over, while Darren Lehmann, aiming a hefty blow to midwicket, dragged the ball on.

Bloomfield finished his spell of six overs with two for 13 and Batt, striking thrice in successive overs, returned figures of three for 26. He yorked Matthew Wood, then had McGrath caught off the glove at slip with a vicious ball which inflicted considerable damage to the batsman's right hand.

Bradley Parker eventually gave the Yorkshire score some respectability with a swashbuckling 33. But with 10 overs and two balls remaining, he was defeated by a ball from Keith Dutch that bounced to find the shoulder of the bat and the end was not long in coming.