Watch highlights of day three
By Matt Somerford
Skipper Glen Chapple sent Lancashire's survival bid into the final day of theLV= County Championship season after an attritional day in their relegation decider against Middlesex at Emirates Old Trafford.
Chapple produced one of the moments of his 23-season career, which could end tomorrow, when he clubbed Toby Roland-Jones for a six to help the Red Rose claim the bonus point they had needed to keep their season alive in the opening hour.
Lancashire promptly declared at 302 for eight and, with an 88-run lead, had reduced a hitherto complicated survival bid to one objective - winning the game.
Middlesex ably set about denying them that aim for the remainder of the day, however, as a Sam Robson half-century helped them to the close at 202 for four.
That represented a lead of 114 runs heading into the final day and, after Neil Dexter mulled over 50 deliveries before getting off the mark in the evening session, Middlesex were already displaying the defiance they will probably need tomorrow to save their own season.
Eoin Morgan was also unbeaten on 41, from 82 balls, as a day that began with such drama wound to a close in deteriorating light.
Lancashire began needing 41 from 14 overs to claim the bonus point they required, while Middlesex needed three wickets to confirm they would remain in the top-flight.
When Tim Murtagh struck twice in his first three overs - pinning Luke Procter and Simon Kerrigan in front - Chapple and Tom Bailey needed to put on 29 to avoid relegation.
Bailey, playing just his fourth championship game, was just a one-year-old when Chapple made his first-class debut in 1992 and was relied on to do most of the spade work as Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers allowed the veteran all-rounder a single when on strike.
Bailey was twice left scrambling for his ground as the chase grew tighter and seven were needed from the final over when Chapple, batting with a broken finger on his left hand, produced at least one more moment to savour in a career that has brought him nearly 1,000 first-class wickets.
The 40-year-old, who could take over as the club's full-time coach next season, finished unbeaten on a season-best 45 while Bailey added a valuable 13.
Middlesex had to pick themselves up after the disappointment and skipper Rogers and Robson calmed some of their frustration by ushering them through to lunch without loss.
Rogers survived a pair of reprieves, as he did in the first innings, before he had got past one.
Ashwell Prince grassed a difficult chance at third slip in the first over before Karl Brown failed to hold onto an easier chance at cover despite needing to dive forward.
Rogers' lives preceded an unusually skittish innings and it was no surprise when he fell before the out-of-form Robson.
The Australia opener dragged on Bailey as he tried to play late on a ball angled in to his body from around the wicket.
By that stage Robson had already reached a long-awaited half-century - his first since the opening Investec Test against India at Trent Bridge in early July.
In between time he had averaged 16.45 in 11 innings, but brought up his milestone with a commanding cut shot to the rope off Chapple.
The opener might still have been cursing luck, however, when his return to form ended on 75.
He was quickly onto a Simon Kerrigan long-hop only to thump it to substitute fielder Liam Livingstone at short cover, where he took a stunning two-handed catch over his head.
Livingstone had only been on the field after Steven Croft had suffered a blow to his jaw at short-leg when Dawid Malan swept Kerrigan.
Lancashire then ended the afternoon session with a third wicket, Kerrigan getting the ball to kiss Joe Denly's gloves as he attempted to leave it.
Middlesex emerged after the break looking to attack, with Morgan lofting Kerrigan to the ropes, as they went at a run-a-ball until Malan received a brute of a delivery from Junaid.
It was the type of ball to linger in Lancashire's minds when their turn to bat arrives, as it leapt from a length and caught Malan's glove on its way to Croft in the slips.
Next man Neil Dexter should have followed for a 25-ball duck, only for first slip Paul Horton to drop a straightforward chance off Chapple when he returned as the light began to fade.
The reprieve only prompted Dexter to dig in his heels further, finally shovelling Croft away for four from his 50th ball, while Morgan also dropped anchor before bad light ended play eight overs early.
Chapple admitted he had been left needing to "gamble" on hitting a boundary to claim the bonus point.
“It got a little bit tricky, we needed a few too many runs," he said.
"We didn't want to leave it until the last two balls so we took a little bit of a gamble. The plan was to get over the line a little bit earlier than that.
“I had been thinking the boundaries were a long way off and because I had a sore finger I wasn't sure I could do it. But I just had to go for it and it paid off."
Lancashire still need six wickets before they can contemplate any victory chase, although the new ball is due in eight overs.
“We are still in it," said Chapple, who admitted his team-mates thought their fate was sealed after defeat at Sussex a fortnight ago.
"We have a new ball in eight overs. I would like a wicket or two before that and that would set the game up for us.
“We have until half-way through the day to bowl them out depending on how fast they score. As ever the first hour is crucial and if it goes our way we will be in the box seat.
“At Hove, we had virtually written ourselves off. This is a second chance for us and we are hungry to take it."
Middlesex seamer Murtagh paid tribute to Chapple for making sure the relegation fight went down to the final day, but believes his team have the character to claim the draw they need.
"Fair play to Chappie, he's been a legend here for years and years," he said.
"The script was almost written for him in possibly his final game and credit to Bailey too. Unfortunately we couldn't do it the easy way so we now have to do it the hard way.
"Losing only four wickets in those two sessions was crucial for us.
"We'll be fighting as I'm sure the Lancashire boys will be until 5.30pm tomorrow. It will be an intersting day's play and no doubt there will be plenty of tension and nerves to come."