County Championship: Middlesex pile on 553-2 against Northants

Teenage opener Nathan Fernandes became Middlesex's youngest debut centurion in first-class cricket since 1862 as the visitors piled on the runs in their County Championship game against Northamptonshire.

Left-hander Fernandes, drafted in to replace the injured Sam Robson at the top of the order, hit 103 before team-mates Max Holden (211 not out) and Leus du Plooy (196 not out) both plundered the bowling at Wantage Road, to steer the visitors to 553-2 at stumps - one run ahead.

Fernandes, who turns 20 later this month, was the first Middlesex player to mark his first-class debut with a ton since Ted Clark in 1959, the youngest since Isaac Walker achieved the feat against Surrey almost 100 years earlier.

Northamptonshire's bowlers toiled gamely in the batting-friendly conditions, but were put to the sword by Holden - who passed 200 for the first time in his career - and Du Plooy.

It took Fernandes until the sixth over of the morning to increase his overnight score of 65, but the teenager then settled into his stride with classy strokes on either side of the wicket.

He reached his century from 208 deliveries when he pulled a Rob Keogh long hop to the fence, but he was then on his way soon after when he mistimed an attempt to paddle a slow bouncer from Luke Procter that ballooned up to give wicketkeeper Lewis McManus a routine catch.

The Northamptonshire skipper's strike ended a partnership of 170, but Holden continued to accumulate, displaying greater attacking intent after lunch in tandem with Du Plooy.

Ben Sanderson did get the new ball to whistle just past Holden's outside edge, but the left-hander remained composed to punch the first delivery of his next over to the ropes, reaching three figures for the first time in red-ball cricket since 2018.

Du Plooy then completed his first Middlesex century as the pair continued to pile on the runs.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.