About 300 hardy souls gathered for what looked likely to be a short day,250 of them chose to stay behind glass,and Mr Whippy failed to show.

An inauspicious start saw Ace depart immediately after completing his 50.Murts dropped on one took advantage of his good fortune to play pleasantly off his legs and reach an atractive 30 odd,but when he and Knocker fell close together the writing appeared to be on the wall.

There followed the best batting of the day,as the tail wagged even more vigourosly led by the shaggiest dog of all.

Sean Udal on debut used his long reach to much effect,as he took the attack to the bowlers,ably assisted by the stylish Woody,84 were added in quick time before the innings ended.

166 in 61 was not what Leicester had in mind at the start of the day,and adopted a cautious approach. When Woody struck two early blows,dismissing New and the dangerous Ackerman,and then the hapless Du Twit lobbed a simple catch to mid-on it was turning into ''The Woody and Shaggy Show''and hopes rose in Middlesex hearts.

Alas it was not to be as the enterprising Allenby and the adhesive Boyce gradually took control,the scoring rate increased and in the end we were well beaten,but at least a full day's play and a performance from the lower order that promises much for the future.

The lack of an extra bowler and no sign of form and confidence from the batters excluding Ace proved decisive in the end.

[Editor's comment:   Sums up the day well: Daisy and I heard a fair bit on the Internet Radio and at one point it looked like a last over of the day finish with all five results still possible was still in the offing.

At lunch and at 36/3 our hopes were lifted.

But the Middlesex batting collapses in both innings proved to be our undoing and Leics surely deserved their win on balance.

We heard Middlesex miss three run-out opportunities, at least 2 of which were at stages when the game might really have swung our way had they hit. Other than that, the ear-witness report accords with the eye witness report more or less exactly. A numbing start to the season.]