WILL RHODES and Danny Briggs shared a century stand as Warwickshire threatened to spoil Tim Murtagh’s fairytale ending on a severely truncated day two of their clash with relegation-threatened Middlesex at Lord’s.

Murtagh, who retires at the end of the season, took two early wickets to complete a five-wicket haul on his last appearance for the county at the home of cricket to reduce the visitors to 95 for six in the first hour of play.

However, with the veteran seamer’s support cast lacking any direction or rhythm, Rhodes (95 not out) and Briggs (71no) added an unbroken 133 for the seventh wicket to steer Warwickshire to 228 for six — a lead of 107 before rain washed out any further play less than an hour after lunch.