³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Sam Evans and Marcus Harris' unbroken stand of 73 gave Leicestershire a slim chance of a County Championship victory over Middlesex.

The Foxes were set a target of 378 after Chris Wright's 6-48 enabled them to bowl Middlesex out for 218.

Veteran seamer Wright finished with his second-best figures of the season.

Although Hassan Azad departed early, Evans and Harris steered Leicestershire to 75-1, with exactly 300 more required on the final day.

Resuming on 57-1, Middlesex made sluggish progress during the first two sessions, with none of their batsmen managing to build on promising starts.

Wright brought a ball back at Stevie Eskinazi to bowl him for 46 and Nick Gubbins (38) chopped on to Ben Mike (2-42), who also claimed the wicket of Peter Handscomb after more than two hours at the crease for his 36.

John Simpson (17) fell to a stunning mid-wicket catch by Evans and Wright returned to mop up the Middlesex innings shortly after tea by having Luke Hollman caught at second slip for 26.

Ethan Bamber quickly made the breakthrough when the Foxes went out to bat for a second time, persuading Azad to go for the pull shot and top-edging into the hands of long leg.

But Australia batsman Harris was positive, finding the boundary with some regularity to reach 41 not out at stumps, with Evans still alongside him on 26.