ALL good things must come to an end and yesterday looks set to be remembered as the day that Middlesex’s valliant pursuit of runaway County Championship leaders Yorkshire all but finished.

Having clung on to the very edge of the defending champions’ coattails for the second half of this season, Middlesex may just have finally been shaken off after struggling at Egbaston, while the White Rose secured another victory at Headingley.

The Championship contenders meet at Lords next week, though if Middlesex fail to win this match Yorkshire will need just six points to secure successive titles.

While Yorkshire wrapped up an innings-and-126-run win over Somerset on the third morning at Headingley to remain unbeaten, Middlesex could only watch as Warwickshire recovered from 86-6 to gain an unlikely first-innings lead at Egbaston.

The hosts resumed on 21-1 and immediately lost Ian Westwood caught at the wicket off Ollie Rayner, before Tim Murtagh claimed the crucial wickets of Sam Hain, Varun Chopra and Rikki Clarke in three successive overs.

A day that had started so promisingly for Middlesex fans was fading fast, as news that Somerset were 155 all-out filtered through, with Tim Bresnan, Ryan Sidebottom and Steven Patterson tearing through the visitors.

Meanwhile, Tim Ambrose defied difficult conditions to hit an impressively fluid unbeaten 87, gaining good support from Keith Barker in a seventh-wicket stand worth 87.

Paul Stirling grabbed the crucial breakthrough to dismiss Barker before Jeetan Petal, who took 5-59 as Middlesex had managed just 207 all-out first time around, went for a duck to the excellent Murtagh, who took 4-41.

Chris Wright batted stoically for 16 not-out to accompany Ambrose to stumps as bad light shortened the day, leaving Warwickshire 224-8 and with a narrow first innings lead.