Matt Windows emerged from a worrying sequence of three successive ducks tobat Gloucestershire into a strong position at Bristol

Richard Latham11-May-2001Matt Windows emerged from a worrying sequence of three successive ducks tobat Gloucestershire into a strong position at Bristol.The 28-year-old England A batsman ended the third day of the CricInfo Championship match unbeaten on 88, with his side well placed on 208-4, a lead of 235.It has been a roller-coaster start to the season for Windows, who hit aBenson & Hedges Cup century against Northants, but has already failed toscore in five innings.There was no evidence of poor form as he emerged from an understandably edgystart to dominate the bowling on a testing two-paced pitch, compiling hisruns off 200 balls, with 12 boundaries.Rob Cunliffe also batted well to contribute 48 before frustratinglysacrificing his wicket to off-spinner Paul Weekes with a poorly played cutthat presented Stephen Fleming with a slip catch.And after Kim Barnett and Ian Harvey had fallen cheaply, skipper MarkAlleyne helped Windows add 49 in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand to tilt thegame firmly Gloucestershire’s way.Earlier, David Nash had frustrated the home side’s hopes of a major firstinnings lead with an unbeaten half-century after Middlesex began the day on186-7.Nash’s valuable innings occupied 154 balls and featured seven boundaries. WithAngus Fraser contributing a valuable 25, Middlesex added 59 to theirovernight score before being bowled out for 245.Gloucestershire’s bowling lacked the discipline of the previous day and bothJon Lewis and Harvey were below par in completing figures of 3-50 and4-96 respectively.