BEN Stokes bowled a 14-over spell this afternoon to take the two wickets which appear to have broken the back of Middlesex’s resistance.

They are 182 for six at tea, 195 behind, after three wickets went down for nine runs to inject some life into a soporific session.

With Lancashire struggling at Hove, it seemed both sides at Lord’s were happy to meander towards a draw when Paul Collingwood opened up with five successive maidens.

There was a big cheer from the Middlesex faithful when the first runs off his bowling came off the fourth ball of his sixth over, which Neil Dexter square drove for four.

Having bowled two overs before lunch, Stokes had Eion Morgan well caught by Scott Borthwick at second slip for 25 in the first over of his second spell.

But there was then a 20-over lull before he deservedly removed Dawid Malan for 97. The left-hander was approaching one of those centuries which had never looked likely, having just edged a four for the umpteenth time.

In Stokes’ previous over Malan had reached 1,000 championship runs for the season then inside edged the next ball to the boundary. But the final edge, from an airy drive, proved fatal as it nestled safely in Phil Mustard’s gloves.

Peter Chase returned for a second spell and struck in successive overs, having Dexter caught low down by Collingwood at first slip then pinning John Simpson lbw.