Andy Strauss, with a magnificent 277-ball innings which took him to a career-best 176, helped guide Middlesex to 326-7 in the Cricinfo Championship match against Durham. It was an unblemished knock, spanning five-and-three-quarter hours during which he struck 21 boundaries.

He faced the visitors' bowling with confidence throughout, playing his strokes freely and it was because of him, in such superb form, that the early loss of Michael Roseberry, who went without scoring, had little effect on Middlesex after they had decided to bat first on a glorious, sunny morning at Lord's and on a pitch which had a slightly greenish look.

Strauss and Owais Shah had put together an excellent second-wicket stand of 91 which was broken shortly before lunch when Danny Law was brought back for a second spell. He had Shah lbw, playing across the line to his third ball.

It had been an attractive innings of 38, his perfectly timed strokes brought seven fours, the last of which was most stylish, a drive to extra cover which took the Middlesex total to 98.

Strauss had, meanwhile, reached his third Championship half-century of the season, from 62 balls, getting on quickly to balls pitched short, to cut and pull for his seven boundaries. At lunch, he was 60 not out with the Middlesex total 118 for two.

His rate of scoring dropped as he approached three figures, but after he had swept Michael Gough for a single to reach his second first-class century this season, he batted fluently again to bring up his side's 200 with a neat cut for four off Gough.

Three balls later he cut him again to the boundary to take his score to 117. But one of his finest shots was the cover drive to the boundary which took him to 129 in the penultimate over before tea which was taken on 225 for three with Strauss unbeaten on 132.

His stand of 168 - during which the ball was changed for the third time - with Ben Hutton was the highest for the fourth wicket between the two sides. With Hutton also in fine form this season, averaging 42.05 before this game and with a century and three fifties to his credit, there seemed no way through for Durham's bowlers until Strauss sliced his pull shot off Nick Hatch and was held at backward point.

That dismissal precipitated a collapse with Middlesex losing four wickets for 25. Hutton, however, went on to 76 not out from 186 balls, 11 of which were hit to the boundary.

At stumps Middlesex were 326 for seven, Law and Hatch taking three each for 73 and 75 runs respectively.

© CricInfo Ltd.