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Middlesex 249 for 5 (Gubbins 82) trail Surrey 415 (Roy 110, Burns 88, Foakes 63*) by 166 runsScorecard At 4.36pm on June 11 on a sun-drenched Lords day, Nick Compton trudged back through the Long Room at Lords. Compton had hit a trio of boundaries but, he knew, his 19 was nothing like sufficient to maintain the tenuous hold on his international career.A few days after, Compton announced that he was taking a break from all cricket. The reaction was understandable. Few cricketers have devoted so much of themselves to getting a chance in Test cricket. Having been dropped for the first time, in 2013, Compton struggled for motivation at having his dream taken from him, on the brink of an Ashes series.Yet he reoriented himself to returning to county cricket, moved back to Middlesex and, several thousand hours of hard work later, was recalled to the England side. A fine 85 in Durban helped to set up Englands series triumph in South Africa, but Comptons Test returns deteriorated rapidly thereafter and, by the end of the series with Sri Lanka, to drop him from the side almost seemed an act of mercy.Compton earned himself a second act in Test cricket but, given his age and an often painstaking style at the crease, there will surely be no third act. So if he is to find fulfilment in the shires, it will not come through rekindling his England ambitions. It will have to come, instead, from taking pleasure in county cricket for its own sake: thinking not about what he has lost, but what he still has.And for all Comptons anguish about the curtailment of his international career, he has still returned to a position of remarkable privilege: batting at No. 3, on his home ground of Lords, for the county best-placed to win the County Championship. It is not such a bad lot.So at 12.37pm Compton entered Lords by the very steps he had walked up disconsolately 55 days ago. He emerged with Middlesex having lost an early wicket in reply to Surreys 415, and Tom Curran bowling a zesty new-ball spell. There are exactly the conditions in which Comptons defensive fortitude is so prized.If Compton felt any vulnerability, Surrey were determined to pry on it. He was greeted by a short leg and three slips and, perhaps, a chirp or two. It might not be Test cricket, but Division One of the County Championship is still a ruthless place.Comptons first ball was a good length delivery outside off stump which implored him to play. That he did, defending the ball to third slip. Two balls later Compton pushed a ball into the covers and ran a single that was sharp without quite being one of Kevin Pietersens famed Red Bull runs.When he returned from the lunch interval, it was Comptons ill-fortune to be stuck facing Tom Curran. A couple of times he played and missed, a couple of times Compton held his bat inside the line of the ball. When Curran dropped short, Compton rocked back and pulled him to the square leg boundary. But the illusion of release was deceptive: Stuart Meaker located extra pace, and Compton dragged the ball on. His off stump was left isolated and alone, and perhaps Compton felt the same as he walked back for 11 runs off 43 balls, the sort of innings that explained why he was here, rather than at Edgbaston, in the first place.Some at Lords believe that, in time, Nick Gubbins might go on to emulate Compton in playing for England. Unusually for an English opener, he seems particularly proficient against spin, and some sumptuous shots against Zafar Ansari demonstrated as much. One stood out: Gubbins took a step-down the wicket to meet the ball, flicked his wrists like he was playing a top-spin forehand, and stood to admire the ball clearing long-on for six.The shot also spoke of Middlesexs determination not to allow Ansari to settle into a rhythm. But within three overs Ansari had snared two wickets: Dawid Malan, caught at short leg, and then Gubbins, bowled round his leg sweeping. Both wickets were vindication for Ansari bowling with more pace at the start of his spell, and the adjustment spoke of his shrewd cricketing brain and nurturing by Gareth Batty.Batty himself bowled with typical guile, adjusting his pace subtly, gesticulating to his fielders to move an inch here or an inch there, and giving off the air of a man relishing the tussle. George Baileys hard hands created an acute sense of vulnerability. On 2, Bailey edged to short leg but a sharp chance was put down; three runs later, Bailey inside-edged Meaker for four.On a day in which 11 Australian wickets fell for 77 runs in a Test in Sri Lanka, Bailey could not restore the reputation of Australian batsmanship. Indeed, against spin he inspired scarcely more confidence than Australias motley crew in Galle. After a few isolated glimpses of his assertive best, Bailey succumbed lbw, sweeping, Battys exhortations to the umpire answered.Now, at 204 for 5, Surrey could sense a hefty first innings lead, but John Simpsons adhesive half-century was infused with the grit that has lifted Middlesex to the summit of the Championship table. Yet this Lords pitch is showing modest signs that it will deteriorate over the final two days, and Surreys spin twins will believe they can take the bulk of the 15 Middlesex wickets that remain in this match. For all Middlesexs resolve, spectacular fielding from Rory Burns, flicking the ball back from the ropes to save two from the days penultimate ball, was a testament to Surreys spirit. Will Harris Youth Jersey . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. Marvin Jones Jr Womens Jersey . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. http://www.shopdetroitlionsnfl.com/lions-jarrad-davis-black-jersey/ . PAUL, Minn. Austin Bryant Youth Jersey .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Detroit Lions Jerseys . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. STANFORD, Calif. -- As Stanfords offense sputtered in the second half, Christian McCaffrey kept urging his teammates on that the offense could be better. Then he finally took matters into his own hands and iced away another win.McCaffrey scored his second touchdown on a late 41-yard run that helped lead No. 8 Stanford to a 26-13 victory over Kansas State on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.Stanford had just 30 yards in the second half before McCaffreys long touchdown run following a failed onside kick by Kansas State put the game away.By nature, hes not a patient human being. He wants everything to be perfect, coach David Shaw said. Like many players, he drives himself and he drives his teammates. At the end of the game, he kept saying it, `Were so much better than this. Were so much better. Its not about his yards, not about his carries, its about our machine when were humming.After a fast start led by quarterback Ryan Burns in his first career start, the Cardinal were far from a machine in the second half. With a new quarterback and three new offensive linemen, Stanford struggled to get anything going with a fumble and four punts to start the second half.But a defense that had eight sacks, one safety and two turnovers made sure it wasnt an issue.The defense bailed us out a lot in the second half, McCaffrey said. We just have to be better in a lot of different areas. We have a lot of new guys on this team playing their first college football game. Sometimes that comes back and haunts you, especially Week 1.Burns started fast by completing his first 10 passes, including a 40-yard touchdown strike to Michael Rector on the opening play of the second quarter.McCaffrey then got into the act with an electrifying 35-yard touchdown run. He froze safety Kendall Adams with a juke and raced to the end zone for the score.When he touches the ball enough, good things happen, coach David Shaw said.McCaffrey shattered Barry Sanders 27-year-old record by gaining 3,496 all-purpose yards last season when he finished second to Alabamas Derrick Henry in the Heisman.ddddddddddddHe finished 126 yards on 22 carries and 210 all-purpose yards in the opener this year.He had those two big plays, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. Outside of that I think our guys defended him quite well.THE TAKEAWAYKansas State: The Wildcats inexperienced offensive line featuring two freshmen struggled. Stanford had eight sacks, including one in the end zone by Jordan Watkins for a safety. Jesse Ertz was briefly knocked out of the game in the second half after one hit. He recovered to throw a late TD pass to Isaiah Zuber.There was just absolutely no consistency with us offensively, Snyder said.Stanford: After converting his first five third-down passes into first downs, Burns struggled. The Cardinal had just one first down in the second half before McCaffreys second TD run. The defense was up to the task to make the lead hold but could have more trouble doing that once the Pac-12 schedule starts.WIPED OFF TDThe biggest highlight might have been a play that didnt even count. McCaffrey fielded a punt at his own, and made his way through almost the entire Kansas State coverage unit for a 97-yard score. The only problem was an illegal block by Curtis Robinson that wiped it all out and forced Stanford to start a drive on its own 2.There is a reason why there are no 97-yard punt returns because you should not catch the ball on the 3-yard line. He knows that, Shaw said. But what he did after he caught it, wow, thats the best punt return that doesnt count Ive ever seen.UP NEXTKansas State: The Wildcats play Florida Atlanta in their home opener Sept. 17.Stanford: The Cardinal are off before beginning conference play at home against No. 20 USC.QUOTABLEWeve set the bar for where we are. In two weeks, it has to be higher. I dont know how high we can get it, but it has to be higher than it was today, Shaw said. ' ' '