Maddy blow for Warks

Darren Maddy could be out for up to six weeks after breaking his thumb

Warwickshire were dealt a third blow in two days when Darren Maddy sustained a broken thumb in the LV County Championship match against Middlesex at Edgbaston.

Maddy had reached 39, in his team's reply to the visitors' 297, when he was struck by a rising ball from Tim Murtagh.

An X-ray revealed a single break which is likely to rule out the Warwickshire captain for four to six weeks.

Following the previous day's groin injury to fast-bowler Monde Zondeki, who will return home to South Africa after this game, and Sanath Jayasuriya backing out of his Twenty20 contract, it has been a tough 48 hours for Warwickshire.

Maddy at least had the consolation of gritty resistance from his team as they advanced towards a first innings lead.

Warwickshire closed on Wednesday night on 272 for four after fifth-wicket pair Tony Frost and Ant Botha added an unbeaten 105.

Middlesex resumed their first innings on 285 for nine overnight but added only 12 before Danny Evans was bowled by Ian Salisbury. Shaun Udal was left unbeaten on 48 (made off 49 balls with eight fours).

Warwickshire's reply started well as Maddy and Ian Westwood put 52 for the first wicket before the latter added another to his catalogue of failures this season.

Dropped on three and nine, Westwood reached only 14 before hoisting Danny Evans to long-leg. Eight championship innings this season have brought him just 96 runs.

Middlesex's seamers bowled well but without luck but it was Maddy's luck than ran out just after lunch.

Having batted fluently, he was surprised by a Murtagh lifter and was on his way off the field even before the physio had arrived, the self-diagnosis evidently bleak.

Michael Powell and Jonathan Trott added 78 in 18 overs before Middlesex struck back hard to take three wickets for just one run in 24 balls.

Trott reached an attractive 50 from 52 balls, with 10 fours, but then hooked Evans high to long-leg where Murtagh took a good low catch.

Evans struck again in his next over when Michael Powell, on 47, was trapped in the crease and fell lbw.

When Jim Troughton, playing his first championship innings of the season, thin-edged Murtagh to wicketkeeper Chris Scott Warwickshire were 167 for four with Maddy incapacitated and Zondeki set to bat only with a runner.

But Tony Frost and Ant Botha halted the collapse with a rock-solid alliance in which Frost scored his first championship half-century for two years.