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Josh Shaw took three prize scalps as Gloucestershire triggered a Middlesex collapse which put Division Two’s bottom club in trouble at Northwood.

Shaw removed Sam Robson (23), Dawid Malan (28) and Nick Gubbins (26) in his 4-33, and Ryan Higgins took 3-52 as his old club slipped from 98-2 to 139-8.

They were eventually bowled out for 172 before two Toby Roland-Jones wickets in reply lifted their spirits.

But Gloucestershire steadied the ship to reach 59-2 and trail by just 113.

Seamer Shaw’s performance built on his six wickets against Glamorgan in their previous game, as he claimed three of Middlesex’s top four.

His victims included Malan, whose hopes of an Ashes call-up were boosted by a career-best 199 at Derby last week.

However, he top-edged a short of a length ball and Graeme van Buuren ran in to take a fine catch.