JAMES Hildreth performed a different but nonetheless vital role for Somerset as they held on for a draw against Middlesex in the Specsavers County Championship clash at Lord's.

Normally one of the most attacking batsmen on the circuit, the 31-year-old dug in for nearly four hours for his unbeaten 85 in Somerset's second innings to take his first-class run aggregate to 631 this season.

Having conceded a first-innings deficit of 47, his side were effectively 10 for four in the 19th over and ran into more trouble when off-spinner Ollie Rayner picked up three wickets in 11 balls after Hildreth and Peter Trego had put on 99 for the fifth wicket.

But Craig Overton showed once again that he is a more than capable number nine as he helped Hildreth put on an unbeaten 44 for the eighth wicket either side of tea.

When bad light stopped play Somerset were 202 for seven, a lead of 155, and the players shook hands on what was both teams' sixth draw out of six shortly afterwards.

In the end, their efforts at forcing their first victory of the season were thwarted by a desperately slow pitch although it was only Middlesex who had a realistic chance of winning on the final day.

They began well enough. Tim Murtagh picked up both openers Tom Abell and Marcus Trescothick in his new-ball spell before Rayner, who came on at the pavilion end in the 12th over, began to make his mark.

With his sixth ball he removed Somerset skipper Chris Rogers, who was caught behind pushing forward to a ball that turned just enough to find a feint outside edge.

Rayner then took a spectacular one-handed catch at second slip, diving goalkeeper-style to his right to remove Jim Allenby who was tempted into an expansive drive when James Harris pitched the ball up.

Somerset were in deep trouble, but Hildreth and Trego used all their experience to blunt Middlesex for 25 overs either side of lunch.

Trego made 58 from 80 balls with six fours and a maximum and could not believe his luck when his slog sweep off Rayner was superbly caught by Harris, running in from the deep backward square-leg boundary.

Middlesex were revived and the momentum shift continued with the next ball which Lewis Gregory pushed at and was held at slip by James Franklin.

When Ryan Davies missed a forcing shot through the leg side in Rayner's next over to also fall for a duck Somerset were wobbling again on 158 for seven, a lead of just 111.

But Hildreth remained unmoved. His footwork against Rayner, who remained the biggest threat, was exemplary with several of his 11 boundaries coming from piercing drives through the off side. He faced 146 deliveries and batted for 206 minutes.

Overton was less certain against the turning ball but both were able to negotiate the seamers operating in rotation at the other end with relative ease on such a docile surface.

Earlier, slow left-armer Jack Leach bowled Murtagh for 14 to finish with 5 for 77 from 30 overs as Middlesex were bowled out for 423 in their first innings.