Middlesex began the 3rd day against Surrey at Lord's in a bit of trouble, 161-9, still 177 behind, and Corey Collymore was soon LBW for 1, 166 all out. Graeme Smith, unsurprisingly enforced the follow on, so Sam Robson and Chris Rogers were out to bat as much of the two days as they could to save the game.
This time round, the pitch seemed flat and batting was easier, an early set of four overthrows was happily accepted by Rogers, as runs flowed more freely with 50 being reached in the 17th over. Lunch came and went before Robson reached his 50 from 79 balls. Even Gareth Batty's spin proved ineffective at removing anything, as the 100 came up with Rogers then getting to a 94 ball 50. The only thing that looked likely to break the partnership was some of the interesting running from Rogers, with three different occasions in the afternoon session where a quick single almost ended up in a run out.
Surrey looked a fast bowler light, with Zander De Bruyn bowling more overs than would be ideal as Rogers accelerated to catch up with Robson's score (76 to 71) as the 150 came up with four leg byes to the Media Centre boundary, the first extras conceded by Surrey in the match. Middlesex went into the lead in the match still none down and with enough time to possibly force victory as 3 runs an over was easily achieved without any risks being taken as Robson and Rogers happily left the short ball and Rogers was to reach his 100 from 185 balls with a push through midwicket, and Robson, next over, reached his 100 also from 185 balls with a quick single off Batty. Both batsmen cut loose, as the partnership passed 231, it became the highest first wicket for Middlesex against Surrey, beating a hundred year old record. Rory Burns got his first bowl in professional cricket, as the 250 came up in the 72nd over, before De Brutn got one to bounce on Robson, who went for the pull to edge through to keeper Steve Davies to go for 129 for the first wicket in about 5 hours, 259-1.
Vikram Solanki dropped Denly at slip on nought, but caught him just before close having a nothing poke to Jade Dernbach with the new ball for 12, 279-2. Steve Finn came in as nightwatchman, and saw Middlesex to close 283-2, Finn 4 not out and Rogers 131 not out. Middlesex leading by 111 with one day left, could they force an improbable win?
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Saturday, 4 May 2013
A Tale Of The Tail
The 2nd day of Essex vs Hampshire at Chelmsford began with Essex in a bit of bother at 72-5, still 125 runs behind Hampshire's first innings total. The day didn't begin well as James Tomlinson forced Ben Foakes to edge one to keeper Adam Wheater for 20, though it took a 2nd appeal to convince the umpire, 73-6.
James Foster and Alistair Cook then carried on the recovery at a slow pace as the Hampshire bowling swarmed around them and 100 came and went, then Foster played a nothing perod to Danny Briggs to chip the ball straight back to him for 25, 117-7. Graham Napier and Cook took Essex to lunch, Cook reaching his 50 from 131 balls.
Cook was out soon after lunch, LBW to Tomlinson for 59 and 156-8, still 41 behind as Tim Phillips joined Napier. The pair swung to came towards Essex, repelling the bowlers and finding a regular supply of boundaries, including Napier's six off Briggs into the pavilion. They brought Essex the lead, and then the 200 with Napier reaching his 2nd fifty of the season from 81 balls. The runs were now flowing, and the first ball of the new ball was cracked by Napier to Carberry at point who fielded sharply, returned the ball before then wringing his hand from the pain. It was almost a surprise when Chris Wood managed to get some movement to have Napier LBW for 74 with the score on 243 with only Topley (average of pretty much nothing) to come. A couple of hits from Phillips gained the 2nd batting point before Topley edged Briggs to short leg where Shaun Ervine took a sharp catch, 254 all out a lead of 57 with Phillips 40 not out and Hampshire's 2nd innings to begin after tea.
Hampshire began cautiously, with the accurate bowling of David Masters and Topley tying them down a little when Master induced the edge off Carberry where Ben Foakes took a reaction catch above his head at short leg for 2, 14-1. Master then got his 2nd next over, Adams LBW for 9 as Essex looked like they might blast through the batting that evening. Liam Dawson and George Bailey held firm, however, and they whittled down the defecit before taking Hampshire safely to close 20 ahead on 77-2, Bailey on 26, Dawson on 31.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Blessed are the Meakers
(After Middlesex won inside 3 days, so a change in plan was required), The final day of Surrey vs Somerset at The Oval had the potential to be exciting, as Somerset started 6-0, 24 ahead, with a possible collapse leading to a result. Stuart Meaker soon got the early breakthroughs, as Marcus Trescothick (14) edged to Gary Wilson at slip and Nick Compton (16) lost his off stump before Gareth Batty had James Hildreth (21) LBW as Somerset slipped to 75-3 after the first hour. Surrey were unable to keep the run rate down as Alviro Petersen looked to add to his first innings hundred and the pitch being flat and lifeless, he had little trouble scoring.
Zander De Bruyn then found movement from the Pavilion End to trap Craig Kieswetter LBW for 1, now 82-4 and a shock victory was still possible. But after lunch, Surrey struggled to break through as Petersen and Jos Buttler brought up the hundred before Petersen took 10 off a Meaker over to move to 50 (66 balls). Surrey looked a fast bowler light and Gary Keedy bowled a poor line with Petersen slapping him into the OCS stand for 6 in his second over. He bowled some so wide of leg stump that Buttler had to stretch to kick them away, including kicking one to fine leg.
Batty finally got the breakthrough, with Petersen set for 100, he flicked one to Rory Burns at short leg to go for 91, 193-5. Meaker cam back on and had Peter Trego caught by Vikram Solanki for 4, then bowling Alfonso Thomas for a duck next over and an over later trapping Jamie Overton LBW for 6 to get his 5th wicket. A great performance, but probably too late as Somerset were 208-8 with 40 overs left in the day. Meaker (5-60) then limped off with a leg injury, ending any victory shot. Buttler had reached a 103 ball 50 and all that remained was if he could reach his hundred post tea. George Dockrell was happy to block out one end and feed Buttler the strike. Buttler moved through the 70s with shots round the wicket against Batty and Keedy, launching a one bounce four to the OCS stand before hitting a straight six into the same region, and another straight four to bring up the 250, and then he went for the six for his hundred, only for Batty to cling on, right on the long on boundary, 94 off 155 balls, 12x4, 1x6. The declaration and draw then came (251-9), with Dockrell unbeaten with 2 from 65. Surrey take 8 points, Somerset 9.
Zander De Bruyn then found movement from the Pavilion End to trap Craig Kieswetter LBW for 1, now 82-4 and a shock victory was still possible. But after lunch, Surrey struggled to break through as Petersen and Jos Buttler brought up the hundred before Petersen took 10 off a Meaker over to move to 50 (66 balls). Surrey looked a fast bowler light and Gary Keedy bowled a poor line with Petersen slapping him into the OCS stand for 6 in his second over. He bowled some so wide of leg stump that Buttler had to stretch to kick them away, including kicking one to fine leg.
Batty finally got the breakthrough, with Petersen set for 100, he flicked one to Rory Burns at short leg to go for 91, 193-5. Meaker cam back on and had Peter Trego caught by Vikram Solanki for 4, then bowling Alfonso Thomas for a duck next over and an over later trapping Jamie Overton LBW for 6 to get his 5th wicket. A great performance, but probably too late as Somerset were 208-8 with 40 overs left in the day. Meaker (5-60) then limped off with a leg injury, ending any victory shot. Buttler had reached a 103 ball 50 and all that remained was if he could reach his hundred post tea. George Dockrell was happy to block out one end and feed Buttler the strike. Buttler moved through the 70s with shots round the wicket against Batty and Keedy, launching a one bounce four to the OCS stand before hitting a straight six into the same region, and another straight four to bring up the 250, and then he went for the six for his hundred, only for Batty to cling on, right on the long on boundary, 94 off 155 balls, 12x4, 1x6. The declaration and draw then came (251-9), with Dockrell unbeaten with 2 from 65. Surrey take 8 points, Somerset 9.
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Westley While You Work
The final day of Essex vs Gloucestershire at Chelmsford came after the previous two days had been heavily rain affected, and with more forecast in the afternoon, it was really a bonus points grab for both sides from whatever play happened.
Essex resumed on 177-3 with Tom Westley (82) and Mark Pettini (18) batting and Westley was promptly dropped in the 2nd over, the edge flying to Alex Gidman at first slip when keeper Cameron Herring dived across and grassed the chance off Will Gidman. Runs came slowly with the 200 coming up in the 13th over with consecutive fours by Westley off David Payne through midwicket. Westley then reached his hundred with his 15th four in the next over as runs began to come more easily before Liam Norwell found some late inswing with the old ball to trap Pettini LBW for 35 at 234-4. Captain James Foster then came in and Norwell and Benny Howell kept the pressure on with four maidens before Westley thumped another four down the ground.
The new ball came and Essex saw out the three overs until lunch from James Fuller and Will Gidman at 267-4. The predicted rain hadn't come, so it remained if Essex could get to somewhere near 350 and if Gloucestershire could take two more wickets for another point. Soon after lunch, another three to the deep boundary off Fuller took Westley past 150, his 2nd big score of the week, following his 130 against the students and Fenners. The 300 and third batting point soon followed as the pitch looked flat and lifeless and unlikely to produce a result even without the rain, and Gloucestershire then dropped another easy catch, Howell giving Foster a life at short mid-wicket, but Westley fell at the end of the same over, edging Will Gidman to Herring for an excellent 163.
Not that it put Foster off, he carted David Payne's first three balls of the next over for four through the point/third man region and got another four off Gidman to third man as the 350 began to look on, even though the floodlights were on and the gloom closing in. Foster kept getting of strike and Greg Smith kept blocking, making the task harder. The umpires obviously were waiting for the 350, since it had started raining round about the 99th over, but we played on.
Essex needed 5, Howell bowled a full ball which Foster swept high down to fine leg for a one bounce four (bringing up his third 50 of the year), forcing captain Michael Klinger to bring in all the fielders to stop the single, and Foster went for the same shot, this time finding the top edge where Fuller at fine leg jumped high, caught the ball, dived backwards and clung on to take the catch to give Gloucesershire their 2nd bowling point, with Graham Napier running out to make sure one more ball was bowled before they went off, and Smith slapped that ball through point for four to bring up the 350. The rain closed in at the end of the over and the game was called off an hour later with Essex 353-6.
They take 8 points from the draw, and Gloucestershire 9.
Essex resumed on 177-3 with Tom Westley (82) and Mark Pettini (18) batting and Westley was promptly dropped in the 2nd over, the edge flying to Alex Gidman at first slip when keeper Cameron Herring dived across and grassed the chance off Will Gidman. Runs came slowly with the 200 coming up in the 13th over with consecutive fours by Westley off David Payne through midwicket. Westley then reached his hundred with his 15th four in the next over as runs began to come more easily before Liam Norwell found some late inswing with the old ball to trap Pettini LBW for 35 at 234-4. Captain James Foster then came in and Norwell and Benny Howell kept the pressure on with four maidens before Westley thumped another four down the ground.
The new ball came and Essex saw out the three overs until lunch from James Fuller and Will Gidman at 267-4. The predicted rain hadn't come, so it remained if Essex could get to somewhere near 350 and if Gloucestershire could take two more wickets for another point. Soon after lunch, another three to the deep boundary off Fuller took Westley past 150, his 2nd big score of the week, following his 130 against the students and Fenners. The 300 and third batting point soon followed as the pitch looked flat and lifeless and unlikely to produce a result even without the rain, and Gloucestershire then dropped another easy catch, Howell giving Foster a life at short mid-wicket, but Westley fell at the end of the same over, edging Will Gidman to Herring for an excellent 163.
Not that it put Foster off, he carted David Payne's first three balls of the next over for four through the point/third man region and got another four off Gidman to third man as the 350 began to look on, even though the floodlights were on and the gloom closing in. Foster kept getting of strike and Greg Smith kept blocking, making the task harder. The umpires obviously were waiting for the 350, since it had started raining round about the 99th over, but we played on.
Essex needed 5, Howell bowled a full ball which Foster swept high down to fine leg for a one bounce four (bringing up his third 50 of the year), forcing captain Michael Klinger to bring in all the fielders to stop the single, and Foster went for the same shot, this time finding the top edge where Fuller at fine leg jumped high, caught the ball, dived backwards and clung on to take the catch to give Gloucesershire their 2nd bowling point, with Graham Napier running out to make sure one more ball was bowled before they went off, and Smith slapped that ball through point for four to bring up the 350. The rain closed in at the end of the over and the game was called off an hour later with Essex 353-6.
They take 8 points from the draw, and Gloucestershire 9.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Quine and Dine
The 2nd day of Cambridge MCCU vs Essex was the sunniest day so far with a good crowd, but began in a predictable way.
Cambridge resumed on 20-4, and provided some easy slip catching practice early on as Dean Bell (4), Matt Salisbury (5) and Alex Hearne (6) all fell within the first eight overs to leave the hosts 35-7. Tom Elliott and Alasdair Pollock took the total past 50, thanks to two set of four overthrows, which Essex weren't too worried about before Elliott (18) edged Greg Smith low to Tom Westley at slip, 61-8. Pollock then hammered 3 fours off Tymal Mills next over, including a massive top edge over third man. Alistair Allchin fell LBW for a nine ball duck to give Smith handy figures of 2-0 from 2 overs and Cambridge 73-9.
The Mills vs Pollock battle then hotted up, with the next ball hitting Pollock on the neck who then got up and smacked the next ball back past Mills for four. He followed that shot up by pulling a bouncer off the top edge out of the ground over square leg. The carnage carried in Mills next over as the first ball disappeared through cover for four and another bouncer was pulled just over a leaping Ben Foakes at Square Leg for six, this left Pollock on 44 from 35 balls, and Cambridge on the verge of reaching 100, they didn't, however as Grant Nicholson fell LBW for 1 to the first ball of Ravi Bopara's next over to leave Cambridge all out for 99, 229 runs behind Essex.
With no follow on enforced, Tom Westley and Rob Quiney came out for the 45 minutes before lunch and rattled along to 37-0 without any trouble. Quiney took 9 off the first over after lunch, as the pair looked untroubled by the student attack, with Nicholson coming in for some particular punishment as runs flowed easily. Quiney reached 50 from 73 balls, and celebrated next over by thumping Allchin over long on for six, two fours and another six over midwicket thudding off the wall of Hughes Hall. Westley was slower, reaching 50 from 89 balls but he too began to attack before Quiney reached his hundred from his 116th ball with another four. The score had reached 188-0 at tea, and any contest in the game was long gone with those 151 unbeaten runs that had been added.
The double hundred partnership came off Allchin before Pollock beat Quiney's outside edge and flattened the off stump for 112, Quiney was surprised that he was out, 209-1. Foakes joined Westley who soon reached his own 100 in the 51st over. Both batsmen then went after the bowlers, and spinner Akbar Ansari who seemed to keep bowling full tosses, went for 17 in his first two overs. Westley charged the first five balls of Ansari's next over, hitting the first four into gaps in the arc for two, before missing the fifth to be neatly stumped by Bell for 133, 281-2. Then the big moment of the evening as Bopara came out to bat, having only made four in the first innings, he'd of wanted a nice warmup knock to start the summer, only to be struck on the pad first ball and after a massive appeal, given out to give Ansari his 2nd.
That was to be the last wicket as, after negotiating the hat trick ball, Foakes (49*) and James Foster (34*) saw Essex through the last half hour to 335-3 from 70 overs a lead of 564 with one day to go.
Cambridge resumed on 20-4, and provided some easy slip catching practice early on as Dean Bell (4), Matt Salisbury (5) and Alex Hearne (6) all fell within the first eight overs to leave the hosts 35-7. Tom Elliott and Alasdair Pollock took the total past 50, thanks to two set of four overthrows, which Essex weren't too worried about before Elliott (18) edged Greg Smith low to Tom Westley at slip, 61-8. Pollock then hammered 3 fours off Tymal Mills next over, including a massive top edge over third man. Alistair Allchin fell LBW for a nine ball duck to give Smith handy figures of 2-0 from 2 overs and Cambridge 73-9.
The Mills vs Pollock battle then hotted up, with the next ball hitting Pollock on the neck who then got up and smacked the next ball back past Mills for four. He followed that shot up by pulling a bouncer off the top edge out of the ground over square leg. The carnage carried in Mills next over as the first ball disappeared through cover for four and another bouncer was pulled just over a leaping Ben Foakes at Square Leg for six, this left Pollock on 44 from 35 balls, and Cambridge on the verge of reaching 100, they didn't, however as Grant Nicholson fell LBW for 1 to the first ball of Ravi Bopara's next over to leave Cambridge all out for 99, 229 runs behind Essex.
With no follow on enforced, Tom Westley and Rob Quiney came out for the 45 minutes before lunch and rattled along to 37-0 without any trouble. Quiney took 9 off the first over after lunch, as the pair looked untroubled by the student attack, with Nicholson coming in for some particular punishment as runs flowed easily. Quiney reached 50 from 73 balls, and celebrated next over by thumping Allchin over long on for six, two fours and another six over midwicket thudding off the wall of Hughes Hall. Westley was slower, reaching 50 from 89 balls but he too began to attack before Quiney reached his hundred from his 116th ball with another four. The score had reached 188-0 at tea, and any contest in the game was long gone with those 151 unbeaten runs that had been added.
The double hundred partnership came off Allchin before Pollock beat Quiney's outside edge and flattened the off stump for 112, Quiney was surprised that he was out, 209-1. Foakes joined Westley who soon reached his own 100 in the 51st over. Both batsmen then went after the bowlers, and spinner Akbar Ansari who seemed to keep bowling full tosses, went for 17 in his first two overs. Westley charged the first five balls of Ansari's next over, hitting the first four into gaps in the arc for two, before missing the fifth to be neatly stumped by Bell for 133, 281-2. Then the big moment of the evening as Bopara came out to bat, having only made four in the first innings, he'd of wanted a nice warmup knock to start the summer, only to be struck on the pad first ball and after a massive appeal, given out to give Ansari his 2nd.
That was to be the last wicket as, after negotiating the hat trick ball, Foakes (49*) and James Foster (34*) saw Essex through the last half hour to 335-3 from 70 overs a lead of 564 with one day to go.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Life On The Trapdoor
The 3rd day of Middlesex vs Lancashire at Lord's started off looking like an uninteresting day as Lancashire resumed on 236-3, 210 runs behind Middlesex. They batted onwards, but scored slowly as they managed 30 runs in the first 15 overs. The overnight 50+ man Ashwell Prince fell for 71, edging Toby Roland-Jones to Dawid Malan at first slip and Steven Croft went shortly after, Roland-Jones removing his middle and leg stumps, and leaving the off pole at an angle as the ball didn't really bounce, 270-5 and Middlesex on top. Lancashire keeper Gareth Cross then revived his side, attacking Steve Crook, Corey Collymore and Ravi Patel all round the ground as he raced to a 30 ball fifty either side of lunch and went into the final bonus point over (the 110th) needing 9 runs for a fourth point, Gareth Berg's first ball was then murdered into the Tavern stand for six, but he fell next ball, edging to keeper John Simpson for a 35 ball 59. That gave Middlesex a 2nd bowling point and Karl Brown (who'd batted all day) brought up the 350 with 2 balls to spare.
The task was now to get a first innings lead as Warwickshire had now won the title off Lancashire and Surrey were looking strong in their game. This meant that a win was a must and Brown finally went to 50, from 133 balls but Kyle Hogg departed next ball, smashing Patel straight to Malan at mid on for 10. Glenn Chapple then came in and played sensibly with Brown, scoring steadily and passing 400, before speeding up by smashing Neil Dexter for six over long on and it looked like they might still be able to get a 50 run lead. But, when they'd added 51, Chapple charged Patel, missed, and was easily stumped by Simpson for 29, 426-8. Ajmal Shahzad was then LBW to Patel (his fourth) for 10 with 9 needed for the lead, which Brown got with a sweep for four off Patel's next over. The end came soon after, as Berg returned to the attack and removed Brown's off stump first ball for 78, all out for 448 leading by 2, Patel's 4-126 being the pick of the bowlers.
Middlesex's reply then got off to a rocky start as Sam Robson was LBW to Chapple (his sixth of the match) for 3, 5-1. Chris Rogers and Joe Denly then steadily built the lead before Shahzad fired one through Denly on 17, 44-2. But that was to be the last wicket of the day as Malan joined Rogers in batting out the day with some stylish strokeplay, with Rogers going to his 50 from 69 balls as Middlesex ended the day 129-2.
A partnership of 85 with Rogers on 57 and Malan, 37, one day away from possibly relegating the former Champions, leading by 127.
The task was now to get a first innings lead as Warwickshire had now won the title off Lancashire and Surrey were looking strong in their game. This meant that a win was a must and Brown finally went to 50, from 133 balls but Kyle Hogg departed next ball, smashing Patel straight to Malan at mid on for 10. Glenn Chapple then came in and played sensibly with Brown, scoring steadily and passing 400, before speeding up by smashing Neil Dexter for six over long on and it looked like they might still be able to get a 50 run lead. But, when they'd added 51, Chapple charged Patel, missed, and was easily stumped by Simpson for 29, 426-8. Ajmal Shahzad was then LBW to Patel (his fourth) for 10 with 9 needed for the lead, which Brown got with a sweep for four off Patel's next over. The end came soon after, as Berg returned to the attack and removed Brown's off stump first ball for 78, all out for 448 leading by 2, Patel's 4-126 being the pick of the bowlers.
Middlesex's reply then got off to a rocky start as Sam Robson was LBW to Chapple (his sixth of the match) for 3, 5-1. Chris Rogers and Joe Denly then steadily built the lead before Shahzad fired one through Denly on 17, 44-2. But that was to be the last wicket of the day as Malan joined Rogers in batting out the day with some stylish strokeplay, with Rogers going to his 50 from 69 balls as Middlesex ended the day 129-2.
A partnership of 85 with Rogers on 57 and Malan, 37, one day away from possibly relegating the former Champions, leading by 127.
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Eagles Plucked, Roasted, and Fried
The final CB40 game of the season for both these sides, since neither could qualify for the knockouts, Essex won the toss and fielded. This looked like a good choice as Joe Denly went for a duck first over, as Tim Phillips got the ball to pop, take the edge and James Foster completed the catch, 0-1. Dawid Malan and Paul Stirling then got about the business of runs, thanks to the filth served up by Maurice Chambers as 10 came off his first over and 21 from his third over, including two no balls and 4 consecutive boundaries by Malan as the 50 was up in 6 overs. Runs were flying all round the ground and it was a surprise when Stirling edged Greg Smith to Foster trying one shot too many for 29, 63-2. Neil Dexter then came and went fairly quickly, pulling to Ten Doeschate at midwicket for 12. 90-3 and Gareth Berg came to the wicket and he and Malan scored the big runs that took the game away from Essex as Malan went to a 45 ball 50. The 50 partnership came with Malan swinging Tim Phillips into the Edrich stand for six.
Poor bowling from Essex fed easy runs as Berg went to a 52 ball 50 before Malan completed his 2nd List A hundred from 89 balls, a fantastic innings that left Middlesex on top. With 8 overs left the score was 216-3. Berg would fall for 61 from 58, giving Ravi Bopara his first success on what was basically match practice ahead of the England ODIs, but next over he was swung into the Tavern stand for Malan's 2nd six. His third six came off Harbhajan next over, a flat blow that cleared Chambers and long-on and went into the Edrich Stand. Owais Shah showed how poor Essex were in the field by dropping Malan at long off next ball and allowing the batsmen to get back for a 2nd. Then came the clatter of wickets as Josh Davey (11) skied to Tom Westley off Ten Doeschate before Malan hit one flat shot too many off Harbhajan where Chambers took the catch at the 2nd attempt to end an innings of 134 off 108 balls, a great score when runs were needed. That left Middlesex 272-6and they would be bowled out in the final 2 overs with batsmen going for quick runs, 288 after Collymore was run out by ten Doeschate from the final ball of the innings. Ravi Bopara took 3 wickets but conceded 55 in his 7 overs.
Essex's reply began quietly as 12 runs came from the opening 5 overs from Collymore and Steve Crook before Pettini started to attack, taking Crook over the short off side boundary for six then four, follwing it up with more fours in Crook's next over. The ninth over saw the debut bowl from Gurjit Sandhu, left arm quick, and 2nd ball, Pettini sliced through the off side, straight to Berg at point, 39-1. Harbhajan was promoted to number 3 but didn't last long as he made 3 before top edging Collymore straight up in the air, where the big man ran in and took the catch himself, 48-2. Bopara didn't hang around as his dodgy day ended after scoring 2 as he tried to steer through the offside, only to edge to keeper Adam Rossington, 53-3 and in a bit of trouble. Tom Westley swung Collymore for six into the Tavern Stand, but that didn't detract from his figures, 1-20 from 7 overs. Westley and Shah rebuilt the innings with some sensible batting against Middlesex's 2nd string attack, the short boundary providing some easy pickings.
Westley went to a 67 ball 50 but the required run rate was mounting and was already 10 an over as Essex needed 163 from the final 16 overs. Even Westley sweeping Dexter for 6 didn't help that much as he then mistimed a pull off Stirling high to square leg where Tom Smith took a good catch. Shah's 50 came from 46 balls, but he became Stirling's 2nd victim next over, slashing a ball to Smith (again) at short third man, 165-5.
Foster and Ten Doeschate tried to go about scoring runs, but 120 from 60 balls was proving too much, and after smashing Berg through point for four, Foster was bowled for 12 as the gloom started to close in on both the game and Essex. Sandhu had time to bag his third, Ten Doeschate hitting to Smith at mid on as bad light stopped play after 35.1 overs with Essex 198-7, Middlesex winners by 54 runs on DL. Pick of the bowling figures, Stirling 2-22 from 4 and the impressive Sandhu, 3-28 from 6.
Middlesex finish runners up in their group for the 2nd consecutive year.
Poor bowling from Essex fed easy runs as Berg went to a 52 ball 50 before Malan completed his 2nd List A hundred from 89 balls, a fantastic innings that left Middlesex on top. With 8 overs left the score was 216-3. Berg would fall for 61 from 58, giving Ravi Bopara his first success on what was basically match practice ahead of the England ODIs, but next over he was swung into the Tavern stand for Malan's 2nd six. His third six came off Harbhajan next over, a flat blow that cleared Chambers and long-on and went into the Edrich Stand. Owais Shah showed how poor Essex were in the field by dropping Malan at long off next ball and allowing the batsmen to get back for a 2nd. Then came the clatter of wickets as Josh Davey (11) skied to Tom Westley off Ten Doeschate before Malan hit one flat shot too many off Harbhajan where Chambers took the catch at the 2nd attempt to end an innings of 134 off 108 balls, a great score when runs were needed. That left Middlesex 272-6and they would be bowled out in the final 2 overs with batsmen going for quick runs, 288 after Collymore was run out by ten Doeschate from the final ball of the innings. Ravi Bopara took 3 wickets but conceded 55 in his 7 overs.
Essex's reply began quietly as 12 runs came from the opening 5 overs from Collymore and Steve Crook before Pettini started to attack, taking Crook over the short off side boundary for six then four, follwing it up with more fours in Crook's next over. The ninth over saw the debut bowl from Gurjit Sandhu, left arm quick, and 2nd ball, Pettini sliced through the off side, straight to Berg at point, 39-1. Harbhajan was promoted to number 3 but didn't last long as he made 3 before top edging Collymore straight up in the air, where the big man ran in and took the catch himself, 48-2. Bopara didn't hang around as his dodgy day ended after scoring 2 as he tried to steer through the offside, only to edge to keeper Adam Rossington, 53-3 and in a bit of trouble. Tom Westley swung Collymore for six into the Tavern Stand, but that didn't detract from his figures, 1-20 from 7 overs. Westley and Shah rebuilt the innings with some sensible batting against Middlesex's 2nd string attack, the short boundary providing some easy pickings.
Westley went to a 67 ball 50 but the required run rate was mounting and was already 10 an over as Essex needed 163 from the final 16 overs. Even Westley sweeping Dexter for 6 didn't help that much as he then mistimed a pull off Stirling high to square leg where Tom Smith took a good catch. Shah's 50 came from 46 balls, but he became Stirling's 2nd victim next over, slashing a ball to Smith (again) at short third man, 165-5.
Foster and Ten Doeschate tried to go about scoring runs, but 120 from 60 balls was proving too much, and after smashing Berg through point for four, Foster was bowled for 12 as the gloom started to close in on both the game and Essex. Sandhu had time to bag his third, Ten Doeschate hitting to Smith at mid on as bad light stopped play after 35.1 overs with Essex 198-7, Middlesex winners by 54 runs on DL. Pick of the bowling figures, Stirling 2-22 from 4 and the impressive Sandhu, 3-28 from 6.
Middlesex finish runners up in their group for the 2nd consecutive year.
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