Chelmsford, the venue for Essex vs Middlesex in the 2nd Twenty20 meeting between these two sides. Essex won the first game (see earlier match report) but Middlesex won the toss and fielded. Mark Pettini and Adam Wheater opened the batting as they took 10 off the first over bowled by Steve Crook. Steve Finn opened from the River End and removed Pettini for 13, an easy catch for Sam Robson. Tim Southee came in at 3, but there were no fireworks from him as he was well caught in the next over by Adam Rossington off Crook for 3. This left Essex 21-2 and it was to be 30-3 as Owais Shah dabbed to fine leg and ran, only for Crook to hit the stumps at the bowler's end with Shah well short. Crook then bowled a maiden and only 6 came off the sixth over so Essex were 36-3 after the powerplay.
Neil Dexter and Ryan McLaren kept the pressure on and Wheater was bowled for 21 by McLaren in the eighth before Dexter removed Matt Walker (6) in the 11th. tom Smith then had a struggling Ravi Bopara caught behind by John Simpson next over for 14 off 28 balls. Smith bowled James Foster in his next over and after 15 Essex were only 76/7. Graham Napier then decided that perhaps scoring runs would be a good idea, smiting 21 off Smith's final over with three huge sixes, two of them towards the river. This was followed by Ryan Ten Doeschate helping Tim Phillips take 14 off McLaren's next over after Napier was lbw for 23 off 14 and going in to the final over Essex were 127/8. Crook bowled the over and although Ten Doeschate was caught (28 off 20) 12 came off it with Phillips finishing 21 not out off 12. Crook finishing 2-27, McLaren 2-32 and Smith 2-35 were the pick of the bowlers.
140 has seemed beyond Middlesex for most of the tournament, since they've only won two games, and so it proved today but they at least turned in a better batting performance. Paul Stirling did his usual hitting, including a lucky inside edge for four off Napier before Southee bowled Rossington in the 3rd over for 1. Crook was moved up the order but 21-2 only became 24-2 as he was bowled by Napier for 1, though not after annoying Southee so much that the umpires had to officially warn him for his "verbals". Stirling holed out next over to give Southee his 2nd wicket for 19 and Scott Newman and Dexter then stopped the slide but weren't scoring fast enough. 33-3 off the first six wasn't going anywhere as tight bowling from Bopara and Phillips as Middlesex were 49-4 after nine.
The pressure got to Dexter as he was stumped by Foster off Phillips miles down the track for 10. McLaren was now in and only three came off Ten Doeschate's first over before Owais Shah got a wicket as Newman charged down the track, only to bottom edge what would have been a short ball onto his stumps. 58-5 and no real power batting left to emulate what Essex managed as John Simpson fell lbw to Ten Doeschate in the 13th. Tom Scollay came in and then played the shot of the innings, thumping Phillips over the hospitality tent at mid-wicket for six, before smacking two fours off ten Doeschate next over. The problem was that Scollay then edged the final ball to Foster and Middlesex were now 83-7 after 15. Napier returned to remove Sam Robson for 4. McLaren and Smith brought up the 100 in the 17th over. McLaren then hit a high ball to long off from Ten Doeschate where Bopara could only parry the catch into the crowd and 13 came off the 18th when runs were needed. Napier was about to bowl the 19th when the 1 hour 15 minute timer expired and Essex were penalised six runs for not bowling the overs fast enough. Not that it mattered as only four came off the 19th with David Masters dropping two catches at fine leg. 123-8 and 17 needed became 12 off three as another catch went down at cover but McLaren could only swing and miss at two balls from Southee and even a wide didn't really help before two came off the final ball as Middlesex finished 131-8 to lose by 8 runs. Napier got man of the match for his 2-21 to add to his batting, Ten Doeschate got 2-31 and Southee 2-24. McLaren finished 35 not out and Smith 13 not out.
