The final match report of the year for the final CB40 group match of the year as Middlesex take on Sussex at Lord's on the August Bank Holiday. The battle of the top two in the group with only the group winner to qualify for the final, which would be Sussex unless Middlesex utterly destroyed them.
Sussex won the toss and batted and Ed Joyce and Chris Nash then proceeded to hammer along against an attack with some key players rested. Anthony Ireland went for 23 in his first two overs as Sussex reached 47 after 6 overs with Toby Roland-Jones and the lesser spotted Robbie Williams stemming the tide only slightly although the bowling powerplay only went for 21, Nash swinging Williams for 6 in the process and reaching 50 off 38 balls whilst Joyce played more carefully as they had added 90 in 14 overs when Nash went for one shot too many off Jamie Dalrymple and was bowled for 57. Lou Vincent came in and he and Joyce scored steadily as the total pushed along. Joyce passed 50 off 64 before swinging one from Dawid Malan to Sam Robson at long on for 54, 149-2 after 25.
Middlesex needed more wickets to stop Sussex posting 270+ and Murray Goodwin started quickly, only to top edge a ball that rolled onto his stumps from the economical Tom Smith (8-0-22-1) for 18, 178-3. Next over Vincent holed out off Dalrymple to Williams for 42 when he looked ready to up the run rate, 184-4. Captain Mike yardy and Joe Gatting then added 38 in the batting powerplay and 14 off the last two overs even though Gatting was caught by Scott Newman at midwicket off Roland-Jones for 26 o ff the penultimate ball. Sussex finished 239-5 leaving Middlesex a chase that they would feel they had a chance with. Dalrymple was the best bowler, with 2-41.
Malan and Robson opened the batting and they made steady progress, going along at five an over against Amjad Khan and Chris Liddle, reaching 43 after 8 overs. Crunching fours were mixed with smart play as both batsmen showed off a bit, Robson late cutting one over the slips for 4 and Malan smacking a big six off Monty Panesar. Sussex's day was summed up when Khan on the boundary let one through his legs for 4. The 100 partnership came up after 16 overs. Malan reached 50 off 48 balls and Robson off 53 balls. Middlesex weren't blasting it, but were edging nearer the target without losing wickets. Malan also passed 500 runs for the tournament. 153-0 after 25 overs and a crack at the first wicket record looked on as Malan, looking for his 2nd hundred of the year, edged Wayne Parnell to Ben Brown to fall for 84 (off 84!). Next over, Robson's maiden List A 50 ended when he was bowled by Yardy for 65, 157-2.
Paul Stirling and Chris Rogers then endured a tough few overs, Rogers almost being bowled before they cut loose and flayed the bowling around, Stirling hitting Panesar for another huge six into the Mound Stand in the 29th over. Yardy then bought back Parnell for the 33rd over, which promptly disappeared for 19, Stirling effortlessly flicking the ball into the Mound Stand again before Rogers walloped one to the vacant midwicket area. 213-2 and Middlesex were almost there with Nash and Gatting on to bowl, Sussex weren't expecting to win now. Nash did have Rogers LBW for 37, a partnership of 72 off 57, 229-3. Bit this didn't stop Stirling, who hit Gatting into the Mound Stand again, before driving a single off Nash to finish 46* off 29 and to win the match by 7 wickets with 17 balls left. The win, whilst impressive meant Sussex still qualified top with their superior net run rate but Middlesex could be happy to end this part of their season on a high before getting back to the important business of winning championship promotion.
