The final day of Kent vs Middlesex at Canterbury where Kent resumed 231 ahead on 292-6. Azhar Mahmood and James Tredwell were looking to add quick runs, only for Tredwell to edge Steve Finn to John Simpson for 10 from the 4th ball of the day, 293-7. Simpson then took a sharp diving catch in front of first slip from Finn's 7th ball to remove Adam Ball for nought and give Finn his fifth wicket. 295-8 and Middlesex might have avoided a 250+ chase, but for Matt Coles joining Mahmood in smiting Finn and Tim Murtagh for 25 for the ninth wicket when Coles nicked to Simpson, his fourth catch, off Murtagh for 15 , 320-9. Mahmood was nearing his first 100 of the year and he thumped Murtagh for his 2nd six to move into the 90s only for Riaz to be LBW to Murtagh for 2, 332 all out leaving Middlesex 272 to win off about 78 overs. Finn finished with 5-113, Murtagh 3-61 and Corey Collymore 2-31.
50 Minutes to go before lunch and Middlesex were hopeful of batting out the time without any incidents occuring, this was not to be the case. Scott Newman failed and had his off stump splattered by Coles for a duck, 4-1 in the 4th over. Chris Rogers joined Sam Robson and they looked to have batted out the session at 30-2 after 12, only for Darren Stevens to provide a miracle over again for Kent this season when he had Robson caught by Martin Van Jaarsveld at 2nd slip for 12 off the 2nd ball of the over. That signalled lunch but that wasn't the end of Stevens.
Dawid Malan joined Rogers after lunch and he swish at his first ball and was caught by keeper Geraint Jones for nought, meaning Stevens was the 3rd Kent bowler to be on a hat trick. Neil Dexter came in on a king pair and, as it later transpired, was batting with a broken finger. He blocked the hat trick only to edge the 5th ball of the over low to Van Jaarsveld at 2nd slip. Jamie Dalrymple then blocked the final ball of the over, a triple-wicket maiden, which left Middlesex 30-4 and looking very sunk unless a miracle occured. St Lawrence (for it is his ground we are at), the most likely to provide that miracle, didn't fancy it today as Rogers fell over a Stevens yorker for 26 five overs later to leave Middlesex 51-5 with 60 overs still remaining.
Finally some runs began to flow as Simpson and Dalrymple started to flay into the softening ball, Simpson pulling Coles for six towards our seats at square leg. Dalrymple then swiped Tredwell into the Nackington Road as the partnership reached 49 in 9 overs and just as it looked like they'd kick on when Simpson puched a Riaz outswinger to Jones to fall for 19, 100-6. Tom Smith then aided Dalrymple by blocking one end as JD proved there was nothing wrong with the pitch and that the bowlers weren't that brilliant as he reached 50 off 69 balls and the pair saw Middlesex through to tea despite Smith looking a bit clueless against Riaz. 144-6 and there was an outside chance that Middlesex could survive if Dalrymple really went for it and Smith & co didn't try anything clever.
Adam Ball was given the ball after tea by Rob Key and after 3 more overs of blocking, Smith then edged to Stevens at gully to fall for 7 off 73 balls leaving Middlesex 148-7. Murtagh can bat, just not today as Ball swung one late onto his off stump first ball, 148-8 the 5th golden duck of the match and Ball the 4th Kent bowler on a hat trick. Finn blocked out the over and carried on blocking as Dalrymple happily hammered the ball all round the wicket as the defensive field by Key gave him the chance to move in sight of his hundred. He hit Tredwell straight into the Frank Woolley stand and pulled and cut the short stuff from Stevens and Riaz. Finally he pulled one from Riaz through midwicket just wide of the man running round from deep square leg for 4 to bring up a fantastic hundred from 150 balls, his 2nd of the year, when all around him were failing.
The end was nigh, though, and Finn was unluckily bowled off after the ball rolled back onto his stumps from Tredwell for 4 off 40, 190-9 and only Collymore left with the last hour still to come. Dalrymple then hit Tredwell for his third and biggest six, swinging the ball high over the Frank Woolley stand at long-on to bring up the 200 as he went down all guns blazing. Tredwell then found some turn to clip Collymore's off stump for one as Middlesex were all out for 202 to lose by 69 runs, Dalrymple finishing 108 not out off 168 ball with 10 fours and 3 sixes.Kent took 20 points and Middlesex 6 though it wasn't such a blow for Middlesex as they remain 2nd after other results went in their favour.
