With a return to the shorter format of the shortest format, Middlesex took on Essex at Lord's, in a tough south group where the hosts have struggled so far. Essex won the toss and batted first, and found the going tough, with Mark Pettini and James Franklin not blasting away against some tight bowling from Ollie Rayner, Steven Crook and Toby Roland-Jones. The powerplay brought 44 runs, and in the next over, Pettini's ambitious cut chopped Rayner onto his off-stump to go for 26, 46-1. Joe Denly then made a terrible drop of Franklin at long-on off Tom Smith, but it didn't cost much as he was stumped by John Simpson off Rayner for 23. Rayner finishing up with 2-16 off his 4 overs.
Ryan Ten Doeschate then took this as his cue to go nuts, hitting Smith for consecutive sixes in the next over, both huge hits over long-on, before doing the same in his next over. This brought up the 100 in the 14th over, and but Essex back on course for a decent total, but he fell next ball, LBW to Neil Dexter for 38 off 26. This brought in Graham Napier, who went about his merry way the rest of the over, ending it with four over cover, four through square leg, six over cover, four over cover to cart 18 from it.
The pace slowed again, as Middlesex had a strong finish to the innings, James Foster (13) holed out to Dexter off Roland-Jones, Napier (28 off 12) skied Gareth Berg to Rayner at cover and Greg Smith (14) hit Berg to Chris Rogers at long-on as only 34 came off the last four overs, Roland-Jones in particular with some accurate and fairly unplayable death bowling, leaving Essex 155-6, Middlesex needing 156 to win.
Middlesex then messed up their reply, Denly (1) swinging Tim Phillips spin to Franklin diving at mid-on. Adam Rossington then hit David Masters' first ball for four, and then swung Phillips high over long-on for six. Rogers, however, then smashed Phillips to Smith at deep mid wicket to go for 3, 19-2.
The introduction of Napier brought a wicket first ball as Malan slashed to point for 1, 26-3. Rossington fell next over, LBW to Masters for 22, perhaps unlucky, the ball looked like it was going over the stumps.
Reece Topley struck in the ninth over with the innings going nowhere, Dexter batting wide outside leg, got an edge to Foster, who was standing up and managed to trap the ball on the top of his gloves before flicking it into his gloves to complete the catch, gone for 5. Middlesex 36-5 needing 10.7 an over as Berg and Simpson rebuilt the innings, Berg hit fours in each of the next four over from Smith, Topley (a particularly good swipe through square leg off a free hit), Franklin and Phillips (a reverse sweep).
Simpson then skied to Tom Westley at cover, and Berg dumped Phillips into the Grand Stand, then was caught by Foster next ball off a reverse sweep for 39 from 36. This left Middlesex 88-7 after 15 overs with Crook and Rayner the only hope. Crook began by pulling Smith into the Mound Stand six, then followed up with six into the Grand stand and a four off Napier in the next over. Rayner then got going, four, four (inside edge), two off Franklin, then Rayner carted a Napier full toss into the Grand Stand, leaving Middlesex still in with a sniff, 19 needed from the final over. It was not to be, as Crook toe ended Smith to Pettini at deep cover to go for 22 off 10, a partnership of 49 from 26. Rayner did swing Smith for another six over cover, but couldn't fond the boundary off the penultimate ball, Toby Roland-Jones was then run out off the final ball, complete with pouring rain, by Adam Wheater and Foster coming back for a second run. Middlesex finishing 149-9, losing by six runs, Rayner finishing 39 off 21, Phillips the stand out bowler with 3-27.
