MATCH RESULT - MIDDLESEX WIN BY 3 WICKETS
Surrey 158/6
Middlesex 161/7
Paul Stirling’s classy half-century guided Middlesex to a tense three-wicket victory over local rivals Surrey in their opening Vitality Blast South Group game at Lord’s.
The Ireland international top-scored with 66 from 36 balls as Middlesex triumphed with an over to spare – although they had to survive a mid-innings collapse when four wickets went down in just eight deliveries.
But Hilton Cartwright’s knock of 38 steadied the ship and the home side held their nerve to record their fourth straight T20 win against Surrey at Lord’s.
Surrey opted to bat and Will Jacks (3) edged his first ball to slip, where the diving Dwayne Bravo narrowly failed to hang on, but the opener departed in the next over, dabbing a return catch to Stirling (3-26).
The visitors seemed to be well-placed at 56-1 after the powerplay, but they lost wickets at regular intervals as Middlesex’s slow bowlers began to apply the brakes.
Stirling had Rory Burns (36) leg before sweeping and England all-rounder Sam Curran punched a full toss to cover before Rikki Clarke reignited Surrey’s hopes of a sizeable total with 50 from 24 balls.
Clarke swung Nathan Sowter for two big sixes over mid-wicket to reach his half-century, but he was immediately yorked by Tom Helm (1-26) and the visitors’ innings never recovered.
Helm and Bravo (0-25) then produced three overs of efficient death bowling, with Surrey mustering a meagre 13 runs from them to finish on 158-6.
Clarke (2-36) struck early in the home side’s reply, inducing a top edge to mid-on from captain Dawid Malan (2) in the third over – but Stirling was soon into his stride.
The Middlesex batsman savaged Morne Morkel, whose first two overs cost 36 and a cover drive for four off Jade Dernbach took him to his half-century from 22 balls.
But veteran spinner Gareth Batty (2-18) kept his side in contention by taking two wickets in as many deliveries, with Stirling finally holing out to deep extra cover and Nick Gubbins (13) pinned lbw.
Morkel followed suit, striking with successive deliveries as Bravo (1) and Stevie Eskinazi (0) were both taken in the deep – the latter to a superb catch by Jacks – to leave Middlesex tottering at 89-5.
John Simpson (13) also perished, miscuing Clarke’s slower ball to Dernbach, but Cartwright guided Middlesex to within two runs of their target before James Fuller (18 not out) completed the job.
Match Reports provided by ECB Reporters Network.
