Match report provided by the ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay.
Ben
Geddes and Luke Hollman hit career-bests as Middlesex raced to a 6-wicket win
over strugglers Kent at Radlett to keep alive their hopes of a place in the
competitions knockout stages.
Geddes led the way with an unbeaten 141 (119 balls 14 4s and 6 6s) his first century in List-A cricket, while Hollman (77 not out) made his maiden half-century in the format, the pair sharing a record unbroken stand of 195 for the fifth wicket as the hosts chased down a target of 280 with five overs to spare.
Kent’s 279-6 was built around an unbeaten 63 for Jack Leaning and 50 for Chris Benjamin, the former sharing a stand of 81 in nine overs with debutant Corey Flintoff, son of former England all-rounder Andrew, who impressed with an unbeaten 29. Henry Brookes and Middlesex List-A debutant Sebastian Morgan took three wickets apiece.
England U19 international Ben Dawkins took three fours from one Noah Cornwell over and ramped Toby Roland-Jones over wicketkeeper Joe Cracknell’s head to dominate an opening stand of 52 with Jaydn Denly. The latter struggled for any fluency, his torturous effort ending when he cut Brookes to backward point. Dawkins took his boundary count to eight only to fall two short of 50 when caught by Cracknell, giving Morgan his first wicket.
Benjamin and Joey Evison upped the tempo in a stand of 47 before Morgan pegged back the latter’s off stump and a chance for a fourth wicket was spurned when Brookes dropped Benjamin on 33.
Benjamin profited from the life, flaying Morgan over third and crunching a seventh four through the covers to reach 50, but he fell immediately afterwards to Brookes, ending a stand of 58 with Harry Finch. Brookes struck again two balls later to remove Ekansh Singh, superbly caught by Sam Robson, and when Finch became Morgan’s third victim Kent were 198-6.
However, Leaning and Flintoff launched their late charge, Flintoff evoking memories of his father’s batting heroics with two huge sixes, while Leaning’s beautifully paced effort was capped by clearing the ropes twice in the final over as Kent posted a daunting target.
The host’s chase got off to the worst possible when Cracknell was caught down the legside without scoring. Robson was then dropped at short fine leg by Michael Cohen, but later in the same Fred Klaassen over, Josh De Caires attempted an injudicious hook to sky a simple catch to Flintoff at midwicket.
Robson’s response was to unleash a flurry of boundaries, the former England opener cutting and pulling with authority and with Geddes launching a huge six into the trees a 50-stand came up in 40 balls. Evison though wrestled back control by having Robson caught behind and though Davies planted a six over square leg, he didn’t stay long,
Geddes continued to carry the fight, reaching his 50 with his second six, a blow which endangered those on the 16:45pm train to St Albans City.
Cohen was similarly despatched into the trees and Hollman swept Matt Parkinson to the fence as the partnership prospered.
Both batters were dropped, before Geddes moved to his hundred and Hollman to 50 with the help of a towering six.
Landmarks reached the two cut loose to scamper home with time to spare.
Middlesex Men
Kent Spitfires
