Eskinazi celebrates England qualification with an unbeaten ton to rescue Middlesex against Gloucestershire

Gloucester 283-7. Middlesex 287-4

Middlesex won by six wickets, having won the toss and elected to field.

Middlesex retained their 100% record in this competition with an eventually comfortable home win over Gloucestershire. In the week where he qualified for England, Steve Eskinazi scored an unbeaten century (107*) on an easy wicket where other more experienced players failed.

Eskinazi and Nick Gubbins took their side from 103-4 beyond their target of 284 with a wonderful stand that contained some great shots and remarkably few risks. This was the first time in the cup’s short history that the North London side have won their first two games.

Around England, only one other captain elected to field with Middlesex captain Dawid Malan doing so and emerging victorious after restricting Gloucestershire to 283-7 in their allotted 50 overs. James Bracey hit 83 and Benny Howell 55 to account for over half the runs on a day where batsman got themselves put rather than were outsmarted by good bowling.

The hosts posted the wining total with just four down but had to rely on a fifth wicket partnership of 184 between Steve Eskinazi and Nick Gubbins to take them home after losing three wickets for two runs to flounder on 36-3.

THE DAY’S PLAY

Middlesex won the toss and, somewhat surprisingly, elected to bowl on a beautiful sunny day at Lords.

Skipper Dawid Malan explained his thinking after the match.

The decision seemed justified early on when Tim Murtagh won an LBW call to dismiss George Hankins with Gloucestershire on just 12.

Malan himself then dropped a difficult chance off Gloucestershire skipper Chris Dent at deep gully without further scoring. That error proved costly as Gloucestershire added 64 for the second wicket, with some excellent batting fending off even the best deliveries frustrating both Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones.

It was somewhat surprising then when Dent hoiked Roland-Jones to deep square leg and into Helm’s grateful hands just three short of 50.

If anything, that wicket helped the visitors progress.

His replacement James Bracey hooked Roland-Jones for the game’s first six and then slid him for another four for ten of his first 14  runs. It wasn’t his last maximum either, hooking two lovely shots into the Tavern and Mound Stands off Paul Stirling. A fourth six took him to 50, this time off Roland-Jones and all in 32 balls.

Gareth Roderick gifted his wicket however. On 38, he tried to guide a Stirling delivery away that was too straight for the shot. He edged it to wicket keeper John Simpson who gratefully pouched it.

Bracey powered on, aided by those sixes, sharing a 111 partnership with Benny Howell, finally heaving the ball infield to be caught by George Scott off Murtagh for 83.

Gloucester batsmen playing themselves in and then getting out too early was indeed a feature of their innings. Benny Howell needlessly slashed at a bad ball ­to leave for 55 just when his presence was really needed to steer his side through to the end of the 50 overs. Had he missed that delivery from Roland-Jones entirely, it may well have been called a wide, instead he merely guided it into Simpson’s gloves.

Shortly after, Middlesex skipper Malan cleaned bowled Jack Taylor, again somewhat before swashbuckling was really needed to necessitate such rash shots.

Suddenly Gloucestershire had two new batsmen, Tom Smith and Ryan Higgins with just 236 on the board and four wickets left.

Higgins though skied the ball into the deep when he looked like he had 20 runs left in him, and Gloucestershire were 262-7. They finished on 283-7, an average score for the weather and pitch conditions.

Murtagh finished with 2-40 off a full ten overs and was Middlesex’s best bowler although some plaudits must go to Malan who relieved his bowling colleagues when they were struggling, without increasing the run rate.

Stirling put the home side off to a flying start with two early sixes, one off Matthew Taylor and one of Daniel Worrall, to leave Middlesex 28-0 off three overs.

Middlesex then inexplicably lost three wickets for just two runs.

Stirling needlessly swished at a Taylor delivery and was caught behind for 24. Minutes later, the home side were 35-2 when Simpson payed the ball straight back to Worrall for a caught and bowled. The home side’s troubles deepened when Malan went, caught by Hankins off Worrall for 13, with a poor shot that barely reached point.

At 36-3, the visitors were strong favourites again.

Eoin Morgan and Eskinazi began a boat-steadying exercise which looked calm until Morgan brought up the 100 with a massive six into the Pavilion off Smith. One run later, Morgan was caught behind for 38 after a rash shot to make it 103-4.

However Gubbins came in at six and settled fast.

He and Eskinazi added a 50 partnership in just 41 balls to take Middlesex past 150. The latter reached his 50 soon after in just 48 balls. He hung around long enough for Gubbins to reach 50 too as the pair put on a century for the fifth wicket.

They stayed together until victory with a magnificent partnership off 184, Eskinazi reaching his century off 92 balls and Gubbins finishing not out on 98.

Attendance: 2703

Middlesex: Stirling, Malan, Simpson, Morgan, Gubbins, Eskinazi, Scott, Roland-Jones, Sowter, Helm, Murtagh

Gloucestershire: Dent, Hankins, Roderick, Bracey, Howell, JMR Taylor, Higgins, Smith, Worrall, MD Taylor, Liddle