Middlesex 160-6
Somerset 161-8 (19.4 overs)

Somerset beat Middlesex by two wickets

Middlesex run of eight defeats in nine became nine in ten after Somerset made slightly harder work of a win at Lords.

The West Country county took a firm grip of second place in the Southern group and move to a T20 record of 9-4, the mirror opposite of their hapless London hosts.

For most of the evening, this had all the hallmarks of another miserable home defeat for Middlesex. They slumped to 60-4 off ten overs as Somerset bowled, fielded and caught like the table topping side they are.

The demise began when Steve Eskinazi holed out a very poor shot to at Roelof van der Merwe at mid off to give Josh Davey his first wicket. Max Holden followed soon after for 7 as he was caught on the boundary. Wicketkeeper Simpson holed out again on the infield for 8.

Max Harris took two wickets on his Lords debut

Even despite a dropped catch and mistimed shots falling just short of fielders, Middlesex were struggling.

When Joe Cracknell went for 25, the batting effort seeemed pretty much over. Middlesex reached just 60-4 at half way. Jack Davies then dragged a poor and wide delivery from Ben Green onto his own stumps. This bizarrely was the start of a recovery.

Luke Hollman dug in and became the first batsman to 30. He eventually holed out to the boundary on 41. Chris Green 44* used the long handle to add a late surge and Middlesex managed 100-2 off the last ten overs compared to that dismal 60-4 off the first ten. Ben Green took 3-38 but Somerset bowled six wides in fact handing Middlesex an extra over.

But for those gifts, it’s unlikely Middlesex would have topped 140.

Still, 160 looked a comfortable target for Somerset.

They started as Middlesex had, by giving away their first wicket due to a poor shot and an in field catch when Will Smeed surrendered his wicket for 6 off Tom Helm. Tom Banton took command but had to look on as another infield catch saw Rilee Roussow dismissed for 5 by young Max Harris.

Wallalawita eventually bowled Banton with his first ball for 39 to give Middlesex momentary hope, but even at 72-3 Somerset had plenty overs left. Tom Lammonby was soon caught by John Simpson for 7 off Harris, yet another of the high catches in the infield.

This may have been due to a slower wicket than it perhaps looked resulting in the ball coming on to the bat late, something Middlesex batsmen realised a little too late.

Josh Davey hit the nine runs Somerset needed off the last over in just four balls

Despite this, Somerset reached the 100 landmark  in 12 balls less than it took Middlesex, 77 deliveries versus 89.

That left just 61 to get off seven overs and one ball, a smaller run rate than they had already achieved.

But after Lammonby’s dismissal, the boundaries dried up and just 23 had been added in 22 balls when Tom Abell was bowled for 36 by Chris Green at 118-5.

Somerset had seemed to assume an inevitability about the outcome and had been slowly nurdling as the run rate began to rise again.

While the boundaries dried up, the wickets did not. Aussie paceman Jason Behrendorff picked up Lewis Gregory, Ben Green and eventually Craig Overton for a three ball 12.

Overton’s dismissal however was bittersweet.

He had clouted two 6s with his first two deliveries and been caught on the third. With nine still needed, Davey hit another maximum and dug out the final three in the next two balls.

Harris took two wickets on his Lords debut and can be very proud of the nerveless supporting role he offered to Chris Green at the close of the home innings.

Defeat for Kent at the Oval kept Middlesex off the bottom of the table. They will now visit Gloucestershire on Sunday to close out their 2022 Blast campaign.

Somerset may lambast themselves a little for taking their foot on the pedal and making this closer than it should have been.

Their next opponents are table topping Surrey and a win will guarantee them second place in the table. It should be an enthralling game but they will have to curtail the wides to beat one of London’s better T20 sides.

Middlesex Cricket

Annie Chave – Cricket Columnist

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