Middlesex fall to defeat in 40-over opener

Glamorgan 280-3 (40 overs) beat Middlesex 254-9 by 26 runs

Gareth Berg’s valiant innings of 75 was not enough for Middlesex as they lost their opening Yorkshire Bank 40 match at Lord’s.

Marcus North inflicted the damage, scoring an unbeaten 137 off just 98 balls, as Glamorgan recovered from a shaky start to post 280-3 from their 40 overs.

Chris Rogers and Dawid Malan opened at a steady pace but regular wickets undermined their run chase.

Berg hit six fours and two sixes in his knock but nobody came close to matching him and Middlesex fell well short of their target.

Toby Roland-Jones accounted for Glamorgan opener Mark Wallace and Joe Denly ran out Chris Cooke to leave Glamorgan on 38-2 – although that was about as good as it got for Middlesex.

Will Bragg (62) shared a stand of 86 with North until the opener was dismissed by Scottish medium-pacer Josh Davey.

North, who scored two Test centuries in Australia’s last Ashes tour to England but was axed unceremoniously midway through the 2010-11 series, smashed 16 boundaries and three sixes in his enterprising innings.

He was ably supported by Jim Allenby (69 not out) to set an imposing target.

Glamorgan even helped Middlesex part of the way there, conceding 16 extras, but they failed to capitalise on Rogers and Malan’s steady start.

Michael Hogan and Will Owen took three wickets apiece as they restricted the home side to 254-9, 27 short of the target.

Berg, the only Middlesex batsman to cut loose, watched lower order partners come and go until he was the last man to fall, bowled by Hogan for 75.

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