Northeast inspires Glamorgan to win over Middlesex

By

VITALY BLAST SOUTH GROUP
Middlesex: 173 all out (20)
Glamorgan: 177-7 (18.2)
Glamorgan won by three wickets

Sam Northeast made it over 400 runs in his two visits to Lord’s this season as Glamorgan beat Middlesex by 3 wickets to win their first ever T20 encounter at the home of cricket.

Northeast, who made a record red-ball score of 335 on the hallowed turf in the County Championship back in April struck 67 in 45 balls (1 6 8 4s) as the visitors chased down a target of 174 with 10 balls to spare, despite 3-31 for Middlesex quick Henry Brookes.

Northeast was aided by Kiran Carlson (54), whose landmark came in only 21 balls with five sixes.

Earlier Middlesex were given a wonderful start by Martin Andersson 57, from 34 – his first T20 half-century as he and skipper Stephen Eskinazi (48) shared an opening stand of 108. However, Mason Crane (3-28) began the collapse before Timm Van der Gugten’s triple wicket maiden (3-30) including the scalps of Luke Hollman, Tom Helm and Henry Brookes saw Middlesex collapse to 173 all out.

Eskinazi provided early impetus before Andersson, employed as a pinch-hitter in the continued absence of Leus Du Plooy, smote Van Der Gugten back over his head for six.

Another followed before he was dropped at short fine leg on 29, Dan Douthwaite the unlucky bowler, the ball travelling to the fence. To rub salt in the wound, Andersson struck three further boundaries in the over.

With Eskinazi plundering two sixes off Crane the hundred stand came up in the ninth over. However, Andersson’s dismissal stumped attempting a reverse sweep, ending a stand of 108, changed everything.

Max Holden went cheaply to Crane and when Eskinazi fell in identical fashion later in the over the hosts hit the skids.

Only Luke Hollman cleared the ropes in the remainder of the innings and Van der Gugten’s party piece in the 19th over, helped by a stunning catch from wicketkeeper Cooke left Middlesex looking well short.

Noah Cornwell had Eddie Byrom caught at slip from the first ball of Glamorgan’s reply, but Carlson came out bristling aggression, striking first Helm and then Brookes for six.

Helm switched to the Pavilion End only for Carlson to club him straight for another maximum as the 50 came up inside five overs.

Pace gave way to spin but all were alike to the 26-year-old who planted successive balls from Josh De Caires over extra cover into the Compton Stand to race to 50 in 21 balls.

The fun ended when he holed out at deep mid-on from the bowling of Ryan Higgins and when Australian Test opener Marnus Labuschagne was trapped in front by Hollman, at 84-3 the Seaxes sniffed a way back.

De Caires bowled the dangerous Colin Ingram to heighten the intrigue, but first Northeast and then Cooke were given lives in the 13th over bowled by Hollman, wicketkeeper Davies missing a regulation stumping to reprieve the former on 44, before the latter was spilt at backward point.

Middlesex paid for their profligacy, Northeast reaching 50 from 38 balls, while Cooke, who made an unbeaten 113 in this fixture last season, thrashed a Higgins delivery over extra cover for six.

Northeast’s first six came soon afterwards and though he and Cooke fell before the end Glamorgan got home.