Panthers come up just short in run chase

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Warwicks 240-7 (50 ov) beat Middlesex 236-8 (50 ov) by four runs
(Middlesex 0 pts, Warwickshire 2 pts)

Chris Rogers’ 96 proved in vain for Middlesex Panthers as they were unable to overhaul Warwickshire in a tense run chase at Lord’s.

Jonathan Trott’s return to top-class cricket continued with 78 and he received good support from Varun Chopra and Laurie Evans, who both scored 46.

Chasing 241, Rogers anchored the innings from the top but while Eoin Morgan (32), Ryan Higgins (26) and John Simpson (23) all got in, they couldn’t make telling contributions.

It was left to Tim Murtagh and Steven Finn to try and get 19 off the last two overs, but they came up five runs short.

Murtagh had struck the first blow of the match when he removed William Porterfield early in the Warwickshire innings, but Chopra and Trott went on to add 89 for the second wicket.

However Middlesex generally kept the run rate down and when Steven Finn saw off Tim Ambrose in the 36th over, Warwickshire were 133-3.

Even when Trott’s vigil was ended, caught at mid-off, the visitors had only reached 159-4, but they accelerated in the final 10 overs, adding 81.

In response, Dawid Malan and Nick Gubbins fell cheaply and it was left to Rogers and Morgan to repair the damage with a stand of 94 in 21 overs.

The loss of Higgins and Rogers in successive overs swung the momentum back in Warwickshire’s favour and the tail were unable to drag Panthers over the line.

The two defeats this weekend mean Middlesex’s Royal London Cup campaign has got off to the worst possible start.

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