One of few positives

By Darren Gosling
July 9 2016

Darren Gosling reports on a humiliating 20/20 defeat against Glamorgan which carries a MTWD health warning. 

Writing ‘uncontested’ on Championship scorecards against the toss has been a new experience this season. Sadly writing uncontested against the result on T20 scorecards has been all too familiar since Middlesex began playing in this competition 14 years ago (the ‘blip’ in 2008 excluded). 

Last night at Old Deer Park, with the exception of Eoin Morgan & Ryan Higgins’ excellent innings this was arguably the most uncontested T20 match I can recall Middlesex being involved in.

A slow start which saw the loss of both openers, Malan for 1 (bowled Tait) and Stirling 10 (caught behind nicking a wide one) saw Middlesex limp to 39-2 off the 6 power-play overs.

After just 8 overs (of the 40) this contest was already over and had me planning which earlier train I might be getting home as Middlesex slumped to 40-5. Bailey 3, Simpson 5 and Franklin 0 doing very little to add to the Middlesex total.

Ryan Higgins who has been in excellent form for the seconds this season joined England ODI skipper Morgan at the crease and the pair sought to rebuild the innings whilst trying to up the scoring rate too.

Their partnership of 69 proved to be the only highlight of the match for Middlesex.

Morgan played the more attacking role while Higgins largely with ones and twos at this stage kept the dot balls to a minimum and the scoring rate moving in the right direction.

As the pair progressed well, we now went from looking like we wouldn’t make 3 figures to possibly posting some sort of total our bowlers just ‘might’ have a remote chance of defending.

Morgan reached his 50 (off 45 balls 4 x 4 and 1 x 6) before eventually being caught on the boundary by Donald for 58 off the bowling of Wagg with Middlesex on 108-6.

Higgins obviously realising he was the last specialist batsman really too control of the innings from here on regularly finding the boundary as he reached a well deserved 50 (off 37 balls 4 x 4 and 2 x 6).

With Roland-Jones 2 and Rayner 0 quickly departing Higgins remained unbeaten on 57 as the Middlesex innings closed on 144-8. Not really enough but at 52-5 off 10 overs we would have settled on adding the 92-3 from the final 10 overs.

In reply Glamorgan got off to a flyer with Mark Wallace in particular regularly finding the boundary as the Middlesex bowlers failed to make an early breakthrough. The 50 came up for Glamorgan (Wallace 39 not out) in just the 6th over as Glamorgan ended the powerplay overs on 56-0. Unfortunately things didn’t get any better for Middlesex as David Lloyd began to join Wallace in reaching the boundary at will.

Wallace reached his 50 (off 35 balls 5 x 4 and 1 x 6) as he and Lloyd put on a 100 partnership for the first wicket. Indeed it looked like the pair would see the Welsh side home before Lloyd eventually provided Middlesex with their one and only consolation wicket missing out on his 50 by one run, caught by Franklin off Sowter.

Colin Ingram came to the crease and made light work of the remaining target off the bowling of Rayner whom he completely destroyed. The first ball of the 17^th over was dispatched into the tennis courts for 6. At this point Gubbins fielding on the boundary (for the now injured Higgins) didn’t even bother putting the lid back on the box of spare balls!

The next delivery was dispatched even further – possibly even reaching the courts at Wimbledon.

Into the box again for Gubbins.

Third ball of Rayner’s over was dispatched over long on just evading the diving Sowter as Glamorgan completed a comprehensive 9 wicket win with 3 and half overs to spare.

The only real positives were the fifties for Morgan and Higgins, it is especially good to see Higgins (as Eskinazi before him) transfer his good form and run scoring to the first XI. Sadly though, on this performance by Middlesex I don’t think Brendon McCullum will need to be booking a flight back for Finals Day.