Middlesex end 3 year Lords Hoodoo against rock bottom Essex

My AI search revealed animals that have a life span of three years include the Fresno kangaroo rat, the Labord’s chameleon (not that anyone’s ever seen one) and several species of hedgehog. No doubt they make the best of the time they have, but any born immediately after the 19^th June 2022 will likely go to their maker never having witnessed a Middlesex Blast win at Lords. Incredibly, as Middlesex set out to bat having been put in by Essex, it was on the 3-year anniversary of their last Blast win at the home of cricket.

Only four of the Middlesex team facing Essex were on duty that night. Steve Eskinazi, Max Holden, Luke Homan and Tom Helm. Middlesex have this week parted company with coach Richard Johnson and tonight’s team had been selected by no less than four of their coaches. Alan Coleman, Tim Murtagh, Ian Salisbury and South African Rory Couttes, the four horsemen looking to avoid another Lords apocalypse. For Couttes, at least, the inspiration of his countrymen’s magnificent win here just days ago should have provided plenty of inspiration. Playing opponents who gave Middlesex their only win so far and themselves have massively underperformed and started the match bottom of the South Group with no wins and five defeats, should have provided further confidence for the home side.

On the hottest day of the year, Middlesex were on fire from the off. Williamson particularly lived and breathed the attacking philosophy of his former team mate Brendon McCullum. He led the way as Middlesex cleared the ropes, cutting, pulling and droving their way to 48 for 1 from the powerplay. By no means all those runs had come cleanly off the bat, but a positive approach ensured that they earned their lucky edges. Eskinazi fell just before the end of the powerplay caught behind by Jordan Cox as he stepped away to leg off the lively Mohammad Amir. One suspects that any Lords wicket for the former Pakistan pacer must feel redemptive.

Williamson blazes first Middlesex 50 in Lords heat

The loss of Eskinazi though did nothing to blunt Middlesex’s all out attack. Williamson continued to blaze away, his 50 came up of 30 balls including five fours and three towering sixes. Alas, having passed the landmark for his first time in Middlesex colours, he top edged to young Charlie Allison at long leg off Noah Thain.  Max Holden took a short while to get into his stride but then found his range before falling to the ever-accurate Harmer. Where all-out attack had yielded success earlier, it now brought a flurry of wickets. Geddes, Holden, Higgins, Davis and Hollman all fell trying to maintain momentum and Middlesex had subsided from 108 for 2 after 11 overs to 146 for 7 after 17. Essex even had the luxury of dropping two catches along the way as the off spin of Harmer and the leg breaks of Luc Benkenstein ripped through Middlesex with another for Amir too.

It was poor from Middlesex and things barely improved for the home side as only a further 15 runs were added when the last wicket fell to Amir conclude the Middlesex innings one ball short of their twenty and provide further redemption for him. His 3 for 19 from 1.5 overs, brilliantly supported by spin twins Harmer and Benkenstein, had blunted the positivity of the new Middlesex era. 162 looked some way short of a defendable target even against a side misfiring almost as badly as themselves this season.

An Essex opening pair of South African Dean Elgar and England’s Michael Pepper set off with similar purpose. The epithet nuggetty seems to have forever attached itself to Elgar, but he was lively enough as was Pepper, but both fell in successive balls with Essex on 52. Pepper chipped Zafar Gohar to Higgins and mid off for 25 and Elgar sliced Helm to short third leaving Essex two down with five balls left of the powerplay.  Jordan Cox and Paul Walter quickly added ten to leave Essex well placed on 62 for 2 in their powerplay. 14 ahead of Middlesex, but for the cost of one additional wicket.

Where Middlesex had continued to blaze and pay a heavy cost in wickets for not enough return, Essex had the benefit of knowing exactly what they needed to chase. Being 89 for 2 at the half way stage, four runs behind Middlesex was little cause for alarm. However, Paul Walter mistimed a pull and lofted a catch the safe hands of Williamson at mid – wicket and then Zafar Gohar fired a quicker ball through Jordan Cox’s defence to reduce Essex to 110 for 4. Middlesex were still in the fight if they could induce a fall of wickets similar to their own.

Catch controversy sets up a thrilling finale

Luck was not on their side when Luc Benkenstein reverse swept Holman to a tumbling Helm, but although Middlesex were convinced they had their man, the umpires were not and Benkenstein survived. Not so Matt Critchley though, who lofted Noah Cornwall to Ryan Higgins and Essex were five down with 34 needed from 23 balls.

By the time the last two overs began, the reprieved Benkenstein and Charlie Allison had left Essex needing 23. A flurry of Higgins wides didn’t help the Middlesex cause and nor did a flashing outside edge just evading Helm’s finger tips at fly slip. The last over from Tom Helm began with Essex needing 10 to win. Nerves were evident everywhere. Just one from the first two raised Middlesex’s belief, but a wide then opened the door once again for Essex, only for Benkenstein’s luck to desert him as he lofted to Ben Geddes at long off. The last two balls needed 6 and that became 4 from the final ball, which was clothed by Noah Thain just short of Geddes to return a sharp throw and Middlesex had won by just one run.

A curious but gripping encounter. Middlesex will be disappointed at how their batting fell away, but equally thrilled at the control and ingenuity of their bowling where honours went to Zafar Gohar with a superb 2 for 20 from his four and of course to Tom Helm for his 3 for 31. His icy nerve in in the London heat it was, that had seen Middlesex home.

Three years of Lords hurt had finally ended in the Blast. Against the odds, Middlesex had snatched victory. And any Labord’s chameleons, Fresno kangaroo rats or hedgehogs born yesterday can say that they saw Middlesex win a Blast match at the home of cricket. Middlesex fans will hope it’s not the last they see in their lifetime.