July 11, 2024

Davies and Andersson Power Middlesex to Rare Victory as Gloucestershire’s Top-Four Hopes Dwindle – T20

Middlesex 181 for 8 (Davies 53, Andersson 52, Payne 3-28) defeated Gloucestershire 152 (J Taylor 45, Hollman 3-37) by 29 runs.

Jack Davies and Martin Andersson engineered a remarkable 101-run partnership, leading Middlesex to a 29-run victory over Gloucestershire in the Vitality Blast at Cheltenham.

Middlesex found themselves in trouble after being reduced to 32 for 4 in the powerplay. However, Davies (53 off 35 balls) and Andersson (52 off 39 balls) steadied the innings, guiding their team to a competitive total of 181 for 8.

Gloucestershire’s chase faltered, with leg-spinner Luke Hollman taking 3-37 to stifle their efforts. Despite a 68-run partnership between Jack Taylor (45) and Beau Webster (31), disciplined bowling from Middlesex’s attack, including Blake Cullen, Noah Cornwell, Tom Helm, and Ryan Higgins, ensured that Gloucestershire were bowled out for 152 in 19.5 overs.

This loss, Gloucestershire’s fifth in 11 South Group matches, dashed their hopes of breaking into the top four, leaving them in a must-win situation against Hampshire. For Middlesex, this victory was only their second in 11 matches this season and their first since early June, achieved despite missing key players Stephen Eskinazi and Max Holden.

Middlesex faced a tough start after losing the toss, with openers Leus du Plooy and Mark Stoneman falling early as David Payne and Matt Taylor quickly dismantled the top order. The visitors were left reeling at 32 for 4 within five overs, compounded by Ryan Higgins’ disappointing return to his former ground, where he was brilliantly caught one-handed by Miles Hammond at mid-on, and Joe Cracknell’s mistimed shot off Payne that sailed to deep midwicket.

With the team in trouble, Jack Davies and Martin Andersson took a cautious approach, focusing on rebuilding the innings. However, the College Ground’s short boundaries proved tempting. Ground’ svies seized the opportunity to attack, smashing Marchant de Lange for consecutive sixes over midwicket. Their sensible yet aggressive partnership yielded 50 runs from 34 balls, pushing the score to 81 for 4 by the halfway mark.

Davies had a stroke of luck when Jack Taylor dropped a catch at mid-on off de Lange’s bowling, allowing him to reach his fifty in 32 balls. Andersson, growing in confidence, soon followed, reaching his half-century just three deliveries later. Together, they guided Middlesex past the 100-run mark in the 16th over, giving their team a fighting chance in the match.

Jack Davies finally succumbed after accumulating five fours and two sixes, lofting a delivery from Marchant de Lange to deep backward square, providing Gloucestershire with a much-needed breakthrough. Martin Andersson followed soon after, edging Matt Taylor to backward point. At the same time, Luke Hollman was brilliantly run out by Jack Taylor, causing Middlesex to slide from a promising 133 for 4 to a precarious 138 for 7 within just nine balls. 

David Payne returned to dismiss the hard-hitting Tom Helm. Still, Josh De Caires played a vital cameo, smashing an unbeaten 31 off 16 balls, including three fours and a six, to propel Middlesex to a competitive total.

Sensing a rare victory within reach, Middlesex applied early pressure with the new ball. Noah Cornwell bowled Hammond for a nine-ball duck and then induced James Bracey to mistime a shot to mid-on, leaving GloucHollman’se struggling at 34 for 2 by the end of the powerplay.

Cameron Bancroft never looked settled and managed just 10 runs off 18 balls before being trapped lbw by Hollman on his first delivery, with Gloucestershire at a precarious 40 for 3 in the eighth over. Beau Webster and Jack Taylor tried to revive the chase, but with the required run rate climbing to 11.2 an over, Gloucestershire faced an uphill battle, reaching the halfway mark at 70 for 3.

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