Match Centre

MATCH REPORT | MIDDLESEX V GLAMORGAN

Youngsters Thilan Walallawita and Joe Cracknell stole the headlines as Middlesex made it three wins from three with a four-wicket win over Glamorgan at Radlett.

Left-arm spinner Walallawita returned career-best figures of three for 18 as the visitors were bowled out for 168 off the last ball of their innings. Toby Roland-Jones cleaned up the tail with four for 22, Marnus Labuschagne top-scoring for Glamorgan with 38.

Cracknell then underlined his burgeoning reputation in this format with a blistering 47, while Max Holden contributed a rapid 41 as Middlesex, minus Eoin Morgan, who limped off injured while the hosts were in the field, chased down the target with something to spare. Prem Sisodiya was the pick of the Glamorgan attack with two for 26.

David Lloyd began in the grand manner sending a drag-down from Chris Green into the car park, but his innings was short and sweet as Roland-Jones bowled him around his legs in the next over.

Fellow opener Sam North-East also departed early to a delivery from Martin Andersson which bounced on him and he could only steer to point.

It proved the last success for some while as Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson added 55 in quick time, the Australian international especially savage on Blake Cullen, striking him for four successive boundaries before launching Green over mid-wicket for six. Luke Hollman ended the fun when Labuschagne skied him to backward point and Carlson followed soon after.

Walallawita then took over with three wickets in two overs, wicketkeeper Chris Cooke falling to a brilliant catch by Max Holden. Dan Douthwaite was pinned in front and when Michael Neser was bowled Glamorgan were 122-7.

James Weighell though gave the visitors something to defend with three huge sixes in a whirlwind 30 before he was one of three victims in Roland-Jones’ final over.

Steven Eskinazi and Holden began the chase in explosive fashion with Holden the chief aggressor. The left-hander hit the first ball of the innings from the in-form Michael Hogan over square leg for six before drilling Neser back over his head for another maximum. Eskinazi too cleared the ropes as the pair raced to 62-0 in the powerplay.

It was the spinners who fought back, Sisodiya bowling Holden before Andrew Salter got Eskinazi to play too soon and chip a return catch. Hollman’s promotion up the order backfired when he became Sisodiya’s second victim and when John Simpson fell to the returning Hogan 48 were still needed.

Cracknell though stood firm, endangering many windscreens in the car park with one of four huge sixes in his 27-ball stay. He was bowled by Labuschagne trying to raise 50 in the grand manner with eight needed and Andersson fell to a blinding catch in the deep by Hogan before the hosts got home with an over to spare.