MIDDLESEX SECOND ELEVEN WON BY SEVEN WICKETS
SUSSEX SECOND XI 254/6
MIDDLESEX SECOND XI 258/3
Visitors Sussex won the toss at Southgate and elected to bat first against Middlesex on a bright day at the historic Walker Ground.
Sussex got off to the best possible start, putting on 132 for the first wicket, before Ethan Bamber eventually made the breakthrough in the 32nd over to dismiss Angus Robson, brother of Middlesex's Sam, who was caught by Ollie Rayner for an impressive 74.
Three overs later, with Sussex looking to up the pace of their innings, they lost their second wicket, when Bamber returned the favour, catching Rawlins off the bowling of Rayner for 12 with the score on 180.
Woodland came and went cheaply, run out by Manuwelge for 12, as did Burgess, who was bowled by Tom Barber for just 3 as the brakes were applied to the Sussex innings, with the visitors on 217 for 4.
Opener Phil Salt had batted superbly throughout, and reached three figures in the 47th over, before succumbing to the pace of Arthur Godsal, who cleaned him up for a fine 102.
Godsal struck again, bowling Shazhad for 10 and the Sussex innings came to an end with Jenner, 17 not out, and Whittingham, 4 not out, at the crease, with the score on 254 for 6.
Godsal finished the innings as the pick of the Middlesex bowlers with figures of 2 for 41 from 6 overs.
Middlesex set about their reply with Nick Compton and Tom Lace at the crease, although in only the fourth over they lost the former England man for just two, caught by Burgess off the bowling of Stuart Whittingham.
Lace was joined in the middle by George Scott, and the pair set about putting a huge dent in Sussex's lead, batting superbly for the second wicket partnership.
Lace brought up a marvellous half century off 57 balls (5 fours and 1 six), as did Scott, off 61 balls (4 fours) and the Middlesex reply was in good health, on 113 for 1 at the end of the 22nd over.
Lace continued to dominate the Sussex bowlers and progressed rapidly into the nineties, before falling for a magnificent 93 off 103 deliveries (7 fours and 2 sixes), bowled by Whittingham with the score on 172 for 2 in the 37th over.
Scott then fell soon after, LBW, for an equally well worked 81, with Whittingham again picking up the wicket, his third of the innings.
The Middlesex reply then came down to Ollie Rayner and Don Manuwelge, who put on 68 for the fourth wicket to take the hosts to their victory target, just three wickets down, with 17 balls to spare.
Rayner finished unbeaten on 49 and Manuwelge on 22 not out, with Whittingham being the only shining light for the visitors, finishing with figures of 3 for 60.
