GAME ONE
HAMPSHIRE 145/8
MIDDLESEX 146/1
MIDDLESEX WIN BY 9 WICKETS
After wining the toss and electing to field Middlesex got off to a decent start, dismissing Dickinson in the third over, caught by White off the bowling of Harris for 22. At the halfway stage and with the hosts on 73/3, Hampshire were able to keep the scoreboard ticking at a useful rate. With 5 overs left in the game and with the hosts on 105/4, an efficient spell of Middlesex bowling helped the visitors avoid a mammoth target, as the hosts hit 40 runs off the final 30 balls to finish their innings on 145/8.
In response, Middlesex got off to a disappointing start as Andersson was caught by Wood off the bowling of Wheal with just 2 runs on the scoreboard. However, this didn't deter the visitors as a superb 144 run partnership between Lace 80* and White 55* steered the visitors to a brilliant 9 wicket victory.
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GAME TWO
HAMPSHIRE 128/7
MIDDLESEX 129/6
MIDDLESEX WIN BY 4 WICKETS
Middlesex once again won the toss and elected to bowl at the Ageas Bowl, this time getting off to an even better start than in the first game. With just 5 Overs gone the visitors were able to reduce Hampshire to 35/3, with Harris picking up 2 wickets and a run out. Regular wickets seemed to be a theme within the innings and with Hampshire struggling on 76/6, things looked bleak for the hosts. However, late innings partnerships helped added to the scoreboard, with the hosts eventually finishing on 128/7.
In response, things looked good for the visitors who quickly reached 44 with the loss of no wickets. However with Lace falling in the 6th over for 21, a batting collapse transpired, as the visitors lost a further 4 wickets with just 23 more runs added to the scoreboard. With Middlesex on 67/5, it seemed an uphill battle, before a useful 40 run partnership from Andersson and Podmore helped steer the game in the visitors favour. Middlesex continued their innings in a similar vein and reached their target with over 4 overs to go, beating the hosts for the second time in the day, this time by 4 wickets.
