Following the season’s opener against Yorkshire being abandoned
without a ball being bowled, the Middlesex Disability D40 First Eleven side got
their 2024 campaign underway on Sunday with a six-wicket victory against Essex at
a sunny Harlow Town Cricket Club.
England internationals Sammy Kumar and James Nordin missed out this week, presenting an opportunity for Joe Batten to make his first eleven debut. George Greenway captained the side in Nordin’s absence.
Middlesex won the toss and elected to bowl and it looked to be a good decision from stand-in skipper Greenway as Jai Charan (2/36) had Essex two wickets down within the first six overs, trapping Patel and Ward lbw.
Having been restricted to 11/2, Essex looked to rebuild with skipper, Jackson and Moss at the crease. However, just one over after the pair brought up their 50-run partnership, Mathew Jones (2/20) trapped Jackson in front for 34. Jones had his second wicket in his next over bowling Edwards and removing him for a duck, completing a wicket maiden.
Moss offered stability at the crease for the hosts, however Essex’s middle order provided little assistance - with Berry and Aust both being bowled by Greenway (2/24) for 11 and 1 respectively.
Ben Mason (1/25) had Mowatt out hit wicket for a quickfire 16. After more than 30 overs in the middle, Moss was eventually dismissed for 73 with Fraser Church taking the catch off Moazzam Rashid’s (1/24) bowling.
Essex finished their 40 overs on 191/8.
Openers Umesh Valjee and Naseer Butt made life difficult for the Essex bowlers, knocking a 118-run partnership in just 16 overs. Butt’s innings came to an end after being bowled by Fryatt for an excellent 58 off just 42 balls, in an innings which included 12 fours.
Having surpassed the half-century mark, Valjee continued to attack Essex’s bowling, and thanks to support from Aryan Janjale (20) Middlesex were fast approaching their target of 192.
Despite two quick wickets falling, back-to-back boundaries from Valjee in the 28th over wrapped the game up for Middlesex, finishing with an unbeaten 94 off 84 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes.
You can view the full scorecard here.
The Middlesex Super 9’s side were unable to follow suit in their season opener against Essex falling to a 102-run defeat. Essex were bowled out for 128, including a wicket in his first ball for debutant Alfie Sharp, however the run-chase never got going, and Middlesex were dismissed for 22.
