Second XI Twenty20
Venue: LSE New Maiden
Match One Result – Middlesex win by 7 wickets
Middlesex were put in to field on a sunny day in New Malden against Surrey, but got off to the perfect start to their T20 campaign this year, with Walallawita striking in the first over to dismiss Welch without a run on the board.
Middlesex would have to wait for a while before any further breakthroughs, however once Smith went for 39 in the 8th over, Middlesex were able to capitalise.
2 further wickets fell for just 13 runs, leaving the hosts on 78-4 from 12 overs.
Surrey pushed on from here, with Green reaching his half century - before they finished their 20 overs with a competitive score of 172-5.
Cullen and Sowter both managed 2 wickets a-piece, whilst the other fell to Walallawita.
Two wickets fell early in Middlesex’s reply, with Cracknell and Davies both out before the start of the 4th over.
However, Tom Lace batted superbly, and once joined by Nathan Sowter in the 8th over, the pair never looked back.
From 67-3, the partnership flourished and progressed at a fast pace, with both batsmen scoring with ease and fluency.
Both passed half centuries on their way towards a Middlesex victory, which eventually came with 11 balls to spare. Tom Lace top scored with an unbeaten 73, whilst Nathan Sowter was close behind, scoring 69 at almost 2 runs a ball.
Match Two Result – Surrey win by 7 wickets
Middlesex batted first in the second game of the day, and an early set back put them on the back foot in the first over.
However, steady partnerships between Lace & Davies, and Sowter & Scott helped to anchor Middlesex’s innings. Sowter, fresh from hitting an unbeaten 69* in the first match, repeated his form in the second.
Sowter managed to hit an impressive 62 runs from just 33 balls before being eventually dismissed, meaning he had scored 131 on the day.
Middlesex finished on a respectable 159-6, however Surrey would have felt this was reachable.
Surrey batted positively from the off, and by the time they had lost their second wicket in the 9th over, they had already surpassed the half-way point in the run chase.
After Welch went in the 11th over, Surrey survived without losing any further wickets- and another unbeaten half-century from Green helped them over the line with 14 deliveries to spare.
