In a thrilling encounter at The Oval on Thursday (June 22), Middlesex registered a historic victory by completing the highest-ever run chase in the history of the T20 Blast. After losing their first ten games in the tournament and fourteen overall, stretching back to the last season, Middlesex finally tasted success with a seven-wicket win against Surrey.
After losing the toss and being invited to bat first, Surrey got off to a blazing start, with opener Will Jacks (96 off 45) leading the charge. Jacks, along with Laurie Evans (85 off 37), put on a formidable 177-run opening stand in just 13 overs.
In the 11th over of the Surrey innings, Middlesex leg-spinner Luke Hollman found himself on the receiving end, as he faced an aggressive assault from Jacks. The 24-year-old took full advantage of some loose deliveries and displayed his attacking prowess by hitting the leggie for five sixes in an over.
The Surrey openers hammered the Middlesex bowlers all around the ground, smashing a total of 12 sixes and 17 fours during their power-packed partnership. However, Middlesex managed to claw their way back into the game by picking up wickets towards the end of Surrey’s innings. Tom Helm, Martin Andersson, and Ryan Higgins all picked two wickets each as Surrey finished at a challenging total of 252-7.
Chasing a daunting target for victory, Middlesex started their innings aggressively and dominated the powerplay, reaching 83 without loss. Captain Stevie Eskinazi ( 73 off 39)and Joe Cracknell (36 off 16) provided a solid foundation with a 90-run opening partnership. Though Cracknell got run out, Eskinazi continued his assault before being dismissed by Chris Jordan.
Higgins played a crucial knock of 48 in just 23 balls and added 105-run partnership for the third wicket with Max Holden (68* off 35 ). Their partnership propelled Middlesex close to the record chase. But Josh Blake took a smart catch behind the stumps to give Jordan his second wicket, adding some tension to the Middlesex camp.
With nine runs needed from the final over, Middlesex held their nerves. Jack Davies (11 off 3) displayed incredible skill by scooping the opening delivery for six and followed it up with a boundary on the next ball. His heroics ensured a dramatic victory for Middlesex, who completed the chase with four balls to spare.
Utterly extraordinary 😲@Middlesex_CCC had lost their previous 14 Blast matches and have just chased down 253 🤯#Blast23 pic.twitter.com/NxeweZyKOh
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) June 22, 2023
