August 8, 2024

Joe Cracknell, Sam Robson Steer Middlesex to Victory

Rocky Flintoff scored his first fifty for Lancashire in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup match against Middlesex at Emirates Old Trafford. Still, his 88 from 115 balls wasn’t enough to secure a win. Flintoff’s solid performance made Lancashire posted 233 for 9 in their 48 overs. Despite his efforts, Middlesex chased down the target with five wickets to spare.

Joe Cracknell played a key role for Middlesex, scoring 98 before being stumped by Jack Morley with just 24 runs needed. Sam Robson also contributed with an unbeaten 87. Flintoff’s innings included six fours and two sixes, but he was dismissed off the match’s last ball. Middlesex’s win was achieved with eight balls remaining despite losing four wickets towards the end, which added some tension.

Lancashire’s innings got a rough start when Luke Hollman caught George Bell at backward point off Ethan Bamber for four. Henry Brookes then dismissed Josh Bohannon’s leg-before wicket for five. Bohannon was replaced by Rocky Flintoff, who formed a promising 58-run partnership with debutant Kesh Fonseka. However, Fonseka was caught and bowled by Hollman for 42, and Venkatesh Iyer followed shortly after, caught by Hollman for nine.

Flintoff continued to bat steadily, reaching fifty off 77 balls with four fours and a six. Despite his efforts, other wickets fell to a disciplined Middlesex attack. Noah Cornwell caught Chris Green at long-leg after top-edging a hook shot, and George Balderson was caught and bowled by Josh de Caires for 18. Harry Singh was caught at mid-off by Cornwell off Bamber for 19.

After a brief rain delay, the match was reduced to 48 overs per side, and Flintoff and Bailey added 60 runs in 52 balls. Bailey was eventually caught at long-off by de Caires off Brookes for 30.

Three balls after Bailey’s dismissal, Flintoff was out, caught by Cornwell off Brookes. Despite the loss, Flintoff, just 16, received a standing ovation from the crowd, reminiscent of the applause his father might have received. Brookes was the standout performer for Middlesex, taking four wickets for 43 runs in ten overs, supported by Bamber with two for 31 in nine overs.

With rain threatening near Old Trafford, Middlesex’s batters kept an eye on the target set by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. Joe Cracknell and Nathan Fernandes put on 45 runs in 61 balls before Bell caught Fernandes for 11, giving Josh Boyden his first wicket for Lancashire.

Cracknell and Sam Robson maintained a steady pace, making scoring easier as the drizzle made the ball slippery for the spinners. Cracknell reached fifty off 71 balls, and at the halfway mark, Middlesex were 104 for one. They continued to accelerate, with Robson reaching fifty off 64 balls and hitting the winning runs. Boyden finished with 2 for 35, while Morley, who caused some late tension, took 3 for 48.

Ian Holland Stars for Leicestershire with Ball and Bat

Leicestershire secured an eight-wicket win over Yorkshire in a rain-affected match at Scarborough, staying in contention for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup title. Chasing a revised target of 150 from 22 overs due to rain, Leicestershire reached 152 for 2, with Lewis Hill scoring an unbeaten 71 and Ian Holland contributing 42 off 25 balls.

Holland was instrumental for Leicestershire, first taking 2 for 39 in his 10 overs and then excelling with the bat. His all-round performance helped Leicestershire achieve their fourth win in six matches, moving them into the top three of Group B.

Yorkshire, who batted first, made 236 for 7 from their 50 overs. They recovered from a difficult position at 118 for 6 thanks to a career-best 60 from Dom Bess and an unbeaten 55 from Matthew Revis. However, their efforts were overshadowed by Holland and Hill, who led Leicestershire to victory.

Leicestershire’s seam attack, including Ian Holland, Tom Scriven, and debutant Alex Green, was impressive in the match’s early stages. They reduced Yorkshire to 79 for 4 within the first 25 overs, showing robust control and allowing only three boundaries.

Holland, who took two early wickets, had support from Green, who took two more. Green’s contributions included dismissing Fin Bean and Shan Masood. Holland also caught Harry Duke off Scriven’s bowling, and Roman Walker dismissed James Wharton.

Yorkshire struggled to accelerate their innings as George Hill and Luxton were dismissed quickly. Hill was caught off Green’s pull shot, while Luxton was caught behind off Scriven. Despite this, Dom Bess and Matthew Revis formed a century partnership, scoring 93 runs in the final 10 overs. Bess and Revis both reached their fifties, with Revis achieving his off 47 balls and Bess off 48. Their late-inning effort helped Yorkshire set a competitive total.

Dom Bess, who scored a career-best 53 in Tuesday’s match against Essex, had set a solid foundation for Yorkshire. Despite the challenge of playing under gloomy skies with favorable bowling conditions, Leicestershire managed their chase well, aided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

Ian Holland made a strong start by hitting a boundary off the third ball and continued to find the ropes regularly. Although he lost his opening partner, Sol Budinger, early on, caught at mid-on off Hill’s bowling, the team was in a strong position.

Holland was eventually dismissed, caught by substitute fielder Yash Vagadia off Dom Leech, with the score at 62 for 2 in the eighth over. Captain Lewis Hill took charge, hitting Dan Moriarty’s spin for two sixes and guiding Leicestershire to 80 for 2 at the 10-over mark. Hill reached his fifty off 37 balls, and by the 14th over, with the score at 113 for 2, the victory was nearly secured.

Hill and Ajinkya Rahane (28 not out) put together an unbeaten 90-run partnership, leading Leicestershire to a win with 2.2 overs to spare.