The New Zealand all rounder arrived in the middle with his side in trouble at 38-3, but he looked unfazed by the repair job in front of him and joined Ed Smith to add 140 in just 27 overs – the second best partnership ever for Middlesex against Worcester in the National League – to create the platform for a total of 224-7.

Styris then bowled a tidy spell of nine overs for 31, and crucially won leg-before decisions against the two mainstays of the Worcester reply, Vikram Solanki (40) and Zander de Bruyn (55), to ensure the hosts fell short.

After Smith had struck Kabir Ali for 16 in the fifth over of the Crusaders’ innings, Middlesex found themselves in real trouble when Paul Weekes drove rashly at Vaas to be well held by wicketkeeper Pipe, Owais Shah was caught and bowled first ball and, in the next over, Ed Joyce was trapped in front by Kabir.

Smith and Styris then proceeded with an impressive recovery operation, with Smith providing the anchor for the more adventurous Styris who pummelled five sixes in an entertaining knock. Gareth Batty, returning from England duty, came in for particular punishment and was despatched for 41 from his 6 overs, with one maximum off the Worcester spinner finding the trees outside the ground.

When Styris was out, terrifically caught and bowled by de Bruyn, Middlesex had scored 178-4 from 37 overs, but they were slightly pegged back in the remainder of their innings cut short by one over due to a shower. Smith got somewhat bogged down and was bowled by Nadeem Malik for a nonetheless vital 93, while Ben Hutton saw his stumps shattered by Vaas. It took a murderous albeit brief 15 from Irfan Pathan to spark some urgency into the back end of the visitors’ innings which allowed them to reach their final total of just over five-an-over.

A target of 225 was by no means insurmountable however and Solanki and Stephen Moore got the Royals off to a positive start by adding 47 for the first wicket before, in his first over, Mel Betts had Moore caught at mid-off by Smith. The same bowler took the prized scalp of Graeme Hick, caught behind by Ben Scott standing up.

A fine display from Betts was only tempered by three foot fault no balls, and especially the fact that two of the three subsequent free hits found the boundary.

There was controversy when a fine piece of athletic fielding by Hutton appeared to lead to de Bruyn being comfortably run out, but square leg umpire Vanburn Holder was unmoved by Ben Scott’s appeal.

The same official had little trouble raising the finger the first ball of the next over, however, when Styris ousted the ever dangerous Solanki lbw.

The match situation was becoming increasingly tight and Worcester had 13.3 overs in which to score their last 100 runs. That task became harder when Hutton had Ben Smith caught on the cover boundary, before Batty was run out attempting an impossible single to short mid-wicket.

The appearance of Kabir Ali suggested that Worcester were not completely out of the hunt despite an ever spiralling required rate, but Alan Richardson, with his final ball, sent him back to pavilion in little time by having him caught at mid-on.

Worcester’s task became practically impossible thanks to the economical bowling of Styris, Richardson, Pathan and Betts, and batsmen perished in the search for quick runs. De Bruyn, having recently brought up his half century, played across the line to Styris and was adjudged leg-before, Pipe was caught at third man off Pathan and Ray Price edged the Indian seamer behind.

Although Vaas and Malik played out the remaining balls, Middlesex’s job was already complete, and they can look forward to hosting second placed Essex Eagles next Sunday having just completed an impressive double over Worcestershire Royals.

Please click here for the scorecard for this match

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