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Middlesex Murtagh-ed

Another fine innings
By Chris Thomas June 24 2005
Twenty20’s first ever six-wicket haul by Surrey’s Tim Murtagh put paid to a courageous Middlesex assault on a 201 victory target in the derby match at headquarters.

Despite needing to score at ten per over for the entirety of their innings, a magnificent partnership worth 109 in 10 overs – a record stand for the Crusaders in the brief history of the competition – between Owais Shah (78) and Scott Styris (40) gave the hosts a real chance.

         

However, with 53 needed from 5.4 overs, Shah holed out off Murtagh to long on and, in fading light, Middlesex were unable to sustain the required rate.

         

Hope remained with Styris at the crease but the New Zealander tried to despatch Nayan Doshi over the short Tavern boundary – a feat he succeeded in doing the previous ball – and was caught just in from the rope. In retrospect, it was an unwise stroke because his continued presence at the crease gave Middlesex their best chance of victory, but ultimately the temptation was too great to resist.

         

From a promising 148-1, the Crusaders capitulated to 177 all out, with Murtagh especially producing an inspired spell of impressive death bowling. He claimed magnificent figures of 6-24 as Middlesex batsmen perished in the pursuit of rapid runs.

         

Earlier, that Surrey’s total reached the psychologically important 200 figure was in part down to poor fielding, with both destructive batsmen Ali Brown and Dominic Thornely handed reprieves on 32. Brown, who finished with double that figure, was badly put down by Paul Weekes at long on, and Thornely (67no) saw Ed Smith push the ball over for six, although a difficult low sun made that miss somewhat more excusable.

         

There was rarely control espoused by the Middlesex attack – only Pathan and Styris looked capable of exerting a degree of stranglehold – and were let down by pieces of sloppiness in the field. The score of 200 could have been markedly reduced.

         

Nevertheless, Smith (33) gave the Crusaders an ideal start and even after he was bowled, Shah and Styris looked increasingly capable of completing what would have been a stunning chase.

         

Shah was in imperious form, hoisting magnificent sixes down the ground off Clarke and Doshi, another over deep mid-wicket off Harbhajan, and both he and Styris found the upper tier of the Tavern.

         

It provided wonderful entertainment, but sadly for the Crusaders it was the excellence of Murtagh’s line and length that counted in the final reckoning.

 

Please click here for the scorecard for this match

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