The local team are on a roll with a recent triumph against Kent at Lords, reports Mark Caswell

Ryan Higgins, Middlesex CCC in action during Middlesex CCC vs Kent CCC, LV Insurance County Championship Division 1 Cricket at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 27th April 2023

Middlesex recorded their second win a week with a convincing win against Kent at Lords on Saturday, 29th April.

Winning the toss and inserting a Kent team that looked short of confidence, they were finally dismissed early on the second morning after a first day that was truncated by rain.

It proved a good toss to win, as Kent were bowled out for 186, the recalled Tim Murtagh 4-40 and the ever-improving Ethan Bamber 4-42, took the bowling honours.

Middlesex – not for the first time this season – saw the top order struggle and their total owed much to the reliable Ryan Higgins 71 and Luke Hollman 31, to help them gain a first innings lead of 43.

Kent 2nd innings got off to a decent start and at 87-2 looked to be building a decent total for the home team to chase, however a Middlesex team that can afford the luxury of resting captain Toby Roland-Jones kept a tight control of the run rate. Murtagh bowling from the pavilion end produced a match winning spell of 6-42, taking 10 wickets in match for a fifth time and 1000 career Middlesex wickets in the process.

With only 85 required opening batsman Sam Robson finally found some form hitting an unbeaten 41, reaching the total with the loss of one wicket, and a day to spare.

The 41 year old Murtagh commented after the game, “ having been dropped for the Notts game I was keen to do well, and was unaware that I had taken my 1000th Middlesex wicket, it was a good toss to win. I was an unhappy bowling coach for the Notts match, but I want to play in every game, we have a good squad of bowlers, and it was good to build on the Notts win” – a fortunate win down to a generous declaration.

A win that appears to have kickstarted their season. If the batsman who has good career records can hit some form, and maybe find a quality spinner, a title challenge could be on.

The next game on 11th May at The Oval against last years title winners and favourites Surrey showed how far MIddlesex have come since last year’s promotion.

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