PROMOTION IN SIGHT

By David Slater
August 27 2002

Middlesex were on the verge of sealing promotion to division oneafter securing a nerve-racking 6 wicket victory against Worcestershire at New Road

After a rain inturpted morning session Middlesex were closing in on setting themselves a target of nearly 200. The began work on that target at around 1430 and looked to be in the driving seat through Strauss and Keonig. But when they and Hutton fell things were getting worrying. A stand of 43 between Shah and Joyce and the winning stand of 80 between Joyce (46*) and Weekes saw the 'Sex home.

The only disapointment was that Middlesex recieved a 0.25 point reduction for slow over rates.

Middlesex 1st innings
Strauss c Hick b Ali 8
Koenig c Rhodes b Ali 81
Hutton lbw b Ali 0
Shah b Ali 0
Joyce st Rhodes b Leatherdale 125
Weekes lbw b Liptrot 46
Nash c Hick b Batty 100
Dalrymple c Hick b Ali 14
Noffke c Hick b Leatherdale 76
Keegan c Rhodes b Sheriyar 24
Bloomfield not out 26
Extras 31
Total (all out, 145.3 overs) 531

Worcestershire 1st innings
Peters c Joyce b Bloomfield 13
Singh c Weekes b Noffke 50
Hick c Weekes b Noffke 101
Smith c Nash b Noffke 50
Solanki c Joyce b Noffke 24
Leatherdale c Hutton b Keegan 39
Batty c Joyce b Keegan 3
Rhodes c Joyce b Keegan 2
Kabir Ali c Nash b Keegan 0
Liptrot b Hutton 6
Sheriyar not out 0 0 0 0 0
Extras 31
Total (all out, 90.1 overs) 319

Worcestershire 2nd innings (following on)
Peters c Nash b Noffke 14
Singh c Nash b Noffke 40
Hick b Keegan 69
Smith c & b Noffke 60
Solanki lbw b Keegan 4
Leatherdale c Strauss b Weekes 42
Batty c Strauss b Keegan 33
Rhodes run out 47
Kabir Ali c Hutton b Keegan 35
Liptrot c Dalrymple b Noffke 16
Sheriyar not out 2
Extras 39
Total (all out, 102.4 overs) 401

Middlesex 2nd innings (target: 190 runs)
Strauss c Smith b Leatherdale 27
Koenig c Hick b Ali 33
Hutton c Rhodes b Sheriyar 0
Shah c Ali b Liptrot 19
Joyce not out 46
Weekes not out 40
Extras 28
Total (4 wickets, 45.4 overs) 193

To Bat: Keegan, Noffke, Bloomfield, Dalrymple, Nash.

Middlesex won by 6 wickets.

League Table:
P W L D Bat Bowl Deduct Points
Middlesex 14 6 2 6 57 37 0.25 189.75
Essex 13 7 3 3 33 37 0.50 165.50
Worcestershire 13 6 3 4 43 34 0.00 165.00
Nottinghamshire 13 7 4 2 34 39 1.25 163.75
Derbyshire 13 7 5 1 36 39 1.00 162.00
Glamorgan 14 5 5 4 33 38 0.00 147.00
Northamptonshire 14 4 7 3 36 35 0.50 130.50
Gloucestershire 13 1 6 6 36 36 1.50 106.50
Durham 13 1 9 3 20 34 0.00 78.00