Middlesex 2nd XI v Essex 2nd XI
Second XI Championship
Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood
Monday 11 – Thursday 14 September 2023 | 10:30am start
Team News:
Middlesex 2nd XI: Robert White (c) (wk), Nathan Fernandes, Stevie Eskinazi, Martin Andersson, Luke Hollman, Aaryan Sawant, Tom Helm, Blake Cullen, Mark Cohen, Thilan Walallawita, Seb Morgan, Toby Greatwood
Essex 2nd XI: Robin Das, Feroze Khushi (c), Ronnie McKenna (wk), Haris Usman, Aaron Beard, Jamal Richards, Simon Fernandes, Omar Akram, Mackenzie Jones, Aum Patel, Mohammed Rizvi, Bailey Wightman
Match Details:
Umpires: James Tredwell & M Johnson
Scorers: Mark Shepherd & Paul Parkinson
Toss: Essex 2nd XI won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Middlesex 2nd XI won by one wicket
Scorecard and Highlight Clips: View Here
Match Report:
Despite Robin Das becoming the first-ever player to score consecutive double centuries for the second string, Essex slipped to a one-wicket defeat at the hands of Middlesex in a high-scoring Second XI Championship encounter at the Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood.
Das claimed a starring role by scoring 214 off 215 balls during an incredible 309-minute stint at the crease against Kent a little over a week ago and he had the historians reaching for the record books again after scoring 232 from 180 as Essex posted a healthy first-innings total of 483 at Northwood.
This time, the 21-year-old right-handed batter hit no less than 38 boundaries and two sixes during another remarkable 273 minutes in the middle. 19-year-old Ronnie McKenna contributed 67 and Feroze Khushi 50. Meanwhile, Nathan Fernandes and Blake Cullen took three wickets apiece for the home side.
Tom Helm scored 85, while Luke Hollman chipped in with 82 and Fernandes 78. However, Jamal Richards and Aaron Beard had figures of 3/71 and 3/83 respectively to ensure the visitors an 80-run lead at the midway point.
Helm took 4/32, and Thilan Walallawita 4/63, as the Middlesex attack looked to drag their side back into the contest. Nevertheless, 81 off 146 balls from Simon Fernandes and 65 from Richards appeared to have left Essex in a strong position.
However, Middlesex fought back strongly to seal a dramatic win, as skipper Robert White led the way with 117 from 153, while Hollman followed up his earlier heroics with 75, and Martin Andersson hit 53.
Toby Greatwood hit Mohammed Rizvi for four to conclude a fascinating contest, with the hosts’ victory achieved despite the latter taking 6/103 in vain for the Eagles.
