T20 Blast: Ashar Zaidi fires Essex to victory over Middlesex at Lord's
No result in Sussex v Glamorgan encounter due to rain
Friday 29 July 2016 15:19, UK
A fantastic half century from Ashar Zaidi helped guide Essex to a five-wicket victory over Middlesex in a rain-affected T20 Blast match at Lord's on Thursday evening.
The 35-year-old, wielding an unconventional black bat, smashed 59 runs off 24 balls to help the visitors reach their target with three balls remaining in the match.
Victory keeps alive Essex's hopes of progressing to the quarter-final stage.
After losing the toss, Middlesex began the match, which was reduced to 16 overs a side, in solid fashion and reached 49-0 before Nick Gubbins holed out to Essex captain Ravi Bopara for 13.
Ryan ten Doeschate then picked up the wickets of James Franklin (10) and George Bailey (7) to leave the hosts struggling on 84-3.
Graham Napier, playing in his final season for Essex before retirement, then removed John Simpson (7) and Ryan Higgins (0) as Middlesex's innings ground to a halt.
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Only Dawid Malan impressed with the bat - scoring 68 off 67 balls to help the home side up to a competitive, if underwhelming, total of 126.
Middlesex made the perfect start to their defence when Ollie Rayner removed danger man Jesse Ryder for just one.
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Tom Westley could only add six before he was caught by Nick Gubbins off the bowling of Toby Roland-Jones.
Nick Browne (15) was then trapped lbw before Bopara was run out on just four to leave the visitors struggling on 54-4.
But a steadying partnership between Zaidi and Dan Lawrence (36) helped Essex wrestle control of the match back before the former smashed the winning runs with a superb maximum down the ground.
Meanwhile, Sussex were denied a much-needed victory against Glamorgan in another rain-affected match at Hove.
After the match was reduced to 14 overs a side, Glamorgan made just 101, with youngster George Garton finishing the pick of the home bowlers with figures of 4-16.
The hosts then looked well set for victory on 30-1 after four overs before the heavens reopened - causing the match to end in a frustrating no result.
