Malan the man for Middlesex

Centurion inspires Crusaders after sluggish start

Last updated: 8th July 2008

dawid malan middlesex 8/7/2008

Malan: centurion

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Twenty20 Cup - Quarter Final
The Brit Oval
Middlesex 176-7 Innings Complete (D J Malan 103) v Lancashire 164-8 Innings Complete (A Flintoff 53)
Middlesex beat Lancashire by 12 runs

A superb century from Dawid Malan helped secure Middlesex a place in the Twenty20 Cup finals for the first time after they beat Lancashire by 12 runs at The Oval.

The 20-year-old left-hander needed just 51 balls make his hundred, Malan smashing six sixes and 10 fours to help move the Crusaders on from 21-4 to 176-7.

In reply, Stuart Law's side fell just short but Andrew Flintoff provided heroics of his own, hitting a rapid half century having earlier taken 3-17 from four overs.

Middlesex skipper Ed Joyce won the toss and elected to bat. However, his side soon hit trouble, with Owais Shah (1) lasting only two balls before spooning a Glenn Chapple delivery to Dominic Cork at mid-off.

Fellow opener Billy Godleman (1) was caught by Flintoff at first slip off Cork, with the same bowler then removing Joyce (8). However, the dismissal was a controversial one.

Having been adjudged by umpire Richard Illingworth to have gloved the short delivery, Joyce pointed to his arm before he departed - an action that could bring a charge of dissent from the ECB.

Flintoff removed Ben Scott (one) but then came Malan's magnificent innings, in which he twice hit three sixes in an over.

He and Eoin Morgan (35) shared a fifth-wicket stand of 80 in nine overs before the latter was dismissed by Steven Croft. But Malan continued and became the first Middlesex player to score a Twenty20 hundred.

Flintoff returned to have him caught at backward point by Law and then removed Shaun Udal for a duck.

Lancashire also made a disastrous start to their innings, with Steven Finn trapping Gareth Cross (0) lbw before Lou Vincent (one) fell similarly to Tim Murtagh.

Law (11) then lobbed a Murtagh delivery straight to Udal at backward square but Flintoff then took aim by smashing spinner Udal's his first two deliveries over long on for six.

He added 54 with Francois du Plessis (18) before the latter fell to Murali Kartik - Finn taking a running catch at deep extra cover.

Flintoff hit three sixes and five fours on his way to 50 but added only three more before a Finn full toss found Malan at deep square leg.

Steven Croft (16) and Glenn Chapple (22) added quick runs as the light started to fade but the target was just beyond Lancashire.