MATCH REPORT: Flintoff makes 88 but Middlesex clinch five-wicket Metro Bank Cup victory
Rocky Flintoff made a marvellous 88 to hold the Lancashire innings together on his maiden first team outing at Emirates Old Trafford but Middlesex went on to clinch a five-wicket victory with a clinical batting display led by Joe Cracknell and Sam Robson.
Flintoff produced a composed, mature innings while wickets fell at regular intervals at the opposite end, and that was key in helping Lancashire post 233 for nine and belied the fact that the 16-year-old was playing in just his fifth game at this level.
A record century partnership between Cracknell and Robson controlled the visitors reply as Middlesex made 236 for five to reach their Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) adjusted target of 233 with eight balls to spare.
In cloudy, threatening conditions that suggested a DLS result might be the eventual outcome and required the use of the floodlights, Middlesex opening pair Cracknell and Nathan Fernandes produced a busy, positive partnership intent on keeping their side ahead of the par score. They had made 41 when Josh Boyden, on his Lancashire debut, had Fernandes caught behind glancing down the leg side at the start of the 11th over.
Cracknell and Robson continued in similar vein, pushing the score along steadily without taking too many risks and reaching their 50 partnership from 77 balls while keeping well ahead of the DLS requirement.
Cracknell, the visitor’s leading run scorer, reached his third fifty of the season in this competition from 71 balls as Middlesex reached the halfway stage on 105 for one. He had the perfect foil in Robson who eased his way to an impressive fifty from 64 balls and looked fairly untroubled throughout.
The pair eased their way to a record second wicket partnership of 165 for Middlesex against Lancashire with Cracknell giving one chance to deep backward square on 77 before falling agonisingly two short of his century when stumped by George Bell off Jack Morley when 18 runs were required.
That started a clatter of late wickets as four fell for 12 runs with Boyden claiming a second wicket when Martin Andersson edged behind for 5 and Morley (three for 45) taking two in quick succession, bowling both Mark Stoneman for 3 and Jack Davies for 2.
But Robson, 90 not out, and Hollman 9 not out steered their side safely to victory in the 47th over.
After winning the toss Lancashire lost Bell for 4 and Josh Bohannon for 5 to be 25 for two by the sixth over, with Kesh Fonseka and Flintoff having to rebuild after those early setbacks. The pair forged a good partnership of 58 inside 13 overs, Fonseka driving Noah Cornwell for three fours in the ninth over and Flintoff doing likewise two overs later as the left arm seam bowler struggled to find a good length.
Fonseka, the 18-year-old academy player, played with great assurance on his Red Rose debut and scored steadily throughout his innings of 42 off 50 balls before he top-edged an attempted sweep off Luke Hollman that ballooned back to the bowler.
Both of Lancashire’s overseas players followed in quick succession. Venkatesh Iyer hammered a six off left arm spinner Fernandes but soon departed for 9 when Hollman took a superb one-handed catch off his own bowling when the Indian left-hander drove forcefully back up the wicket. Chris Green was out for the same score after pulling a short Henry Brookes delivery to Cornwell at fine leg to leave Lancashire on 118 for five, three balls into the 26th over.
By then, Flintoff – who had earlier lofted Fernandes into the pavilion seats – had settled in to build a nicely constructed innings that also contained 4 fours by the time he reached his maiden half century from 77 balls. It was a vital contribution, but Lancashire continued to lose wickets.
George Balderson became the third caught and bowled wicket of the innings when the left hander drove back to spinner Josh de Caires for 18 while Harry Singh drove Ethan Bamber to Cornwell at mid-off having batted nicely for his 19 off 23 balls.
A rain interruption then took two overs out of the innings with Lancashire 175 for seven after 40 overs, and Flintoff built a great partnership with Tom Bailey when play resumed.
Having batted steadily thus far In his efforts to hold the innings together Flintoff broke the shackles with a reverse sweep for four off Hollman, his first boundary for 56 balls, before depositing Bamber into the hotel seats at square leg.
Bailey hit another six off the otherwise excellent Bamber before bringing up the fifty partnership off 41 balls when he laced Brookes to the square leg fence.
Both fell to catches at long off in the final over bowled by Brookes (four for 43), Bailey for an excellent cameo of 30 off 28 balls and Flintoff for 88 from 115 balls, the pair having posted the highest partnership of the innings of 61 runs.
The DLS method adjusted the target to 233 runs off 48 overs and despite that late fightback, Middlesex found their way to claim the win.
“We’re disappointed again,” admitted josh Bohannon.
“It’s frustrating and hard to take but there were some real positives in there as well,” added the Lancashire vice-captain who is leading the side in the Metro Bank Cup.
“I thought the start Kesh gave us and Rocky’s performance, (we’ve got) a 16-year-old and 18-year-old showing us how to play.
“It’s a testament to those guys, the hard work they’ve put in.
“Rocky’s learning on the job. He’s played a few games for us in this competition and to see the development that he has learnt game on game is really exciting to watch.
“Kesh has come in for his first game and was positive and looked fearless. It was just how clear his plans were. It was good to watch.
“Josh Boyden has struggled with injuries over the last few years and been ruled out of game time but I thought he took his opportunity fantastically today and showed what he’s all about.
“You want to see them (young players) learning week on week and hopefully we are not just playing because there’s a game. Everyone in that dressing room is trying to compete.
“The results have been frustrating and everyone in the dressing room is hurting. It’s pretty obvious we haven’t scored enough runs as a batting unit.
“We’ve shown phases of doing it. We seem to lose wickets in clusters which is frustrating. That always sets you back going into the backend of an innings. We’ve never got into a position to really take it to the other teams.
“This is one of those comps where people will get a chance and I’ll keep backing them and so will the coaching staff.
“Hopefully the next two games we can get a win and take some confidence from that. The fight that the group has shown, when we are six (defeats() from six showed right until the last ball today. Everyone is trying to make an impact, and that’s a testament to everyone we’ve got in that dressing room.
“The learnings we’ve taken from this competition will hopefully benefit us next year.
Ken Grime
Photos: Barry Mitchell, Luke Adams, Dan Adams