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Middlesex deny Essex top FP Trophy group spot

28/05/2008

Middlesex brought an end to Essex's hopes of clinching first spot in the Friends Provident Trophy group with a narrow win away from home.

The hosts were aiming to pip neighbouring rivals Kent to top place in their group and thereby secure a home fixture in the quarter-finals, having already reached the final eight of the competition.

Hopes of achieving this were shaken early on as Middlesex were reduced to 61 for four, though Ryan ten Doeschate then gave them a massive boost, hitting 97 off just 93 balls before being dismissed by a Vernon Philander in-swinger.

In contrast, Essex got off to a flying start, with opening pair Ed Smith and Billy Godleman hitting 56 in 11 overs, followed up by a 34 from Shaun Udal.

With the visitors on 120-2, the umpire then brought an abrupt end to the contest due to rain and poor light, giving them an 18-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis code of rules.

Leicesterhire also relied on the rule to to beat Nottinghamshire by just 13 runs and book a place in the last eight.

Elsewhere, the night's Friends Provident Trophy games largely fell victim to the bad weather, though Somerset still managed to reach the quarter-finals thanks to the point they were awarded for their cancelled game at Glamorgan.

Yorkshire were denied victory over Lancashire after their game was abandoned at the start of the second innings, though the Headingley side still go through to the final eight, unlike Northamptonshire, who have been knocked out in spite of their comfortable victory over Ireland.