Middlesex Pull Off Dramatic Run Chase Against Kent

Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Lord's (day four)

Kent 129 & 473: Bell-Drummond 223, Crawley 68; Roland-Jones 3-107

Middlesex 238 & 366-8: Hollman 103, Davies 59; Evison 3-71

Middlesex (19 pts) hit Kent (3 pts) by 2 wickets

Match scorecard

Luke Hollman's maiden period paved nan measurement for Middlesex to snatch a melodramatic triumph arsenic they edged past Kent successful a see-saw County Championship classical astatine Lord's.

Bowled retired for 129 connected nan opening day, Kent looked favourites aft mounting a stiff target of 365 and reducing their hosts to 81-3 overnight - but Hollman's diligent sound of 103 anchored a singular fightback.

The 24-year-old shared cardinal partnerships pinch Stephen Eskinazi (41) - who retired wounded pinch a backmost tense but returned later - and Jack Davies (59), only for leg-spinner Matt Parkinson to move nan title backmost successful Kent's favour, dismissing Hollman and Davies successful speedy succession.

It needed an unbroken ninth-wicket guidelines of 52 betwixt Toby Roland-Jones and Zafar Gohar to wrap up a grounds Middlesex tally pursuit against Kent, nan second slog-sweeping Parkinson (3-105) for six to unafraid triumph pinch conscionable 1 complete remaining.

A greeting ablution somewhat delayed nan resumption of Middlesex's innings earlier not-out batters Hollman and Eskinazi knuckled down to blunt nan visitors' onslaught pinch fewer causes for alarm.

Hollman overtook his partner by steering Kashif Ali to nan constituent bound and, moreover though Parkinson extracted immoderate move from nan Pavilion End, nan brace made dependable advancement during nan first hr and a half.

However, they were separated erstwhile Eskinazi - having turned Parkinson down quadrate - clutched astatine his little backmost while completing a regular azygous and grimaced pinch symptom arsenic he sank to nan turf astatine nan bowler's end.

The opener yet limped backmost to nan dressing room, pinch replacement Ryan Higgins doing good to excavation retired an inswinging yorker from Jamal Richards soon earlier different bout of drizzle curtailed nan session.

Hollman precocious beyond 50 for nan sixth clip successful his red-ball profession aft lunch, sweeping and on-driving Parkinson for boundaries and past nudging a azygous to scope his individual landmark arsenic Middlesex's target dipped beneath 200.

But it was nan erstwhile England leg-spinner who achieved a breakthrough, reacting quickly to deflect Hollman's consecutive thrust connected to nan wicket pinch non-striker Higgins scrambling successful vain to make his ground.

The run-out raised Kent spirits, pinch much adjacent fielders ushered successful arsenic Parkinson was joined by Jack Leaning successful a spin-only offensive, capturing different wicket arsenic Tawanda Muyeye raced retired from gaffe to snare a looping separator disconnected bat and pad of Ben Geddes.

Kashif returned to stock nan caller shot pinch George Garrett, who was hoisted complete nan statement astatine agelong limb by Davies but almost accounted for Hollman connected nan changeable of tea, a clipped half-volley fractionally eluding nan diving midwicket fielder.

Hollman kept his cool to complete his ton from 184 balls and that was nan awesome for Davies to property nan accelerator, slamming Garrett for a six and 3 fours during a azygous complete that costs 29 successful all.

A reverse expanse for 4 disconnected Parkinson took Davies to his half-century and simultaneously lifted Middlesex's full supra 300 - yet nan pendulum appeared to plaything again arsenic Parkinson picked up 2 wickets successful 3 balls.

Hollman was first to go, snapped up astatine short limb earlier Davies holed retired to heavy midwicket and, having returned pinch a runner, Eskinazi could summation his people by conscionable 2 earlier Joey Evison pinned him lbw pinch 51 still required.

Gohar and Roland-Jones (23 not out) gradually whittled those down, while Evison (3-71) and Parkinson maintained nan unit successful tandem arsenic nan overs ticked distant and shadows began to lengthen.

With 5 needed and 7 balls remaining, Gohar (30 not out) took connected Parkinson and dispatched nan shot complete nan short bound to seal Middlesex's 2nd triumph of nan season.

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