Despite a fine 102 by Colin Ingram, David Malan blasted an unbeaten 156 from 128 balls to see Middlesex to a comfortable eight wicket victory with 62 balls to spare over Glamorgan in their Royal London One-Day Cup match at Lord's.
Glamorgan made several changes to their line-up with Michael Hogan and Graham Wagg both rested, whilst Aneurin Donald is away with the England Under 19 side for their series against their counterparts from Australia. As a result, James Kettleborough returned to 1
st XI action for the first time since May whilst Dewi Penrhyn Jones made his second List A appearance of his career. Young all-rounder Ruaidhri Smith was also included alongside off-spinner Kieran Bull who made his first appearance in a one-day game for the Welsh county.
Jacques Rudolph duly opened the batting with Kettleborough as Tim Murtagh and Junaid Khan took the new ball for the home side. The latter was clipped by Rudolph to square-leg for the day's first boundary before being struck through extra cover two overs later for another four. After a series of singles, Kettleborough also cover drove the Pakistani for four before pulling James Harris to mid-wicket.
Rudolph then brought up the 50-stand by straight driving Murtagh for four but in the next over Harris trapped Kettleborough l.b.w. 53/1 then became 54/2 as Will Bragg was caught behind against Murtagh. Rudolph responded by drilling Murtagh through mid-off for four before Colin Ingram deposited Ollie Rayner over mid-wicket for six when the spinner came on in the 21
st over.
After a series of deftly placed singles, Rudolph completed a 73-ball fifty by cover-driving James Franklin for four before another series of singles saw the 100 come up in the 26
th over. But with the total on 105, Rayner had Rudolph l.b.w. Ingram then greeted the return of Junaid by clipping him to square-leg for four before he again harpooned Rayner over mid-wicket for six.
Chris Cooke began with a brace of singles before steering Harris for four through mid-wicket and then swatting Neil Dexter to mid-wicket. But Cooke then on-drove Dexter only for Rayner to parry the ball at short mid-wicket before grasping the rebound.155/4 saw David Lloyd join Ingram who duly completed his half-century from 64 balls before his new partner unfurled a lofted on-drive for four against Dexter.
Ingram then despatched Dexter to mid-wicket for another lofted four but with the total on 183, Lloyd became another man to depart l.b.w. as Dexter claimed his second wicket. Craig Meschede announced his arrival by off-driving Dexter for four before Ingram pulled another short ball from Junaid for six over mid-wicket before off-driving the next delivery for four to see Glamorgan to the 200-mark.
With the total on 207 Meschede was bowled advancing down the wicket to Rayner, but Ingram maintained the momentum in the closing overs with a series of firm drives in an arc between mid-off and mid-on. On 222 Harris bowled Salter, but Ingram then twice cut Rayner in his closing over before lofting him for six to long-on and then high over mid-wicket for another maximum as he completed his hundred from 91 balls. With three balls remaining, Ingram holed out at long-off before Harris bowled Ruaidhri Smith with the final delivery as Glamorgan ended on 251/9.
Meschede and Smith duly shared the new ball as Dawid Malan and Paul Stirling made a breezy start in pursuit of 252. Malan got the scoreboard moving by cover-driving Smith before flicking Meschede to fine-leg as well as driving him to long-on for a third four. He then threaded Smith through extra-cover and cover point for further boundaries, whilst Stirling also drilled Meschede through point for his first four. Malan then pulled Smith for another four before Stirling biffed Meschede through cover for another rasping four.
Malan brought up the 50 by square-cutting Dewi Penrhyn-Jones for four in the 8
th over before Lloyd came into the attack as the two North Walian's bowled in tandem. Stirling greeted Lloyd by despatching him through extra cover whilst Malan scythed him in the air over the slip cordon for another four. Malan also clipped Penrhyn Jones to fine-leg as Middlesex ended the first block of powerplays on 72/0.
Andrew Salter's off-spin was then employed at the Nursery End and he nearly removed Stirling who smeared a drive as he advanced down the wicket just out of the reach of the fielder. Malan then completed his fifty from 44 balls before celebrating by drilling a free hit from Penrhyn Jones into the top tier of the Lord's Pavilion. Stirling also straight drove Penrhyn Jones for four.
On 39 Stirling had another life against Salter as the bowler failed to grasp a return chance but Malan continued to find the ropes as he greeted the return of Lloyd by driving him through the covers. Stirling then completed his half-century from 53 balls shortly before Kieran Bull entered the attack in the 20
th over and was deposited into the Tavern Stand for six by Stirling. But two balls later the young off-spinner gained revenge as with the total on 139 he ended Stirling's stay as the opener chipped him to short mid-wicket.
The tempo dropped as the two off-spinners restricted Malan and Sam Robson to a series of singles, but after ten overs without a boundary Malan lofted Bull over extra cover for four en route to his hundred from 103 deliveries which he reached with a straight driven four as Smith returned at the Nursery End after Salter's accurate ten-over spell.
Malan celebrated by playing Bull inside-out over extra-cover for four before greeting the return of Penrhyn Jones by drilling him for successive fours, followed by another massive six into the Mound Stand against Smith. With the total on 215 Penrhyn-Jones trapped Robson l.b.w. but Malan continued to pummel the inexperienced seam attack as he cover drove Penrhyn Jones for four before pulling the next ball for a massive six.
Neil Dexter also hoisted Lloyd for six to mid-wicket as Middlesex looked to further boost their run rate in their final game in the competition. Malan completed his 150 from 125 balls by clipping Penrhyn Jones for two to mid-wicket before nonchalantly pulling him for four and then ending the contest in the 40
th over by pulling a free hit from the young paceman for six over mid-wicket