Middleton's maiden ton hands Hampshire victory in rain-hit clash with Middlesex

Fletcha Middleton produced a classy innings to score his maiden professional century as Hampshire opened their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign up with an 18-run DLS victory over Middlesex.

Opening batter Middleton caressed exactly 100 to continue his breakthrough season at the Ageas Bowl - having become a regular in the LV=Insurance County Championship.

Nick Gubbins and Tom Prest, with 40 and 38 respectively, also contributed as Hampshire reached 238 for 5 in their pursuit of 310 before rain brought an early end.

Ryan Higgins had earlier thrashed a 53-ball 78 but Scott Currie's 3 for 54 held Middlesex to 309 for 7.

Middlesex were stuck in and cruised through the powerplay risk-free before Mark Stoneman was undone by some extra bounce from Currie to pull out to deep square.

Joe Cracknell was never knowingly out of control as he intelligently rotated strike in stands of 54 with Stoneman, 43 with Sam Robson and 35 with Joe Davies.

His second List A fifty came in 59 balls which switched his mindset to attack. It resulted in a pulled six, a wonderful one-bounce four over mid-off and his downfall - advancing and chipping to short cover.

With Davies falling soon after to make it 156 for 4 in the 30th over, it felt like attacking shots weren't getting value and 300 would take some effort. Higgins scoffed at that assessment.

Higgins hadn't played List A cricket since scoring an unbeaten 55 for Gloucestershire against Australia A in 2019, due to his participation in The Hundred. He kicked the innings into gear quickly and mainly targeted the shorter boundary in his 40-ball half-century. He tonked Dom Kelly over long on twice, hammered Felix Organ over his head and slog-swept Gubbins twice.

The latter brought up a century stand with John Simpson - who had largely got out of Higgins' way - but next ball Higgins was stunningly caught by 17-year-old Eddie Jack - one of three Hampshire teenagers - and by the end of the following over Simpson had followed him back to the dressing room.

Josh de Caires didn't last long, as he gave Currie his third, but Luke Hollman's 17-ball 28 gave the death energy and smoothly took Middlesex over 300.

With rain around at the end of Middlesex's innings, temporarily false-starting the start of Hampshire's and forecast in the area, Middleton and Gubbins kept the DLS par score in close focus and masterfully got themselves ahead of it.

Both tried to out do each other on the aesthetics scale with luscious strikes in the V during a high-tempo 74-run partnership.

Gubbins fell when he pulled to long off, but Tom Prest maintained the cantering - with aggressive running a key proponent of Hampshire's success.

Blake Cullen limped off in his fourth over to compound Middlesex's problems but Prest, having smashed his first six, toed his second attempt to deep midwicket Robson with Ben Brown following having been bamboozled by a Hollman googly.

Middleton was solid in last year's competition but his increased confidence and maturity was in abundance as he took control of the chase. His first century came in exactly 100 balls and had showcased every aspect of his skill-base - patience, gap-finding, shot-making with a sprinkle of power.

Robson's part-time leg spin was needed to make up some of Cullen's overs. It threatened to turn the match around with two wickets in three balls as he had Organ stumped and Middleton caught behind. But rain soon after saw Hampshire, who topped their group last year, 18 runs ahead on DLS.