Matches (14)
IPL (2)
WT20 Qualifier (4)
RHF Trophy (4)
NEP vs WI [A-Team] (2)
BAN v IND [W] (1)
PAK v WI [W] (1)
RESULT
South Group (N), Lord's, September 03, 2020, Vitality Blast
(20 ov, T:168) 156/8

Middlesex won by 11 runs

Player Of The Match
3/18
steven-finn
Cricinfo's MVP
97.99 ptsImpact List
simon-harmer
Report

Luke Hollman, Steven Finn star to give Middlesex maiden victory over champions Essex

Bowlers build on opening stand from Eskinazi and Holden to deliver opening win of tournament

Stevie Eskinazi slog-sweeps  •  Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Stevie Eskinazi slog-sweeps  •  Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Middlesex 167 for 7 (Eskinazi 51, Holden 46) beat Essex 156 for 8 (Finn 3-18) by 11 runs
Teenager Luke Hollman starred with both bat and ball as Middlesex clinched their first victory in the Vitality Blast, overcoming defending champions Essex Eagles by 11 runs at Lord's.
The 19-year-old leg-spinner, making only his second senior appearance, struck a valuable unbeaten 25 to stem a Middlesex batting collapse and lift them to 167 for 7 after Stevie Eskinazi and Max Holden had posted an opening stand of 97.
Hollman then returned figures of 2 for 26 to restrict Essex - who have failed to win any of their first four games in this season's Blast - to 156-8 in reply.
Middlesex captain Steven Finn backed up the youngster with 3 for 18, including the key wicket of Ryan ten Doeschate, who had threatened to guide the Eagles home with his knock of 32 from 25 balls.
Spin duo Simon Harmer (2 for 23) and Dan Lawrence (1 for 31) appeared to have turned the game on its head as they stifled Middlesex in the middle overs, following the opening partnership between Eskinazi (51) and Holden (46).
Holden took a liking to Aron Nijjar, striking the slow left-armer for three sixes while Eskinazi looked strong outside the off stump, cutting Matt Quinn over point to the boundary as the home side made good progress after being asked to bat.
Medium-pacer Cameron Delport eventually made the breakthrough for the Eagles at the start of the 11th over, trapping Holden leg before - and Middlesex wickets immediately began to tumble.
Eskinazi, having reached his third consecutive T20 half-century from 37 balls by cutting Delport for two, paddled the next one into the hands of Quinn at backward square, and Martin Andersson (2) followed in Harmer's next over.
John Simpson, promoted up the order to three, did his best to rally Middlesex with 16 at a run a ball, before he fell to an excellent catch by Ryan ten Doeschate, running around from fine leg.
It was mainly thanks to a bustling 25 not out from 18 deliveries by Hollman - who went for his shots, smoking a straight six off Shane Snater - that the home side clambered to 167-7 in their 20 overs.
Tom Helm raised Middlesex's hopes of defending that total by capturing the wicket of Varun Chopra (4), lbw to a straight one in the first over, but Delport (20) and Tom Westley looked comfortable as they made solid starts.
The dangerous Delport appeared to be well set as he survived a top edge that flew between the fielders and then clubbed Miguel Cummins into the pavilion for six.
However, both batsmen perished to neatly-taken catches, with Westley (18) top-edging a hook off Cummins into the hands of Hollman at backward square and Dan Lincoln racing in from cover to pluck out Delport's drive just above the turf.
Lawrence also appeared to have settled at the crease, reaching 23 from 20 balls before he drove Hollman straight to long-off - and the youngster, in tandem with fellow leg-spinner Nathan Sowter (0-27) applied the brakes.
Middlesex continued to hold their catches, with Nick Gubbins taking a skier to remove Paul Walter (7) off Finn before ten Doeschate picked out Holden at long-on later in the same over.
Although Harmer (23 off 12) hammered Cummins for two sixes to keep his side in with a sniff, the game was up for Essex when Helm yorked him with two balls remaining.

Win Probability
MIDDX 
MIDDXESSEX
100%50%100%MIDDX InningsESSEX Innings
Powered by Smart Stats
AskESPNcricinfo Logo
Instant answers to T20 questions
Essex Innings
<1 / 3>

Vitality Blast

Central Group
TEAMMWLPTNRR
GLOUC1072151.017
NHNTS1054110.053
BEARS105411-0.634
SOM104590.653
GLAM10459-0.304
WORCS10275-0.789
North Group
TEAMMWLPTNRR
NOTTS1071161.315
LANCS105312-0.250
LEICS104311-0.180
DURH104590.421
YORKS103580.297
DERBS10174-1.583
South Group
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SUR1071160.650
SUSS1063130.377
KENT1053120.108
MIDDX10358-0.296
ESSEX10266-0.003
HANTS10275-0.803