Denly and Rogers see Middlesex home

Joe Denly and Chris Rogers helped Middlesex claim their first CB40 Group A victory of the season after they crushed the Netherlands by eight wickets. The duo put on an unbeaten 166, with Denly finishing four runs shy of a century and Rogers making 83 not out as the visitors overhauled the Netherlands' 212 for 9 with 16 balls to spare.

Paul Stirling was the pick of the Middlesex bowlers with 4 for 27, Steven Crook picked up two wickets and Gareth Berg ran three batsmen out as the hosts were restricted to a manageable total in Voorburg.

It was the Netherlands' first loss of their CB40 campaign after they had beaten Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in their opening two matches. After being put into bat, Netherlands got off to a decent start, with openers Stephan Myburgh and Michael Swart reaching a fifty partnership in the 10th over.

Although the latter was run out by Berg for 23 immediately after, Myburgh and Cameron Borgas guided the hosts to 114 for 1. Yet Stirling removed Borgas with his third delivery and then accounted for Myburgh, who struck eight fours in his 66, in his next over.

Wickets continued to flow freely thereafter, although Mudassar Bukhari ensured the Netherlands did reach a competitive total. Burkhari, the Pakistan-born allrounder blasted three fours and two sixes and had made 39 off just 30 balls before he was the eighth man out in the 39th over, with Berg claiming another run out. Yet Bukhari's efforts ensured Middlesex did not simply blow through the lower order as the Netherlands reached 212 for 9.

Timm van der Gugten then ensured the visitors got off to a disastrous start in their reply, bowling Dawid Malan for a first-ball duck. But the wicket proved to be a rare highlight in the field for the Netherlands.Stirling followed up his wonderful bowling efforts with a quickfire 28 before being dismissed by Swart in the 10th over.

Any hopes the Netherlands had of a collapse were dismissed by the solidity of both Denly and Rogers. Denly was unusually subdued in the early period of his innings yet he gained in confidence and finished on 96 off 117 balls.

Rogers settled into his stride immediately and he brought up the winning runs in the 38th over with his sixth four to ensure Middlesex bounced back from last week's home defeat to Gloucestershire in style.