In a stunning display of pace bowling, Riley Meredith once again proved to be Middlesex’s worst nightmare as Somerset secured a dominating eight-wicket victory at Lord’s in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
The Tasmanian speedster, who had previously taken 4 for 12 in the T20 Blast encounter between the two sides, wreaked havoc with the ball yet again, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 27. Middlesex never found their footing against Meredith’s relentless attack, crumbling for a mere 135 runs with a whopping 63 balls remaining unused.
Meredith received tremendous support from his new-ball partner Josh Davey, who chipped in with a vital wicket, leaving Middlesex reeling at 39 for 4 by the end of the powerplay. England spinner Jack Leach joined the party later on, picking up two crucial scalps as Middlesex struggled to put up any substantial resistance.
Despite a valiant effort from Martin Andersson and Luke Hollman, who finished with 34 and 38 not out respectively, Middlesex was unable to withstand the pressure exerted by Somerset. James Rew and Lewis Goldsworthy then stepped up for Somerset, forging an unbeaten third-wicket partnership of 81 runs to cruise to victory with a remarkable 23 overs to spare.
This win marked Somerset’s sixth victory in eight group games, solidifying their position in the knockout stages. However, their direct progression to the semi-finals hinges on the outcome of other matches in the upcoming days.
Middlesex, who had previously won three out of their last four fixtures, found themselves in early trouble after being put in to bat. Meredith wasted no time in making his mark, dismissing Nathan Fernandes with only four balls bowled in the match.
The downfall continued as Joe Cracknell fell victim to a run-out, courtesy of a mix-up with Davey and a direct hit from George Thomas. Meredith then sent Mark Stoneman packing, breaching his defense with an unplayable delivery to rattle the off-stump.
Davey got into the act by castling Sam Robson, while Ben Green dismissed Jack Davies to further dent Middlesex’s hopes. Despite a few hiccups during the chase, Somerset managed to chase down the target comfortably, much to the disappointment of Middlesex and their fans.
With Somerset’s fate hanging in the balance, the cricketing world eagerly awaits the unfolding drama of the remaining group fixtures to determine the final standings. The clash at Lord’s proved to be yet another illustration of the unpredictable and enthralling nature of one-day Cricket.
