26 July 2008

A brilliant all-round display from Tyron Henderson, which saw him hit seven sixes in an unbeaten 59, put Middlesex into the Twenty20 Cup final after an eight-wicket demolition of Durham at The Rose Bowl.

Henderson's two for 31 helped Middlesex restrict Durham to 138 for six which Middlesex overcame with four overs and two balls to spare mainly thanks to Henderson's 21-ball innings.

Durham made a poor start when Michael Di Venuto was caught behind for a three-ball duck off of Tim Murtagh but Phil Mustard hit back with 15 from eight balls and Paul Collingwood hit 35 from 31.

Middlesex spinners Shaun Udal and Murali Kartik conceded just 36 runs from their eight overs and although Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit 48, it took 47 balls and Durham crawled through their overs with only a Shaun Pollock blast of 15 from ten balls made their score remotely competitive.

Once Ed Joyce (41) and Billy Godleman (20) added 65 for the first wicket with few problems until both fell for no addition to that score of 65 but that just gave Henderson his platform.

He hit Steve Harmison, who finished with nought for 47, for two sixes in two balls and did the same Gareth Breese later on before winning the match with another six off of Harmison, who started the day on a high after being named in the England squad, but ended it on a low, as did his team.

© Cricket World 2008

ECB Twenty20 Cup