T20 Blast round-up: Essex beat Middlesex; no play in Cardiff

Not surprisingly after their record low T20 score of 78 two nights before against Somerset, Middlesex had opted to bowl first at Lord’s.

Bad weather had delayed the start by 25 minutes and on a miserable evening at the home of cricket, the home side chipped away with the ball.

Teenage left-armer Noah Cornwell removed Adam Rossington (20) and Michael Pepper (23) as both batters started to look dangerous.

It was the same scenario for Dean Elgar, who was out for 28 to Luke Hollman and Paul Walter (18), bowled by Ryan Higgins.

But with 7.2 overs still to bowl, the visitors were on course for a score up towards 200 with Jordan Cox dangerously set on 31 from only 19 balls when they were forced from the field.

Middlesex were all set to begin their DLS pursuit of 143 – only for the rain to arrive again just as the players had made their way back on to the field.

The target was revised again to an unlikely 80 from 36 balls and Middlesex were always behind the run-rate. Walter delivered the fourth over of the innings, which went for four runs and brought both wickets, effectively sealing the result.

The win moves Essex, last year’s runners-up, to fourth in the South Group, while Middlesex remain bottom with five defeats from their six games.