KZN pipped at the T20 post by Boland

KWAZULU-NATAL were pipped at the post by Boland in their opening Africa T20 Cup match in Paarl last night.

Having scored a moderate 143-6 in their innings, it seemed that the visitors were on course for victory when Boland needed 40 off 16 balls after KZN skipper Keshav Maharaj had blunted their run chase with 3-21 in his four overs.

But Niel Botha and Ferisco Adams then slammed the required runs with such alacrity that Boland won by four wickets with four balls to spare.

In the other match, also a close affair, Eastern Province (199-5) beat Gauteng (196-3) by three runs.

In one of the most dramatic climaxes to an English county season, Middlesex secured their first County Championship title in 23 years when a Toby Roland-Jones hat-trick gained his team a thrilling 61run victory over Yorkshire at Lord’s yesterday.

Seamer Roland-Jones grabbed six wickets as Middlesex bowled out Yorkshire for 178 with 4.4 overs of the season remaining.

It brought heartache in Taunton as Somerset players and supporters gathered at the County Ground to watch the drama unfold.

They feared the worst when nine overs of “filthy” declaration bowling left the visitors a target of 240 in 40 overs, but initially it appeared Yorkshire were best placed to secure a hat-trick of titles.

However, when first innings centurion Tim Bresnan fell, having made 55, Middlesex surged to victory as Yorkshire kept going for the target.

The last six wickets fell for 25 runs, and the last four in nine balls.