Risky business pays off as county ease into last eight
GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S bowlers held their nerve to defeat Surrey by five runs to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the Vitality Blast.
Kieran Noema-barnett equalled his career-best equalling 57 not out as Gloucestershire posted 174 for six on a drying pitch.
When Ben Foakes smashed 59 from 39 balls and added 66 for the fifth wicket with Rikki Clarke, it looked as though Surrey would win.
But David Payne bowled Foakes in the penultimate over and Ryan Higgins frustrated the eighth wicket pair of Morne Morkel and Mat Pillans with 12 needed off the final over.
Captain Michael Klinger said: “Our total was a bit below par, but we’ve defended less than that and still won games here.
“David Payne getting Ben Foakes out was the turning point for sure. But we had to take a few risks such as bowling out our best bowler, Andrew Tye, early to try and put the run rate up.
“Surrey have some really dangerous players who can take the game away from you, so I’m really pleased to have won. It was a good allround performance with everybody chipping in.
“It’s now a matter of winning one of our last two games against Sussex and Hampshire to guarantee a home draw.”
The win eased some of the frustration of the long trip to Essex being in vain as the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
That followed Ian Cockbain’s maiden T20 century and the second highest score by a Gloucestershire batsman in the competition as Middlesex were put to the sword at Bristol.
The 31-year-old Merseysider smashed 123 off 61 balls, including 96 in boundaries, to help his side reach 242 for four, their best T20 total at Bristol, and secure a 70-run victory.
Klinger (44), Noema-barnett (31) and Jack Taylor (27 not out) gave support.
But it was all about Cockbain, who went in with the total seven for one in the second over and holed out to long-on off the final ball of the innings.
In reply, Middlesex could manage only 172 for six as their miserable Vitality Blast campaign continued.
Stevie Eskinazi top scored with 51 while mediumpacer Noema-barnett claimed three for 18 from four overs, his best T20 figures.
Cockbain said: “I don’t think I have ever struck the ball cleaner, which is strange because I haven’t been hitting the ball that well in the last couple of weeks.
“It helped that the Middlesex bowlers didn’t get it quite right on the night and allowed me to hit to the shorter boundary.
“We know now that we have several batsmen capable of going big in T20. It was my night tonight, but if I don’t come off there are a number of others with the ability to score quickly and