Proud Stirling leads Middlesex home with a ‘daddy’ hundred
Gloucestershire 254-8 lost to Middlesex 211-3 by 7 wickets (D/L: with 21 balls remaining)
PAUL Stirling produced the perfect early Father’s Day gift as Middlesex got off the mark in the One-Day Cup with a seven-wicket win under Duckworth/Lewis over Gloucestershire.
The 25-year-old Ireland batsman hit an unbeaten 125 to guide his team to a revised target of 208 with 21 balls to spare under the new Brightside Ground floodlights.
But what made the innings special for Stirling was that it was the first time he had scored a century with dad Brian, a former international rugby union referee, watching from the stands.
With Father’s Day approaching next weekend, it was great timing and after the game Stirling said: “It’s nice to have got a score with dad here, I’m off to share a pint with him now.
“He has been a big influence on my career and I’m delighted to have him and my mum over here to see me get some runs.
“It hasn’t happened often with dad watching so I’m particularly pleased to have played so well.”
Stirling believes the current Middlesex one-day squad is the strongest he has been part of since making his debut for the county in 2013.
The win at Bristol was achieved without Brendon McCullum, who stepped down to allow fellow overseas signing Adam Voges a One-Day Cup appearance before joining up with the Australia squad to visit Sri Lanka.
Voges will now be eligible for the knockout stage of the competition should Middlesex qualify and Stirling is confident that will happen.
He said:“I fancy us to do well in both one-day competitions. We still have big players to come in and everyone knows the need to fight for places.
“We have had a strong squad on paper since I joined the club, but I think now it is that bit stronger still and there is more depth.”
Stirling, who hit 15 fours and three sixes in his 102-ball innings, admitted the weather had played a part in beating Gloucestershire. The hosts posted 254-8 after losing the toss, only for rain to intervene with Middlesex 17 without loss in reply.
“The ball skidded on under the lights when we resumed and I think that helped,” said Stirling.“I had made about six off 20 balls before the break so it certainly did me good.
“The weather conspired against us in the Hampshire game, so things evened out.”
The luck of the Irish was needed just once. Having made only a single, Stirling edged Liam Norwell to second slip where Michael Klinger spilled a straightforward catch.
“The ball seemed to be going slowly towards him and the moment gets frozen in time,” said Stirling.
“It was a bit of good fortune and I made the most of it.”
Hamish Marshall top-scored for Gloucestershire on the day the popular Kiwi announced that his 11-year stint with the county would finish at the end of the season.
He said: “I regard Bristol as a second home, but I have to look to a future outside the game back in New Zealand to ensure security for my family.”