Mccullum in the runs as Middlesex see off Kent
Brendon Mccullum hit 88 off 51 balls as Middlesex overcame Kent by 16 runs at Old Deer Park in Richmond in the South Group of the Natwest T20 Blast.
Mccullum hit six sixes in his tally before being bowled by Calum Haggett. Kent seamer Matt Coles grabbed a hat-trick when he dismissed James Franklin, John Simpson and Tim Southee in the final over of Middlesex’s 179 for eight.
Kent did not convince in the process of reaching 163 for eight, struggling to recover from their start when Daniel Bell-drummond and Joe Denly were lost early on.
Middlesex sit fifth in the table with Kent sixth.
Leicester secured their fourth victory from four after a 27-run win over Durham to remain top of the North Group.
Each of those wins have also come away from home but, against Durham, the latest unfolded after they finished on 144 for eight despite having been 100 for two.
Mathew Pillans struck two fours, amid four leg-byes and 21 off Leicester’s final two overs, before which Durham had only managed 117 for eight.
Bowlers Colin Ackermann and Callum Parkinson each took two wickets to reduce the Jets to 39 for five, and the latter added a third, ending a stand of 30 when he bowled Usman Arshad to tee Leicester up for victory.
Durham’s captain Paul Coughlin had perhaps their greatest impact when securing an unbeaten 42, but they remain bottom of their nine-strong group, having lost all three fixtures.
Jofra Archer inspired eighthplaced Sussex to their first victory of the competition, over Hampshire, who in turn suffered their first defeat.
The fast bowler recorded figures of four for 18 from his four overs in the process of restricting Hampshire to 126 after they chose to bat first on winning the toss.
Chris Nash and Ben Brown combined for an 82-run stand, and Chris Jordan struck the winning runs as their six-wicket win was confirmed with 16 balls remaining.
Tom Alsop, on his first appearance in the competition, was the hosts’ only batsman to impress as he combined with Lewis Mcmanus for a partnership of 48, in addition to hitting back-toback sixes. Sussex gradually eased to victory, despite their underwhelming start with the bat, but Hampshire remain in first place in the table.