Onslaught:

It was never going to be a bowler’s wicket, but the Middlesex Panthers were disappointed that they failed to defend a total of 185. A blistering innings of 64 from 32 balls by Irishman William Porterfield, which included three sixes and seven fours, was the main reason.

England’s Steven Finn played his first match for Middlesex in weeks. He conceded thirty in just two overs thanks to Porterfield’s onslaught. His efforts helped the Gloucestershire Gladiators race to 78 without loss from the power-play. Aaron Redmond – a shamefully under-appreciated t20 player – made 20 from 15 balls.

Redmond alternated the strike to Porterfield to supply the power, but Redmond is adept at placement as three boundaries illustrated. Redmond was first out, bowled by Middlesex Panthers’ captain. Chris Taylor contributed too, but New Zealander James Franklin steered the Gladiators to a last over win.

Porterfield was very unlucky to be dismissed. Franklin’s drive was deflected onto the stumps by the bowler, Tom Smith. Porterfield, out of his ground was run out – an awful way to end an excellent innings. Middlesex’s bowlers had no answer to Porterfield and after he left Franklin took the initiative.

Franklin took 37 balls to complete a deserved half century in style. He hit two sixes and three fours. Fellow New Zealander Iain O’Brien bowled the final over with the Gladiators requiring two to win and Franklin a boundary for his fifty. He launched into an uppish cover drive that Dexter hurled himself at, but could not cling onto for an unlikely catch. Franklin made no mistake with the next ball, hitting it high over the field that had to save the single by then. The four left Franklin unbeaten on 51. Gloucestershire had won comfortably by six wickets.

Preparation:

The Gloucestershire Gladiators and Middlesex Panthers need a favour or two to reach the quarter-finals of the Friend Provident t20 tournament. While some think that there is too much t20 cricket being played, Middlesex’s Dawid Malan disagrees. “I like it,” he says, “but I think we should play cricket in blocks.” Malan believes that it affects preparations to chop and change between four-day cricket, one-day matches and t20. Each form demands different skills and preparation are interrupted.

England captain Andrew Strauss hopes for changes too. “I think there is an opportunity to restructure the game in terms of blocks of four day cricket and one day,” he told us. “It would help in the preparation as well, so those are the things that are being looked at at the moment and hopefully we’ll get a better system come the start of next season.” It that affects Malan’s preparations he hides it well. His batting has been a revelation this season

That comes as no surprise to Strauss. “I think he’s got all the shots,” Strauss told us previously. “He’s a very capable player and I think he’s a very determined player as well, so there’s a lot there to work with. More than anything, it’s about him getting to know his game better and better, which he’s showing signs of doing and getting consistent scores and scoring really heavily for an extended period of time. If he does that, then there’s no reason why he can’t go on to achieve selection at higher levels.”

The Malan Show:

Owais Shah won the Man of the Match yesterday for a magnificent innings of 80, but it was not enough. “164 on that pitch was 20 or so too few,” Malan said. “180 is a par score.” Shah had no real support yesterday. Ben Scott’s unbeaten 20 was the next highest. Shah played support role 27 from 19 balls with one six and four fours before he was superbly caught at deep-square by Jamal Hussain off Richard Dawson, but main support was provided by Neil Dexter.

The Panthers’ captain made a brisk 38 from 30 balls. He was dismissed by a good catch by  Porterfield. “We wanted to keep them under 200,” New Zealand international James Franklin told us, “and we did that. 180 plus was par on that pitch.” He feared that an excellent knock by Malan

could take it away from them, but an excellent final over conceded just two runs as wickets tumbled.

Ben Scott sacrificed his wicket as Malan set off to gain the strike on a run that wasn’t on. Scott was run out without scoring. The very next ball Malan’s magnificent 44 ball vigil ended as he was bowled by Steve Kirby for 86. Tom Smith was run out by Chris Taylor for 1 off the last ball as the innings petered out with 200 a real possibility.

Malan’s 86 included 6 sixes and 5 fours. It was a fantastic innings, but ultimately not enough, although this time it was the bowlers that didn’t perform.