Kia Oval Talking Points: Middlesex haul in record total to beat Surrey in T20 Blast

The Cricketer looks at the main talking points as Middlesex chased a record score to beat Surrey at the Kia Oval in the T20 Blast

Movement That Inspires play of the day

Surrey could have been forgiven for assuming they had enough runs and more. No T20 Blast game had ever been played where there were more points between the two teams at the start of the match.

But Middlesex pulled off the extraordinary, bashing 83 runs from their powerplay and remarkably staying ahead of the rate – in a chase of 253 – for virtually the entirety of their run-chase.

"We will reflect back on tonight so often – at the halfway mark, batting second," said Stephen Eskinazi at the close. "Nothing is impossible. That is a really cool feeling to have, going into the next two games but into next year and beyond.

"Yes, it's only two points and only one win in the competition, but sometimes in cricket when you're 45 and retired and a far better player than you ever were when you actually batted, you'll reflect on nights like tonight – 25,000 people, the best domestic team that has played in this country for years.

"Incredible skill, incredible belief. It might only be two points, but the celebration shows a group who needed it."

^{Max Holden ended unbeaten on 68 to win Middlesex the game (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)}

Take The Lead, Drive Electric moment of the day

It might just have been the shot of Jack Davies' life, walking across his stumps with nine runs needed off the final over to complete the T20 win of all T20 wins and ramping a Gus Atkinson full-toss over the head of the fielder stationed on the fine leg boundary and into the seats in front of the pavilion.

Middlesex have spent all season looking for a Blast win and have lot by two, four and five runs previously, so nothing was a given, particularly against such a dominant Surrey side.

But once Davies had lofted that six, the game was won; he sliced behind point for another boundary to end the game and spark wild, deserved celebrations. At the other end was Max Holden, among the players of the competition so far even if he's long known that his tournament won't go beyond the group stage.

He finished unbeaten on 68, after Stephen Eskinazi had done the bulk of the damage with 73 to set up a run-chase that was the highest not only in the Blast but also in the history of domestic T20 cricket.

After all that has come before – 10 defeats in a row and the sword of Damocles hanging over them of an entirely winless campaign – it was the perfect, unlikely antidote that all at the club required.

^{Stephen Eskinazi hit a terrific 73 to set up Middlesex's chase (Warren Little/Getty Images)}

Will Jacks' near miss

Only Ross Whiteley has ever hit six sixes in an over in the T20 Blast, but for a moment it looked as though Will Jacks was about to join him in an exclusive club.

He smashed Middlesex leg-spinner Luke Hollman for five successive sixes, before gesturing to the baying crowd ahead of his shot at history.

As it was, the sixth ball was the worst of the over – a waist-high full toss – but plinked out to deep midwicket for a single, with 31 instead of the dreaded 36 off the over.

Jacks already has a century in The Hundred, and this was his 27th fifty in T20 cricket around the world.

In fact, this wouldn't even have been his first perfect over, having belted Stephen Parry for six sixes in a pre-season T10 clash with Lancashire in 2019.

This article was brought to you in association with Kia. To find out more about Kia's multi-award-winning electric range and their strong commitment to take the lead in electrification click here