Middlesex v Kent Spitfires: Covid-stricken visitors run riot despite having seven debutants in squad

SHIVAM PATHAK AT LORD'S: Middlesex were left with a manageable target on a dry wicket, but collapsed to 80 all out against a bowling attack pulled from the second team, ending their home campaign on their most miserable note yet

Lord's: Kent Spitfires 157-8, Middlesex 80 - Kent won by 77 runs

Scorecard

In a dead rubber, this was a flex of Kent Spitfires’ squad depth - and the contribution of the Scottish national side, as a team with seven debutants ran out comfortable winners at Middlesex.

Indeed, the hosts were already confirmed to be out of the tournament - and without star man Stephen Eskinazi - but Kent’s victory would be, according to some, perfectly attributable to a show of strength from their second-choice bowling attack. 

Cricket is going through a historic period, one where an entire team, coaching staff and bench can be suddenly ruled out from playing for two weeks if one person happened to be standing close enough to somebody else for long enough. The Spitfires were the latest “whole team” victim, meaning that an entire side with only a couple of training sessions - and no match practice as a single unit - were sent to NW8. Remarkably, they triggered an astonishing collapse from the hosts. 

The side at the top of the South Group, who have only lost once this season, fielded a team made up heavily of players from their second XI, plus three borrowed from Scotland. Middlesex, who were simply playing for pride, were able to restrict the Spitfires from making serious inroads with the bat, before failing to capitalise and letting their own key wickets fall cheaply. 

The debutants were queueing up to get in on the act. Matt Quinn, the Australian who has had to settle for 2nd XI action with Kent during the T20 season, took a few balls to get into his stride: having bowled two consecutive wides, his inswinger demolished Sam Robson’s leg pole, and the floodgates started to open.

Harry Podmore got in on the action. The 25-year-old Englishman has also been confined to playing with the seconds, but enjoyed himself right away as he put a slower ball right into “the slot”, and Joe Cracknell took the bait, holing out to deep midwicket. 

Elliot Hooper was taken right out of the reserve side, having last played a top level game in 2019. He had in fact taken a five-for in his last outing in the 2nd XI Championship, and while he had to share out the wickets with his colleagues this time out, he will be more than pleased that his first foray back into first XI cricket in a year couldn’t have gone better.

He was joined by Safyaan Sharif - one of three Scotland loanees, which also included George Munsey and Calum MacLeod - and Marcus O’Riordan in the wicket-takers list, as the five players who had no T20 Blast experience between them all season managed to topple Middlesex for a mere 80 runs.

The biggest cheer during the Middlesex innings was for reaching their 50.

It had come at the cost of seven wickets and nearly 12 overs, but the home crowd made a noise for it. Even the flame machines, usually reserved for a rip-roaring six or impressive catch, fired once in recognition.

This was a complete show of dominance from Kent - who played just like they were the team at the top.

The hosts, meanwhile, contributed a suitable performance for their position.

No Daniel Bell-Drummond, Joe Denly, Adam Milne or Fred Klaassen for Kent, but still not problem: a reflection both of the Spitfires’ club-wide momentum in this competition this year, and Middlesex’s season to forget, which has seen only flares of individual quality. 

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Heino Kuhn anchored the innings along with Harry Finch. Zak Crawley was eligible to play having been on international duty when his team had to isolate and the skipper made a pleasing 26 off 12, but it was the batsmen at No.3 and No.4 who did the bulk of the damage.

Finch, whose previous T20 game was against the Spitfires for Sussex, was part of the 2nd XI representation in the batting order and brought red-ball nous with him: with six fours including one cover drive of which the Lord’s faithful would be proud. 

The Middlesex bowling attack will have felt ultimately let down. Blake Cullen and Mujeeb ur Rahman were once again the brighter lights in a write-off performance, the pair taking six scalps between them, but their efforts were ultimately left in vain.

There’s just one game left now for Middlesex: a visit to Essex Eagles in Chelmsford, where they will be desperate to ensure they finish this season on a brighter note than tonight. 

“I don’t think we can use it [Covid-19] as an excuse”, Middlesex head coach Stuart Law told The Cricketer.

“We’ve got a great team who look after the playing group, and we’ve only had one player miss a game through Covid”.

“We’ve played some good cricket. We’ve nearly beaten teams. We always talk about being positive - but we need to stand up in the big moments, against the best teams - something we’ve seen at times this season, but not near enough”.