NICK FRIEND AT LORD'S: Surrey's options are such that Sam Curran wasn't needed to bowl yesterday but was used here at the expense of Will Jacks and Kieron Pollard. Given the counties beneath them, they might already have enough points to qualify
Lord's: Surrey 208-7, Middlesex 188-8 - Surrey win by 20 runs
There are few more watchable cricketers than Jason Roy in full flight: swagger fully charged, shoulders out, proper shots played properly.
In front of the Sky cameras and his England captain, he smote it to all parts. Four pitches over from the Test pitch of a week ago, there was a short side and a longer boundary over towards the Mound Stand. He hit both with the brutal ease we have come to expect – none more than Eoin Morgan, who made him his white-ball opener following the 2015 World Cup and has championed his fearlessness ever since.
Roy is the ultimate tone-setter – his hulking aura and a propensity to strike at the top of the bounce – and Will Jacks has become a similarly destructive Blast partner. If one doesn't get you, the other tends to. Jacks missed out tonight, but he has three half centuries in seven innings, Roy none until last night but now two in 24 hours. He went to fifty by smoking Chris Green past extra cover, who could hardly move.
So, for the first half at Lord's, Middlesex were a captive audience, released only to fetch faraway balls. The rate never really dropped beneath 10 runs per over, such is the firepower available to Surrey's cartel of hitters: Kieron Pollard came out at No.6 this evening, one position lower than in Wednesday night's demolition of Sussex but one higher than in the win over Gloucestershire.
Jamie Smith, with a County Championship double hundred to his name this summer already, didn't make it to the middle. Jamie Overton, seemingly caught-and-bowled in spectacular fashion but reprieved by the third umpire, used his second life to smear Surrey an important, late impetus. He whacked 27, they won by 20.
Max Holden's silhouette amid the Lord's flamethrowers (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
It was only that close – though that word is sprinkled lightly since it never truly was following a middle-order collapse – because Middlesex began their riposte like a train: until a week ago, they were still unbeaten in 2022.
Now, they have lost four in a row – a reminder of how quickly momentum can change, of how long this competition lasts. It's not how you start in a 14-game group stage – unless you start like Surrey, whose record still only has the single blemish of a washout.
Surrey ought to be the dominant half of this local rivalry, though: they fielded a side with 1,240 more appearances than Middlesex's. Pollard alone has played more T20 matches than nine of the Middlesex team combined.
For the hosts, however, Stephen Eskinazi has become a gun in this format. It feels hard to believe that he might begin The Hundred without a contract. And while he was at the crease, racing alongside Max Holden, Surrey were in a game.
But they have looked the most accomplished side in this tournament so far – a well-drilled line-up of short-format veterans and homegrown talent, sweeping all before them in a manner of different ways. It's 20 years since they last won this trophy, and they're using the anniversary to make amends.
The captaincy has provided Chris Jordan with a defined role, waiting mainly until the second half of the innings to unfurl his tricks but dismissing Holden with the first delivery outside the powerplay. Most things he touched went to plan, even if Green's late cameo drew out a sense of occasion that was otherwise drifting. After a double-wicket maiden at the death 24 hours earlier, Jordan was prolific again.
Eoin Morgan returned for Middlesex but struggled for rhythm (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
His cause was helped by Morgan's struggle; a week out from England's return to ODI action against the Netherlands, it was a major positive to see his return after injury, but he looked short on rhythm in his 10-ball stay.
Tom Helm, too, was back after more than a month on the sidelines. He could hardly have been handed a tougher assignment and went around the park, but there will be relief merely in seeing him back out on the field after such a promising start to the summer, given his history of injury strife.
On the night, that was to be scant consolation. Surrey's options are such that Sam Curran wasn't needed to bowl yesterday but was used here at the expense of Jacks and Pollard. Given the cluster of counties well beneath them, they might already have enough points for qualification to the knockout stages. They're going to take some stopping.
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