In the recent English Vitality Blast 2023, struggling side Middlesex beat Surrey by successfully chasing a 250+ total. It was the second-highest successful chase in T20 cricket history as it was only the second time when a team successfully chased a 250+ target.
Last Thursday (22 June), the South Group teams Middlesex and favourite Surrey faced each other at The Oval. Middlesex were under pressure due to losing all their first ten games of this tournament.
Surrey: 252/7 (20 overs)
Middlesex chose to field first after winning the toss. Surrey openers Will Jacks and Laurie Evans set up a 177-run partnership for the first wicket. While Evans scored 85 off 37 balls (nine fours and five sixes), Jacks lost his wicket after scoring 96 runs in 45 balls (eight fours and seven sixes). The next batters played some useful cameos to push the first batting total to 252/7.
Middlesex: 254/3
In reply, openers Stevie Eskinazi and Joe Cracknell set up 90 runs partnership in 6.3 overs. After Cracknell was run out for 36 runs in 16 balls (four fours and two sixes), Eskinazi built up another powerful 48 runs partnership with Max Holden for the second wicket.
Eskinazi scored 73 runs in just 39 balls with the help of 13 fours and only six. Then, Holden and Ryan Higgins set up a 105-run partnership for the third wicket. Just 10-run away from the victory, Higgins lost his wicket after scoring 48 off 24 balls (six fours and two sixes).
Holden and Jack Davies comfortably finished the game as Middlesex stunned with a seven-wicket win with four balls remaining. While Davies scored 11 not out off three balls (one four and one six), Holden smashed 68 not out in 35 balls (nine fours and two sixes).
It was Middlesex’s first win after losing the first ten games in this competition. Meanwhile, it was only the second time in T20 cricket history that a team chased down 250+ targets. The first incident was also recorded this year, back in March, when South Africa successfully chased the record-breaking T20 target (also T20I record) of 259 runs against West Indies at Centurion.
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Highest successful chases in T20 cricket
Team | Target | Total (Overs) | Opposition | Venue | Date |
South Africa | 259 | 259/4 (18.5) | West Indies | Centurion | 26 March 2023 |
Middlesex | 253 | 254/3 (19.2) | Surrey | The Oval | 22 June 2023 |
Bulgaria | 243 | 246/4 (19.4) | Serbia | Sofia | 26 June 2022 |
Australia | 244 | 245/5 (18.5) | New Zealand | Auckland | 16 February 2018 |
Multan Sultans | 244 | 244/6 (19.1) | Peshawar Zalmi | Rawalpindi | 10 March 2023 |
(Updated till 22 June 2023)
