Van Jaarsveld shoots down Middlesex

Martin van Jaarsveld’s superb innings helped injury-hit Kent end Middlesex’s 100% record in all competitions by coasting to an eight-wicket victory at Lord’s in Group A of the Clydesdale Bank 40.

The visitors sealed their win with nine overs to spare courtesy of van Jaarsveld’s 85 off 73 balls, which all but applied the finishing touches to a fine all-round Spitfires display.

Opener Sam Northeast’s far more placid unbeaten 63 off 91 deliveries was the perfect foil for the big-hitting van Jaarsveld as Kent comfortably chased down a modest 177.

Their reply did not get off to the most auspicious of starts after captain Rob Key, who spent most of the Middlesex innings off the field nursing a bruised thumb, was caught behind off Tim Murtagh, who was promptly hit out of the attack by van Jaarsveld.

In the eighth over, the South African pulled Anthony Ireland for six, a dose he repeated at the start of the 20th over to bring up his fifty in as many balls.

Four overs later, van Jaarsveld took his second-wicket alliance with Sam Northeast past the 100-mark with an on-driven four off Dawid Malan before moving into the eighties with a six over wide long-on off Paul Stirling.

Van Jaarsveld departed in the following over, lofting Malan to mid-on, leaving Northeast – who posted an 86-ball half-century – and Darren Stevens to see their side home with ease.

Earlier, Kent won the toss and inserted Middlesex, who made a below-par 176 for nine which was partially boosted by Murtagh and Ireland’s 30-run stand for the ninth wicket and Ireland’s straight six off the final ball.

The hosts were 83 for four at the halfway stage in their innings, having only managed to find the boundary on eight occasions.

Malan went in the fifth over, caught at point off Azhar Mahmood, while three overs later, Adam Ball struck twice in the space of five deliveries to see the back of Paul Stirling and Neil Dexter.

Stirling, having just hit two successive fours off Mahmood behind square on either side of the wicket, lofted the 18-year-old left-armer to mid-on before Dexter, playing against his former county, was bowled off a thick inside edge.

Stevens struck twice from the Nursery End when Gareth Berg and Tom Scollay both played around straight deliveries.

Seven overs later, Scott Newman was just closing in on a commendable half-century when he played a loose drive and was caught at short extra-cover to become James Tredwell’s 150th victim in one-day cricket.

Ashley Shaw then picked up his scalps when Ollie Rayner danced down the pitch and slapped him straight to extra-cover and Ben Scott, on the walk, fell lbw and Murtagh was bowled around his legs.

Report from ecb.co.uk