Dalrymple makes an impact

Jamie Dalrymple hit 68 not out for Middlesex © Getty Images

Jamie Dalrymple top scored on his return to county colours to help Middlesex to their first Friends Provident Trophy victory of the season.

Dalrymple, who was joined in the side by England team-mate Ed Joyce, hit 68 not out as he helped set Glamorgan a challenging 263 to win after the home side won the toss.

Glamorgan chased Middlesex nearly all the way with Ben Wright, who scored a maiden 61 from 82 balls, falling just short as the visitors lost by just six runs.

Needing a six off the final ball to win, 19-year-old Wright edged behind to see Glamorgan slip to a second consecutive defeat after losing by 24 runs to Somerset last Sunday.

Glamorgan’s run chase was given impetus by Matthew Elliott, who provided a cultured 87 from 116 balls and shared in a 79-run partnership with Wright as they had to negotiate 30 overs of spin on a wearing, used pitch before Elliott was stumped off Owais Shah.

And, three overs from the end, Ryan Watkins struck two sixes in the space of three balls before Tim Murtagh’s last over – the penultimate – which was a wicket maiden.

Tim Murtagh got the first two Glamorgan wickets on his way to excellent figures of 3-25

Glamorgan’s reply suffered an immediate setback when Nicky Peng went first ball, trapped in the crease by Murtagh, who struck a second time to have Alex Wharf taken at slip, leaving the Welshmen 31 for two in the ninth over before Elliott had rebuilt the innings.

Dalrymple had come into bat with Middlesex in some trouble at 135 for four, which became 142 for five when Shah was stumped down the leg side by Mark Wallace off Robert Croft, who did not concede a boundary in his 10 overs.

But with David Nash and then Murtagh, Dalrymple adopted a patient approach, especially against the spinners.

He went to his half century from 60 balls with a six off Wharf before taking 10 from Jones’ last two deliveries of the innings with a six and a four.

Earlier, Middlesex had found themselves reduced to 69 for three.

Joyce, who like Dalrymple was playing his first game of the season for the county, edged Wharf behind in the eighth over.

His captain, Ed Smith, followed him back to the pavilion six overs later after going leg before to Cosker’s first ball of the match.

Shah looked in accomplished form as he reset Middlesex’s platform with a 47-ball half century, a landmark brought up with a six over long on from Cosker.

Shah lost Billy Godleman (15) and his own encouraging innings was ended with the Wallace stumping before Dalrymple stamped his authority on the contest.