Marshall makes the difference

Hamish Marshall’s superb unbeaten century sent Gloucestershire to the top of the NatWest Pro40 First Division with a three-wicket win over Middlesex at Bristol.

Marshall hit 102 not out as the Gladiators reached their target of 184 with eight balls to spare under the floodlights.

The next highest scorer for the hosts was Mark Hardinges with 24, while Shaun Udal took 3-36 and Murali Kartik 2-22.

Eoin Morgan had been the mainstay of the Middlesex innings of 183 for nine, scoring a fluent 82 while his colleagues struggled in testing conditions.

Steve Kirby, with 4-27, and Jon Lewis, who returned figures of 2-25, were the pick of the Gloucestershire attack.

Hamish Marshall settled Gloucestershire's nerves with a superbly paced century off just 97 balls

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Gloucestershire gave a debut to Australian pace bowler Brendan Drew, who has been playing for Lowerhouse in the Lancashire League this summer.

He has been recruited for just two Pro40 games to replace overseas recruit Marcus North, back at home after being selected for Australia A.

Middlesex were soon in trouble. After Ed Joyce had taken a single, Andrew Strauss was dismissed first ball by Lewis, edging to wicketkeeper Steve Adshead.

Joyce was another victim to fall in a fiery opening spell from Kirby, his attempted pull looping only to Drew at mid-on.

Kirby pinned Ben Scott lbw for seven to recude Middlesex to 15 for three before Drew was introduced into the attack. His first two overs went for 21 as Morgan and Dawid Malan counter-attacked.

The pair had added 50 in 11 overs and were accelerating when Malan was caught by Kirby, diving forward at deep midwicket off Hardinges.

Morgan looked untroubled in reaching his half-century with a straight six off David Brown. It had taken him 64 balls and also featured four fours.

Gareth Berg helped add 58 with the left-hander before lofting Dawson to Kadeer Ali at long-on, having made 23.

Eoin Morgan helped Middlesex to a total that looked beyond them when they slipped to 15 for three

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Tyron Henderson followed without scoring, carelessly slog-sweeping Dawson to Drew at deep midwicket.

But Udal contributed 14 before falling to Kirby, and Morgan had faced 93 balls when he lost his leg stump to Lewis.

Kirby bowled Tim Murtagh with the final ball of the innings to collect his fourth wicket.

Despite the early loss of Kadeer, Gloucestershire looked comfortable with their run-chase as Marshall and Hardinges put on 64 in 14 overs, cleverly collecting the singles and taking few risks.

But when Udal and Kartik began bowling in tandem the course of the game changed and the home side plunged to 113 for five.

Marshall was crucially dropped on 46 by Steve Finn at mid-off - Udal was the unfortunate bowler - and he gradually turned things back Gloucestershire’s way.

There was still work to do when Steve Adshead and Drew fell cheaply, but Richard Dawson provided the necessary late support, hitting a glorious straight six off Tim Murtagh in his unbeaten 17.

Marshall reached his hundred with a similar shot off Finn to finally end any doubt about the outcome. His match-winning century had come off 97 balls and also featured five fours.