Malan catches Law's eye

Middlesex’s Twenty20 Cup hero Dawid Malan has been tipped to have a bright future in the game by vanquished Lancashire skipper Stuart Law - as long as he does not get carried away with his own success.

Malan displayed the type of hitting recently seen from Essex one-day specialist Graham Napier as he smashed six sixes and 10 fours in a 51-ball century during last night’s semi-final triumph over the Lightning at the Brit Oval.

That followed on from his maiden championship hundred against Northants and a half-century at the expense of South Africa at Uxbridge over the weekend.

His efforts ensured Middlesex will take part in Twenty20 finals day for the first time in the six-year history of the competition at the Rose Bowl on July 26.

But Law has warned the 20-year-old, who was born in Roehampton but lives in South Africa outside the English domestic season, to keep his feet firmly on the ground.

The Australian said: “You have to take your hat off to Malan. It was an amazing knock from the young fellow which took the semi-final out of our hands.

“It didn’t matter how big the boundaries were; he was going to whack the ball over the fence.

“Even with some of the deliveries he hit for six, he was beaten in the flight by Simon Marshall, but still managed to find the middle of the bat and hit it out of the park.

Dawid Malan earned high praise from Lancashire captain Stuart Law for his century

“Freak occurrences happen like that sometimes, but he looks like a very talented cricketer. It was ferocious stuff.

“He came out and took his time at first and saw an opportunity to put the foot down, and he definitely did that. Unfortunately for him, he has got to do that again.

“That is the problem he faces now. I am not offering him advice but I’ve seen it all before. If he starts reading the press and starts believing his own press, that is where he could make a massive fall.

“If he goes away, stays in his little bubble, and hits the ball like that every time, he is going to impress a lot of judges.”

Malan has been living in South Africa for the past 13 years but spelt out his desire to play for England if the chance came at international level.

He said: “My father is South African, my mother is English. I lived here until 1995 and then moved over to South Africa, went to school there and still live there.

“I’m English-qualified. I’m signed as an Englishman by Middlesex so I am viewed as an overseas player if I play in South Africa. I regard myself as English. I would like to play for England. I’d love to play for England.”

Law, meanwhile, took consolation from another encouraging performance from Andrew Flintoff, who returned figures of 3-17 from four overs and scored a rapid half-century.

He took advantage of the fact Lancashire are staying down south before playing at Hampshire on Friday to join in with England practice indoors at Lord’s today.

Law said: “Every game Fred plays, he is getting better and better. Before he was injured, he was bowling at 90 miles-plus per hour.

“He wasn’t scoring runs but we can see what he can do when the ball hits the middle of the bat.

“He is a ferocious striker of a cricket ball, is good in the field, and bowls with great pace, great control and accuracy.”