Middlesex to meet Oxfordshire

Middlesex and Oxfordshire will contest the ECB 50+ County Championship Final after differing semi-finals last weekend.

Middlesex edged past Somerset by one wicket in a thrilling semi-final which went down to the last over.

Somerset won the toss, batted first and were left to regret losing four early wickets which hampered their chance of setting a large target. They eventually ended up being bowled out for 155 after a late collapse.

For Middlesex the pick of the bowlers were Archie Cornwall and Alastair Evans-Gordon who picked up two wickets each.

In reply, the Middlesex innings followed a similar path to Somerset's as they found themselves in dire trouble at 30 for four.

But Alan Jenner and Evans-Gordon joined forces and took Middlesex within sight of victory, but not before they endured a late wobble along the way.

Seemingly cruising, Middlesex suffered a collapse and found themselves entering the last over needing four runs to win with two wickets remaining.

Somerset suddenly had a sniff of an unlikely win when they took a wicket at the start of the final over but Middlesex's last pair of Cornwall and Jerry Nightingale remained composed to see their side home with two balls remaining.

Oxfordshire's route to the final was more straightforward - they beat Kent by seven wickets with 18 balls remaining.

Kent batted first and finished on 206 for seven from their 45 overs. Steve Kelly was the best Oxfordshire bowler with 4-41 from his nine overs.

In reply, Oxfordshire made a fine start with Ian Caunce smashing four maximums in 58 from 33 balls to give the chase some impetus.

It was left to Ellis Cunningham, with 62 not out, and Adrian Manger, who made an unbeaten 47, to take Oxfordshire past the post with a 119 run stand.

Oxfordshire will meet Middlesex in the final which will be at Wormsley on Sunday 19th September starting at 11.30am.