Sussex 293 & 102
Middlesex 203 & 193-5
Middlesex 20pts beat Sussex 5pts by 5 wickets
John Simpson and Martin Andersson emerged the heroes for Middlesex as they won a thrilling Bob Willis Trophy encounter against visitors Sussex by five wickets at Radlett.
The redoubtable wicketkeeper and young all-rounder shared an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 63 to see the hosts to a winning target of 193 in the dying embers of a fluctuating day.
Ollie Robinson (4-50), including a spell of 3-3 in 10 balls, had threatened to be the scourge of Middlesex once more.
But they were left to rue dropping catches at slip to reprieve both Andersson (27 not out) and Simpson (32 not out) in the dramatic finale.
Earlier in the day, Middlesex stalwart Tim Murtagh (5-34) recorded his 37th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket as Sussex were hustled out for 102 in their second innings.
Andersson took 3-21 in the collapse while Simpson held four catches behind the stumps.
Sussex began the day 33-4 in their second innings, a lead of 123, and not out batsmen skipper Ben Brown and Delray Rawlins rapidly increased the advantage with a flurry of early boundaries.
But Murtagh ended the revelry with one which stopped in the pitch causing Rawlins to lob the ball back to the bowler off the leading edge.
Murtagh completed his latest five-wicket haul soon afterwards when Tom Haines edged to Simpson – and when Robinson was spectacularly caught by the wicketkeeper down the leg-side, Sussex were 74-7.
It might have been worse had a huge shout for LBW against Jack Carson been upheld when the spinner had made just two, an inside edge presumably saving him from being stone dead.
Brown’s nine fours ensured the visitors scraped their way past 100 but he was one of Andersson’s three victims while Miguel Cummins took 2-45.
Middlesex, needing 193 for victory had two overs to survive before lunch and knocked 17 off that total thanks to a fluent start from Max Holden.
The left-hander and fellow opener Sam Robson continued to accumulate after the break in contrasting fashion.
Holden played nicely, striking five fours, while Robson hung on in somewhat scratchy fashion against probing bowling from Robinson and Mitch Claydon.
The partnership had realised 48 when a game within a game began with Robinson the central character.
