T20 Blast: Surrey beat Middlesex by eight wickets

Ollie Pope hit his first half-century in this year’s Twenty20 Blast as Surrey beat Middlesex in a one-sided South Group derby at the Oval.

Pope, who was unbeaten on 51 off 33 balls, shared a second-wicket partnership of 44 to 74 with Jason Roy (46) as they did their bit to get Surrey’s T20 campaign back on track after back-to-back defeats.

Earlier, Surrey’s seamers were always on top and restricted their city rivals to 130-7, with Reece Topley (1-21) and Sean Abbott (2-16) the pick of the bunch.

Middlesex all-rounder Luke Holman, with an unbeaten 31 off 29 balls, top-scored for the second consecutive game in defeat as Surrey won for the 12th time in 14 Blast meetings between the sides.

Although the forecast for rain never materialised, Sam Curran won the toss and led the visitors into the side and his bowlers were rewarded by reducing Middlesex to 54-5 as his bowlers fell just short.

Max Holden was bowled by Jordan Clarke as four wickets fell off 25 balls, although Adam Rossington (20) managed to clear the fence twice in the powerplay before miscuing Topley at mid-on.

Former Surrey batsman Ben Geddes – bowled out for a run on his return to the ground in last year’s Blast – was out for a run this time, while Josh de Keers was unlucky to pull Abbott onto his stumps.

Middlesex’s chances of posting a competitive score looked dim, despite a brave partnership of 39 to 47 by Holman and Ryan Higgins (27), skimming Lewis du Ploy Clarke (2-31) at mid-on.

Counting on his luck at times, Holman played some valuable knocks and although Sebastian Morgan pushed Tom Curran’s last ball over cover for four, the visitors’ total did not seem remotely adequate.

Will Jacks, surviving a low catch and a chance to be bowled by Noah Cornwell in the first over, laid a solid foundation with 24 from 17 before Tom Helm (1-25) hit the top of the stumps.

But Roy dabbed Ethan Bosh on the third-man boundary to put Surrey past 50 at the end of the powerplay and, in the absence of scoreboard pressure, he and Pope were able to be selective with their shots.

Roy missed out on his first half-century of the tournament, spearing Cornwell at mid-on, but Pope hit Morgan for two leg-side sixes to reach his half-century and seal victory.