Eoin Morgan, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis were all involved on a thrilling final day of the regular season of England's domestic T20 competition
Morgan's heroics guide Middlesex to victory
England ODI captain Eoin Morgan was the hero as Middlesex clinched one of the last quarter-final berths in the Vitality Blast T20 competition on Friday.
Morgan smashed 83 from just 29 balls as Middlesex successfully chased down Somerset's big total of 5-226 with three overs remaining at Taunton.
Somerset pulled off a couple of brilliant dismissals in the field prior to Morgan's heroics, with some quick thinking from Roelof van der Merwe running out Pakistan veteran Mohammad Hafeez for just 18.
The cheekiest wicket you will ever see 🙊➡️ https://t.co/a4OhqlSjZJ#Blast19 pic.twitter.com/y7KjfIIOYp%E2%80%94 Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) August 30, 2019
Shortly after Max Waller hung on to a screamer in the outfield to dismiss South Africa batsman AB de Villiers, as Middlesex appeared to be in trouble at 4-128 in the 11th over.
👐 INCREDIBLE CATCH 👐Something special needed to dismiss AB de Villiers. @MaxTCWaller delivers#Blast19 >>> https://t.co/vosyyyHZYC pic.twitter.com/BtAodjExdJ%E2%80%94 Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) August 30, 2019
But Morgan - who smashed five fours and eight massive sixes - combined with George Scott (22 not out) for an unbeaten partnership of 99 to ensure Middlesex cruised home to setup a final eight showdown against the Notts Outlaws on Thursday.
Take a bow, @Eoin16. 83 off just 29 balls...1️⃣4️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣4️⃣1️⃣1️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣4️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣6️⃣1️⃣6️⃣4️⃣1️⃣6️⃣2️⃣6️⃣0️⃣4️⃣6️⃣#Blast19 pic.twitter.com/TJzENJW3V6%E2%80%94 Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) August 30, 2019
The Outlaws had already clinched their quarter-final berth prior to their surprise 47-run loss at home to Durham on Friday, with the Essex Eagles the last side to earn a spot in the knockout stages of the competition courtesy of their 10-run triumph over the Kent Spitfires.
The Eagles posted a decent total of 6-189 from their 20 overs mainly due to some power hitting from Cameron Delport (64) and former England international Ravi Bopara (47 not out).
That total appeared to be well within reach for the Spitfires when Zak Crawley and Faf du Plessis were in control at 1-110 in the 12th over, but the Eagles had other ideas.
Jamie Porter (3-28) and Mohammad Amir (2-29) tore through the Kent order as the Spitfires lost their final seven wickets for 29 as the Eagles moved through to a quarter-final clash with the Lancashire Lightning on Wednesday.