A MATURE innings of 88 not out, with eight fours and a six, by Owais Shah and a volatile 22 off 14 balls by Richard Johnson, who had the temerity to drive Waqar Younis over extra-cover for six, helped Middlesex to a thrilling win with three balls remaining, having plundered 45 runs in the last four overs.

Until they came together, Middlesex had looked rusty and slumped to 92 for five at the half-way stage, due to some accurate Glamorgan bowling and keen fielding.

Middlesex had to build their reply on badly damaged foundations, for Keith Brown ran himself out in the sixth over by dashing out from the non-striker's end without being called.

Then, at 37, Ramprakash, seeking freedom from restraint imposed by Steve Watkin and Waqar Younis, drove at Darren Thomas and dragged the ball on to his stumps. Justin Langer and Shah batted staunchly, but runs were hard to come by. Langer, in for 18 overs, opened his shoulders at a short ball from Robert Croft down Tony Cottey's throat at mid-wicket.

Thomas, swinging the ball, bowled a superb spell and added the wickets of Jason Pooley and David Nash. Keith Dutch was Shah's first stable partner and they added 73, but the innings was still badly in need of momentum when Dutch departed, closely followed by Alistair Fraser.

Glamorgan were handicapped by the absence of Matthew Maynard, who strained a groin muscle during pre-match practice.

The main contributions to their total were half-centuries by Croft and Cottey. But they would have suffered without the late impetus provided by Alun Evans and Thomas.