Minor Counties started brightly having been inserted by Middlesex, the opening partnership of Dawson and Dobson putting on 53 for the first wicket in 10 overs.

Dawson and Trower flourished in a second wicket stand of 94 before Dawson was run out for a belligerent 83 with the total on 147 in the 32nd over.

A big score seemed on the cards, but with Thrower's dismissal for a hard-hitting 60, wickets fell regularly and only a late cameo from wicket keeper Wilton took the score to 242 in the allotted 50 overs.

A couple of dropped catches allowed Alleyne to go on to make a valuable 56, but with his dismissal at 90-4, a stand of 126 between Dalyrymple and Maunders took the score to 216-5 off 45.4 overs, before Howitt struck with two quick wickets.

Brown bowled his flighted off-spin with great control but no luck. When the eighth wicket fell at 228, 15 runs were still required off 11 balls.

In an exciting finish, Duncan and Coleman squeezed out the winning runs with two balls to spare.

© MCCA