Surrey inflict huge defeat on Middlesex

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Middlesex 105-9 (20 ov) lost to Surrey 106-2 (14.4 ov) by eight wickets
(Surrey 2 pts, Middlesex 0 pts)

Middlesex endured a second T20 humiliation in the space of 24 hours as they were handsomely beaten at The Oval.

A day after being thrashed by Sussex at Lord’s, Middlesex were once again desperately poor with the bat and this time suffered an even greater crushing.

The visitors made just 105-9 batting first, before 40 not out from Kumar Sangakkara guided Surrey home with more than five overs to spare.

Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat, reaching 55-1 from eight overs as Dawid Malan (40) and Nick Gubbins (14) built a solid platform.

The visitors then fell from 70-2 to 83-8, as Surrey spinners Gareth Batty (2-19) and Zafar Ansari (3-17) took five wickets between them and conceded under a run a ball.

Gubbins was caught off Batty, who had John Simpson bowled too, while Ansari dismissed England one-day captain Eoin Morgan for eight.

The 23 year-old spinner then took wickets in successive balls during his next over, claiming the key scalp of Malan and bowling Neil Dexter for a golden duck.

Harry Podmore and Ravi Patel put on 20 to ensure the overs were at least used up, though only three visiting batsman made double figures.

Surrey chased the target comfortably, as aggressive intent from openers Jason Roy (21) and Tom Curran (16) gave the hosts a reasonable start.

Gurjit Sandhu (1-14) was impressive and bowled Roy, while Podmore dismissed Curran and Ollie Rayner completed his four overs for just 21 runs.

However, Sri Lankan international Sangakkara (40 not out) and Gary Wilson (25 not out) put on an unbroken stand of 69 for the third wicket to take the hosts to a comfortable victory.

Middlesex are rooted to the foot of the T20 Blast South table, six points behind a top four spot with six games left.

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