Middlesex v Leicestershire, Pro40, Lord's

Allenby and Henderson seal victory

Cricinfo staff

July 30, 2007

Leicestershire 259 for 4 (Allenby 91, Ackerman 83) beat Middlesex 232 (Smith 75, Joyce 69, Henderson 3-34, Broad 3-48) by 27 runs
Scorecard

Leicestershire secured their first win of the Pro40 with a comprehensive 27-run win against Middlesex. Jim Allenby's career-best 91 led a strong batting display then the Leicestershire spinners forced the home side to collapse after Ed Joyce and Ed Smith opened with a stand of 133.

As the partnership between Joyce and Smith rattled along Middlesex were up with the rate and the seamers were being dispatched around Lord's. Joyce has been batting in the middle order in recent one-day matches but. moved up to open. he cracked 13 boundaries in his 59-ball innings.

However, the introduction of Claude Henderson changed the game as he bowled Joyce and Smith and quickly followed up by having Eoin Morgan caught. Jeremy Snape removed Owais Shah, Middlesex's last real hope of making an impression, and Stuart Broad sealed the result with three at the end.

Leicestershire's innings was based around a series of useful partnerships. HD Ackerman and Paul Harrison opened with 64, Ackerman taking 80 balls for his 83. Allenby then needed just 77 balls for his powerful innings and added 111 with Paul Nixon for the fourth wicket.

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