Middlesex end decade-long wait with One-Day Cup triumph
Middlesex beat Leicestershire by 31 runs in the One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge to claim their first trophy in ten years, powered by Ryan Higgins' century.
Middlesex claimed their first silverware in a decade, beating Leicestershire by 31 runs in a dramatic Metro Bank One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge.
After being put in to bat by Leicestershire captain Stephen Eskinazi, Middlesex slumped to 71-5 by the 22nd over. The innings was rescued by 31-year-old Ryan Higgins, who struck a magnificent unbeaten-style century — 100 runs off 115 balls with nine fours — building a 135-run partnership for the sixth wicket with on-loan Yorkshire wicketkeeper Harry Duke, who added 55. Middlesex were eventually bowled out in the final over for 231. Leicestershire's Ian Holland took 5-36, his second-best List-A bowling figures.
In reply, Leicestershire also lost early wickets, with former England seamer Toby Roland-Jones bowling a full 10-over spell for figures of 3-27. New Zealand international Nick Kelly kept Leicestershire in contention, reaching a century off 103 deliveries and looking set to guide his side home.
The momentum shifted straight after Kelly's hundred, when he was caught by Higgins on the mid-wicket boundary off Tom Helm's bowling, leaving Leicestershire eight wickets down. That moment proved decisive — Helm went on to dismiss Ajaz Patel, while Tom Scriven skied a catch off Naavya Sharma that captain Ben Geddes held to seal the win.
Middlesex's most recent major trophy was the County Championship in 2016, and the club had not won a white-ball title since lifting the T20 Blast back in 2008.
