Pieter Malan and Matthew Montgomery were among the South Africans who got off to a good start in England’s T20 Blast.
On Monday, Stephen Eskinazi scored 54 off 38 balls (two fours, three sixes) for Middlesex, but it wasn’t enough as Gloucestershire secured a two-wicket victory.
Gloucestershire’s Grant Roelofsen earlier struck 34 off 19 balls (five fours, one six) and Graeme van Buuren an unbeaten 28 off 19 (three fours, one six).
5⃣0⃣ | FIFTY FOR ESKI
Stephen Eskinazi brings up his 50 off 33 balls! His knock has included two fours and three sixes so far…Keep going, Eski ?
MID 106/1 (11.0)#OneMiddlesex #Blast23 ?
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 29, 2023
Sunday’s action saw Yorkshire’s David Wiese go wicketless in a 28-run loss to Durham, but he produced a cameo with the bat, scoring 28 off 14 (one four, three sixes).
Roelof van der Merwe returned impressive figures of 3-24 during Somerset’s four-wicket victory over Glamorgan.
he got that bulldog in him ? pic.twitter.com/XiZN511KFB
— Abi Slade (@abi_slade) May 29, 2023
On Saturday, Montgomery was among the runs, scoring 41 off 26 deliveries (six fours) for Nottinghamshire in a 22-run loss to Lancashire.
Another impressive knock from Montgomery. ?
? Highlights from last night’s Vitality Blast encounter with Lancashire Lightning. ?#MoreThanAGame pic.twitter.com/Mvpthojfzg
— Notts Outlaws ? (@TrentBridge) May 28, 2023
Friday’s fixtures kicked off with Wiese scoring 15 off nine balls and returning figures of 3-18 for Yorkshire as they went down by two wickets to Worcestershire.
Ricardo Vasconcelos’ 52 off 41 deliveries (five fours, two sixes) was Northamptonshire’s only glimmer of light in their 10-wicket drubbing at the hands of Durham.
5️⃣0️⃣ for Ricardo Vasconcelos! ?
His third T20 half century comes up in 39 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. ? pic.twitter.com/7beM9nrG7W
— Northamptonshire Steelbacks (@NorthantsCCC) May 26, 2023
In Glamorgan’s two-wicket victory over Gloucestershire, Graeme van Buuren scored an unbeaten 32 off 19 balls (three fours, one six) for Gloucestershire, while Colin Ingram contributed 47 off 33 (six fours) for Glamorgan.
Montgomery notched 51 off 29 balls (six fours, one six) and took a wicket for Nottinghamshire as they beat Derbyshire by four wickets.
Malan starred for Middlesex, scoring 80 off 45 deliveries (seven fours, four sixes), after Eskinazi had made 31 off 18 (four fours, one six), but it was not enough as they went down by eight wickets to Hampshire.
? | iSHARES PLAYER OF THE MATCH
With 76.4% of the vote, Pieter Malan was last night’s @iShares Player of the Match.Malan hit 80 runs from 45 balls that included seven fours and four sixes! ?#OneMiddlesex #Blast23 ? pic.twitter.com/DfzWqyBVj7
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 27, 2023
On Wednesday, Vasconcelos’ 32 off 20 balls (four fours, one six) for Northamptonshire was in vain as Worcestershire secured a 15-run win.
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On Thursday, Wiaan Mulder struck 25 off 24 deliveries (two fours) and took a wicket for Leicestershire in a losing cause as they crashed to an eight-wicket defeat to Lancashire.
The day’s other game saw Surrey romp to a 73-run victory against Middlesex, with Malan scoring 30 off 18 balls (four fours, one six) for Middlesex.
Compiled by Rienk de Beer
