Weekes does the damage as Middlesex scrape home

An enthralling finish at Lord's saw Middlesex scramble home by one run in their reduced-overs Benson & Hedges match against Kent who seemed to be progressing comfortably at one stage on 102 for 3 after 24 overs, chasing 147 for victory.

But a superb spell of off-spin bowling by Paul Weekes, who had been brought into the attack in the 23rd over, rapidly changed the course of Kent's innings. He removed the next four batsmen for 13, to eventually finish with four for seventeen from four overs and claim the Gold Award for the player of the match.

Kent's top scorer Matthew Walker, with 36 from 42 balls, was among his victims and after his departure, there was little else to come from the Kent batting. Three wickets went in the penultimate over and two in the last with James Golding the ninth and last to fall, on 145, as he frantically charged for a second run. This was three balls after Paul Nixon's gallant effort of 20 from 21 balls was ended when he was bowled by Angus Fraser.

Earlier, despite a clear blue sky and sunshine at Lord's - conditions that could be described as alien so far this season - the wet ground conditions delayed the start of play until 2pm, restricting the number of overs to 31 per side.

Having put Middlesex in to bat, Kent wasted little time in claiming early wickets. Amjad Khan, in his second B&H cup match, sent Mike Roseberry back without scoring when he was caught at cover point. With Stephen Fleming out next, also without scoring, Middlesex were 21 for two after just four overs.

But a fine 74-run partnership between Andrew Strauss, who top-scored with 61, and Owais Shah revived the innings. Strauss's attacking strokeplay took him to fifty from 59 balls with six hits to the boundary.

Shah, who was dropped on 40 on the mid-wicket boundary, fell shortly after, just two runs short of his half-century, having faced 74 balls. Both batsmen were claimed by James Golding who finished with three for 25 as did his captain Matthew Fleming who had a sensational second spell, later in the innings, of three wickets for one in four balls.