Middlesex’s hopes of a “derby double” over their South London rivals were dashed first by some fine swing bowling from Pedro Collins and Jade Dernbach, and then by a superb 80-ball hundred from James Benning. Beaten by the Crusaders at the Brit Oval a fortnight ago in their only other Friends Provident Trophy encounter, and having had all three of their Championship games badly rain-affected, Surrey recorded their first victory of the season in any form yesterday.

It was Benning’s 25th birthday, and although his technique is not perfect, this must surely be the year to give him an opportunity in 50 or 20-over international cricket. There are not, after all, enough young English batsmen with his destructive capabilities for the selectors to leave him untried.

Middlesex, who did not bowl as well with the new ball as Surrey, could not contain Benning, who drove, cut and pulled his way to fifty from 32 balls, before changing down a gear for his second fifty. When he was third out at 164 in the 33rd over, he had struck 15 fours as well as two sixes, both pulls. By then, the outcome was a virtual formality.

A muggy, morning, perfect for swing bowling, helped shape the direction of the match. Middlesex, who must have thought long and hard about bowling first in the conditions, soon found themselves 9 for three in the sixth over, all three batsmen falling leg-before to late inswingers.

Andrew Strauss underedged a pull into his stumps, and when Eoin Morgan was caught in the gully off the impressive Matt Nicholson, the Crusaders had slumped to 55 for five in the sixteenth.

Gareth Berg, the 27-year old South African-born all-rounder, led a recovery with some crisp strokes in a 71-ball 65 that included a swept six off Chris Schofield on to the top tier of the Grandstand. Ben Scott, although forced to retire hurt after being hit on the elbow, returned to complete a plucky 68-ball fifty. Some strong blows by Tim Murtagh gave Middlesex something to bowl at but Murtagh, presented with his county cap in the interval, had 19 taken off one over by a rampant Benning.

Scoreboard

Middlesex

E C Joyce lbw b Dernbach 1

*E T Smith lbw b Collins 2

A J Strauss b Dernbach 13

O A Shah lbw b Collins 1

E J G Morgan c Benning b Nicholson 16

G K Berg c Batty b Nicholson 65

†B J M Scott c Jordan b Dernbach 52

V D Philander c Batty b Nicholson 24

T J Murtagh not out 35

S D Udal not out 0

Extras (lb 10, w 14) 24

Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 233

S T Finn did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-7, 3-9, 4-37, 5-55, 6-153, 7-166, 8-229.

Bowling: Dernbach 10-0-44-3; Collins 10-2-36-2; Nicholson 10-1-37-3; Jordan 10-0-41-0; Schofield 7-0-38-0; Afzaal 3-0-27-0.

Surrey

S A Newman run out 35

J G E Benning c Joyce b T J Murtagh 106

U Afzaal c Smith b Udal 21

*M A Butcher lbw b Philander 12

A D Brown not out 40

†J N Batty c Joyce b Berg 18

C P Schofield not out 0

Extras (lb 1, w 3) 4

Total (5 wkts, 47 overs) 236

C J Jordan, M J Nicholson, J W Dernbach and P T Collins did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-164, 3-165, 4-184, 5-224.

Bowling: T J Murtagh 10-0-58-1; Finn 9-2-50-0; Philander 10-0-36-1; Berg 9-0-56-1; Udal 9-0-35-1.

Umpires: J H Evans and J W Lloyds.

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