Shan Masood’s 98 runs: As Derbyshire chased down 219, the Pakistan left-hander hit 98 off 113 balls to deliver the Division Two leaders their first loss of the season.
Middlesex was bowled out for 196 after losing their last seven wickets for 101 runs. Luis Reece took 3-26 and Anuj Dal 3-50, with Mark Stoneman top-scoring with 67 runs.
Masood was dropped twice before falling nine runs short of 1,000 first-class runs for the season, but Wayne Madsen’s unbroken 49 guided Derbyshire to a 20-point victory.
Poor shot selection and an unnecessary run-out cost Middlesex the opportunity to set a more difficult goal before lunch.
Only Stoneman was hit by a nice delivery from Dal, which raised to take the opener’s an outside edge, but there was nothing that could be done about what happened after that.
Despite the fact that nightwatchman Ethan Bamber and Max Holden had swept left-arm spinner Mark Watt for six, both had exited by halftime.
Bamber batted carefully until he was caught at point chasing a wide ball from Dal, giving Middlesex a self-inflicted blow six overs later.
Holden clipped to midwicket and went off for a run with both hitters at the same end when Masood’s throw arrived in Brook Guest’s gloves, leaving John Simpson stranded.
Holden was obviously hoping to avoid going back to the pavilion for a while, but he tried to recreate the hit in the penultimate over before lunch, and Billy Godleman held a spinning catch at cover.
After lunch, Middlesex was unable to stick or twist their bowling, losing their last three wickets for seven runs in six overs.
Tim Murtagh was caught behind after Luke Hollman chipped Reece to midwicket, and Derbyshire had plenty of time to make the runs after Thilan Walallawita misjudged a pull at Watt.
On a field with varying bounce, it wasn’t an easy chase, and it didn’t start well with Godleman being run out in the fourth over by Holden’s throw from cover after Masood had sent him back.
But Masood was always going to be crucial, so it seemed like a turning point when he was dropped on 18 at first slip by Stephen Eskinazi off Toby Roland-Jones in the following over.
When Masood effortlessly drove Bamber for one of the eight fours that carried him to 50, Middlesex must have known it.
Roland-Jones used some additional bounce to catch Guest, but Masood was on 55 at tea, with Derbyshire needing another 130 runs to win.
To have a chance, Middlesex needed to score early, but they lost Masood when Sam Robson failed to hold on to a strong cut at gully off Roland-Jones with the opening on 76.
Two more imperious boundaries propelled him into the nineties and a drive down the ground to the verge of a century before he sliced Bamber low to the gully, where Robson made no mistake this time.
On the second day, Derbyshire had lost their last seven wickets for 21 runs, but Madsen and a late flourish from Reece ensured there was no way back for Middlesex, who had suffered a catastrophic second-innings collapse.
Shan Masood’s 98 runs help Derbyshire overcome Middlesex in County Championship
