LONDON, CMC – Sunil Narine blasted a scintillating unbeaten half-century but then proved largely ineffectively with the ball as Surrey suffered a three-wicket defeat to Essex off the last ball in the T20 Blast here yesterday.
Sent in at the Oval, the hosts marched to an impressive 195 for six off their 20 overs, with the left-handed Narine lashing seven fours and half-dozen sixes in a 38-ball 78 not out.
In reply, Michael Pepper (75) and Dan Lawrence (58) struck fifties before Feroze Khushi (35 not out) belted the last ball of the game from fast bowler Sean Abbott for six, with three runs required for victory.
The defeat left Surrey third in the South Group on 16 points but just two off second placed Hampshire, Somerset remaining on the summit on 22 points.
Despite cameos from Jason Roy (28) and Will Jacks (23), Surrey were stumbling at 98 for four at the start at the 12th and needed Narine’s fireworks to reach their eventual total.
The 35-year-old, who put on 34 for the fourth with Roy, put the Essex attack to the sword in a 50-run, fifth wicket stand with Jamie Overton (23), racing to his fifty off 27 balls in the 18th over. Narine, who last featured for West Indies four years ago, took command in the last two overs with a couple of sixes in the penultimate one from left-arm seamer Paul Walter, and a six and a four off the final one from another left-armer Daniel Sams.
Surrey then maintained the momentum when they got prised out Adam Rossington with the second ball of the chase without a run on the board.
However, Pepper lashed half-dozen fours and five sixes in a 35-ball knock in combination with opener Lawrence, who struck five fours and four sixes in 33 balls at the crease, the pair posting 140 for the second wicket.
Narine knocked over Lawrence in the 13th over as Essex lost six wickets for 48 runs off 46 deliveries before Khushi produced his last-over heroics.
At Edgbaston, West Indies left-arm pacer Dominic Drakes suffered the indignity of a first-ball ‘duck’ but returned to snatch two wickets as Birmingham Bears defended 141 to collar Durham by eight runs in the North Group.
