Josh de Caires absolutely went off in the One-Day Cup on Friday, recording career-best figures with both bat and ball to keep Middlesex undefeated in a massive 160-run win against Hampshire. This guy didn’t just play well, he delivered a performance for the ages, showing everyone what he’s capable of right out of the gate in this competition.
De Caires Goes Nuclear, Middlesex Sets the Pace
Seriously, what a day for Josh de Caires. He wasn’t just good, he was *the* story. First, the dude smashed 75 runs, helping Middlesex pile up a sweet 284-8 against Hampshire. You think he was done? Nah. He then came back with the ball and completely dominated, taking a ridiculous 6-35. Both of those marks are career-bests in List A cricket. And get this: his 6-35 even topped his old man, former England captain Michael Atherton, whose best bowling figures were 4-42 way back in 1989. Talk about stepping out of the shadow! Middlesex is now sitting pretty with two wins from two, setting a seriously strong early pace alongside Nottinghamshire, Durham, and Leicestershire. This is the kind of early season form that tells you a team means business.
Heavy Hitters and Hot Starts Across the Cup
It wasn’t just the de Caires show, though. Over at Durham, former England Test captain Ben Stokes is still absolutely crushing it. He blasted 73 not out off just 51 balls against Sussex, including five monster sixes. That’s on top of his unbeaten century earlier in the week. Opener Alex Lees added a huge 132 off 115 balls, and those two combined for a 76-run partnership for the third wicket, helping Durham post an intimidating 352-5. Sussex, already in a hole after being docked points for financial issues, now has two losses on the board.
Elsewhere, defending champions Worcestershire kicked off their campaign with a breezy win against Derbyshire, with Fateh Singh grabbing a career-best 6-32. Leicestershire continued their perfect run, beating Surrey by five wickets thanks to Rishi Patel’s 110 and Hamza Shaikh’s maiden hundred, a clutch 104 not out. Kent also got a winning start, taking down T20 Blast winners Northants. These teams are clearly not messing around.
The One-Day Cup is just getting started, but with Middlesex looking absolutely dialed in behind de Caires’ heroics and other contenders like Durham and Leicestershire firing on all cylinders, every match matters. Keep an eye on these teams; they’re all pushing hard to gain an early advantage and keep that momentum rolling into the next round of games.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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