A run feast at the Riverside as records tumble

OPENER Sam Robson's career best 169 not out off 139 balls helped Middlesex chase 388 - the highest successful List A chase in England - to beat Durham by five wickets in a thrilling Metro Bank One-Day Cup meeting at the Banks Homes Riverside.

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Durham pair Alex Lees and David Bedingham hit contrasting centu-ties in their imposing 387 for four. Having been inserted, it was the county’s highest home total in this format.

Captain and opener Lees batted through for 138 not out off 132 balls and South African overseas Bed-ingham blazed 107 off 67 with eight sixes. But it wasn’t enough to prevent a second defeat in four Group B matches.

Robson, like Lees, batted with controlled aggression and was the cornerstone of a remarkable chase in perfect batting conditions, achieved in 48 overs. Middlesex won their second game in three to boost hopes of a top-three finish.

Robson said: “Whenever you're chasing that many, you can’t afford for much to go wrong - even on that sort of pitch with a quick outfield. It was a great effort.

“I thought that if would could maybe give ourselves 100 to get in the last 10 overs, especially with the way guys can hit them these days, we'd be half a sniff.

“That was the plan, and it went even better than that.

“If I was an objective viewer, I don’t think I’d have been putting my money on us.

“But you're always a chance these days”