Out-of-favour England wicketkeeper-batter smashes unbeaten 169 in record-breaking run chase of 388, outshines South Africa batter's quickfire 67-ball 107

Engalnd's One-Day Domestic Cup 2025: Sam Robson led the charge in the highest successful run chase in the history of the tournament.

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Sam Robson

Sam Robson of Middlesex plays a shot.

Story Highlights:

Sam Robson scored an unbeaten 169 in highest List A run chase on England soil.

David Bedingham scored a 67-ball 109 in the first innings.

Robson hasn't played international cricket since 2014.

England's 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Sam Robson played an innings of a lifetime as his unbeaten 169 helped Middlesex chase down a target of 388, the highest in England's Domestic One-Day Cup history. Robson took Middlesex over the line with two overs to spare. Durham skipper Alex Lees' unbeaten 138 and David Bedingham's 67-ball 107 went in vain as Middlesex scripted history at Riverside Ground, Chester-Le-Street.

This is also the highest ever successful List A chase on England soil. The previous record of England’s One-Day Domestic Cup belonged to Worcestershire when they chased down a target of 377 with six wickets in hand against Leicestershire in the 2018 edition. It was Australia's Callum Ferguson who scored a brilliant 192-run knock in the run chase for Worcestershire.

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Jaiswal’s surprise visit, Bedingham’s fiery ton

Before the start of the game, India’s young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was at in the fun zone. Toby Roland-Jones stunned Emilio Gay with a beauty to knock him over for a golden duck after Middlesex's Ben Geddes won the toss and opted to bowl first. Lees played the anchor role. He shared a 141-run partnership for the third wicket with Will Rhodes who scored 63 runs from 74 balls, including nine fours and a six. David Bedingham accelerated and reached his fifty from 36 balls. The onslaught continued and he completed his century from 65 balls. James Feldman ended the Proteas batter's entertaining stay at the crease in the 42nd over. His knock was studded with six fours and eight sixes. 

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Lees reaches ton, Ackermann’s rampant fifty in slog overs

Lees reached his century from 106 balls. Interestingly, he was batting on 71 when Bedingham arrived at the crease. he became the first Durham player to score centuries in County Championship, T20 Blast and One-Day Cup in the same season. In the slog overs, Colin Ackermann went berserk, hitting four fours and as many sixes in his 27-ball 53. Oliver Robinson hit two fours in last over to get Durham's score to 387/4. Skipper Lees carried his bat. he scored 138 runs from 132 balls, featuring 14 fours and a couple of sixes.

Robson’s phenomenal knock in run chase

In the run chase, Joe Cracknell was dismissed for just one run in the first over by Ben Raine. Joshua de Caires and Robson got the run chase back on track. Opener De Caires was dismissed trying to reverse sweep George Drissell. He contributed with 63 runs from 48 balls in the 121-run partnership with Robson. Meanwhile, the wicketkeeper-batter reached his fifty from 46 balls. Skipper Geddes got off to a start but he was knocked over by Archie Bailey in the 25th over. 

Davies kept the scoring rate up in the middle overs. He hit Raine for three consecutive fours as Middlesex reached 200 in the 28th over. In the 33rd over, Robson reached his century from 89 balls. Davies completed his fifty from 32 deliveries. Bailey returned to break the partnership. Davies got bowled for a 42-ball 61, including nine fours and a six. Middlesex crossed the 300-run mark in the 40th over. Robson and Luke Hollman ensured Durham don't make a comeback in the match. Codi Yusuf dismissed Hollman for a 30-ball 47 in the 48th over but it was only a consolation wicket. Robson finished the run chase with a boundary on the last ball of 48th over. He remained unbeaten for 169 off 139 balls, featuring 19 fours and two sixes.

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