Middlesex 294 for 8 (Fernandes 112, Critchley 4-55) beat Essex 253 by 41 runs
Hollman completed with three for 51, whereas Toby Roland-Jones, Naavya Sharma and Noah Cornwell picked up two wickets apiece as Middlesex sealed victory with 22 balls to spare.
Critchley – who led Essex within the absence of Tom Westley, on paternity go away – opted to subject in overcast situations after profitable the toss and his determination was vindicated by a stingy opening spell from Jamie Porter (one for 28).
The skilled seamer reeled off eight consecutive overs for 17, together with the wicket of Josh de Caires and Middlesex endured nearly 10 overs with no boundary in addition to shedding Sam Robson, who miscued Zaman Akhter to mid-off.
Ben Geddes (36 from 39) introduced his facet some momentum, pulling Akhter and Mackenzie Jones for sixes – however the stroke proved his undoing when he was caught by Bennett working in from mid-on.
Nonetheless, Fernandes hung in there and, having steered Critchley to the quilt fence to deliver up his 50, he started accelerating alongside Hollman (40 from 51) because the pair added 110 from 116.
Regardless of getting held up within the 90s, Fernandes finally smeared a single to go three figures earlier than he turned the second of Critchley’s 4 victims and Zafar Gohar’s unbeaten 22 from 13, which included three sixes, lifted Middlesex to simply wanting 300.
Thain and Robin Das rapidly made inroads on the goal, with the latter going after Sharma as he racked up a collection of off-side boundaries and the seamer’s third over disappeared for 22.
Cornwell’s first ball broke the opening stand of 57 from 43, with Sharma taking a low catch across the nook to dismiss Das earlier than Roland-Jones struck twice in 4 deliveries, together with the important thing wicket of Critchley.
That left Essex wobbling at 92 for 4, however Simon Fernandes produced some eye-catching photographs in opposition to the spinners, reverse-sweeping Gohar with precision to the rope and reaching 50 with back-to-back boundaries off Hollman.
The leg-spinner ended the fifth-wicket partnership of 86, bowling Thain earlier than clasping a return catch from Fernandes in his subsequent over – but Essex debutant Ali Zeb refused to surrender the battle.
The 19-year-old was left unbeaten on 34 from 32, working out of companions as Sharma ended Essex’s hopes by taking the ultimate two wickets in as many balls.
