Ryan Higgins scored a maiden List A century to lead Middlesex to a 31-run victory over Leicestershire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge on 20 September 2026. The triumph secured Middlesex their first One-Day Cup title in 36 years and ended a ten-year wait for major county silverware.
Middlesex Secure One-Day Cup Title at Trent Bridge
Middlesex scored 231 runs in 49.5 overs before bowling Leicestershire out for 200 runs in 44.2 overs. Higgins hit nine boundaries during a 115-ball knock of 100 runs. He subsequently won the Player of the Match award for his match-winning performance.
In reply, Leicestershire batter Nick Kelly scored 103 runs off 107 balls, but Leicestershire fell 31 runs short of their target. Toby Roland-Jones took three wickets for 27 runs, while 21-year-old seamer Naavya Sharma took three wickets for 37 runs to seal the win. Captain Ben Geddes took the winning catch off Sharma’s bowling to complete the victory.
Middlesex last won silverware when they won the County Championship in 2016. They last lifted a limited-overs trophy when they won the T20 Blast in 2008. The London club completed their 2026 One-Day Cup campaign with only a single defeat across the entire season.
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Higgins and Duke Rebuild Middlesex Innings
Leicestershire captain Stephen Eskinazi won the toss and chose to field. The Leicestershire opening bowlers reduced Middlesex to 71 runs for five wickets in the 22nd over.
The 31-year-old Higgins then formed a vital partnership with Harry Duke. Together, Higgins and Duke added 135 runs for the sixth wicket. Duke scored 35 runs from the other end.
Higgins struck nine fours and reached his first hundred in List A cricket. Their sixth-wicket partnership lifted Middlesex from 71-5 to a total of 231 all out in 49.5 overs.
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Roland-Jones and Sharma Restrict Leicestershire Chase
Leicestershire required 232 runs for victory as they began their run chase. However, Middlesex bowler Naavya Sharma caught the outside edge of Stephen Eskinazi to dismiss the opening batsman for 12 runs off 13 balls. He then trapped Hamza Shaikh lbw for one run off three balls.
Sharma took a total of three wickets for 37 runs from 7.2 overs, including one maiden over. Likewise, Toby Roland-Jones bowled ten overs, recorded one maiden, and claimed three wickets for 27 runs at an economy rate of 2.70 runs per over. He dismissed opener Rishi Patel for 16 runs and removed Rehan Ahmed lbw for nine runs.
Tom Helm took three wickets for 32 runs in eight overs. Helm dismissed Oliver Cox for eight runs, caught behind by wicketkeeper Duke, and later removed Ajaz Patel for seven runs. Zafar Gohar contributed one wicket for 33 runs in seven overs, stumping Ian Holland for 15 runs. Luke Hollman bowled four overs for 24 runs, while Higgins bowled eight overs for 41 runs.
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Kelly Scores Century but Leicestershire Fall Short
Nick Kelly led the Leicestershire run chase with an outstanding century. Kelly scored 103 runs off 107 balls to keep Leicestershire within reach of the target.
Middlesex finally dismissed Kelly with Leicestershire still needing 44 runs for victory. Kelly’s departure triggered the final slide for Leicestershire.
Helm dismissed Ajaz Patel for seven runs, leaving Leicestershire nine wickets down. Sharma then returned to bowl the 45th over and dismissed Scriven for 10 runs off 21 balls.
Leicestershire lost all ten wickets for 200 runs in 44.2 overs. Middlesex won the match by 31 runs and lifted the One-Day Cup trophy at Trent Bridge.
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