Date-stamped : 25 Jun97 - 06:18 McCague injury puts an end to Kent`s hopes By Charles Randall at Lord`s Middlesex (227-7) bt Kent (225) by 3 wkts A COUPLE of Minor Counties threatened first-round surprises yesterday, but the only upset actually delivered was Middlesex dispatch- ing Kent in the last over at Lord`s. Middlesex, despite their position as County Championship lead- ers, entered this first-round match in dismal one-day form against a side with the best record on the circuit. Victory, with four balls remaining, was achieved through a splendid captain`s 72 by Mark Ramprakash, taking them through to a sec- ond-round tie against Gloucestershire at Uxbridge in two weeks` time. This was only Middlesex`s third success in 15 one-day games this summer and their first win against a professional county in the two knockout competitions for two years. Kent, already in the Benson and Hedges Cup final, remain strong contenders in the other competitions and this could still be a momentous season for them. They were seriously handicapped yesterday by losing a key bowler, Martin McCague, with a hamstring injury in only his second over. Had he stayed fit, they would probably have won, judging by Dean Headley`s success near the end. Defeat and a fine of -L440 for a slow over-rate hardly lessened the pain. The second-hand pitch, which had been used for the Test match the previous day, certainly assisted the bowlers, though this added spice. No batsman could feel completely at ease. Kent`s total was an awkward one to chase, and it was just as the public address at Lord`s twice observed yesterday: "Testing, one, two, three." Only number three, Ramaprakash, passed. At one stage Kent struggled to reach even 200 until Matthew Fleming took over with his distinctive bottom-hand, midwicket hoick that James Hewitt presumably had not seen before. Hewitt unwisely bowled three deliveries on a length to Flem- ing, who sent all three soaring over Owais Shah`s head at mid- wicket for successive sixes. Fleming later smashed another of his spe- cials, this time off Richard Johnson, as he raced to 41 off 27 balls. Fleming dealt an important blow during Middlesex`s reply by splaying Ramprakash`s stumps with one that kept low, removing the only man who looked capable of taking on Kent. By then Fleming had worked himself up into a lather after Mike Gatting had accidentally deflected his shy at the stumps with the bat for a further run. Accepting the bonus run, as the laws entitle the batsman, is something frowned upon in most circles. Ramprakash produced some succulent strokes, but there was lit- tle spark at the other end, with Paul Weekes - no fifty for him in 16 innings now - and Jacques Kallis looking fragile. Thanks to Ramprakash, Middlesex entered the final 10 overs needing only 45 to win with five wickets in hand. They faltered against the pace of Headley, but Shah, their school- boy prodigy, kept a cool head. Four runs off the last over, from off-spinner Nigel Llong, proved easy enough. In the morning Angus Fraser showed what could be done with the ball on this strip, his opening eight-over spell costing only 12 runs with two wickets. Some serious scampering by Llong - who made 68 - was needed to break Middlesex`s grip and Mark Ealham weighed in with 46 off 79 balls. Kent had surged forward ebulliently through Fleming by the time Johnson took three wickets in his final over, including Paul Strang and Fleming with successive balls, both hoisting skiers to mid-on. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)