ESSEX Eagles were comprehensively beaten by Middlesex on a hugely disappointing evening at Lord's.

Good displays from Dan Lawrence and James Foster were not enough in front of a sell-out crowd, as Brendon McCullum and Tom Helm excelled for the hosts in a 72 run win.

Middlesex were occupying bottom spot in the southern division, but had a host of star names in their starting eleven at Lord’s.

Mohammad Amir conceded just two runs from his first over, before Brendon McCullum let loose against Paul Walter.

Getting more than a stroke of luck with some elaborate strikes, the Kiwi smashed 16 from the over before Matt Dixon entered the fray with explosive effect.

Dixon claimed the wicket of Nick Gubbins with his first delivery, caught by Varun Chopra at square leg before the hosts started to stamp their authority on the game.

McCullum was leading the charge and had plundered 44 from 16 balls after just five overs, with just ten runs coming from the bats of his fellows.

Two balls and two boundaries later, McCullum was celebrating a half century and Essex were in desperate need of a breakthrough.

Nine runs came from Ravi Bopara’s first over, while Simon Harmer kept it tight as Middlesex added just five to their total.

And the pair combined to rid Essex of the thorn in their side.

McCullum attempted to hit one down the ground off the bowling of Bopara, only for Harmer to come in from the boundary and take a simple catch.

McCullum had bludgeoned 63 from just 26 balls to put Middlesex on 92-2, with John Simpson taking the hosts to three figures in the eighth over.

Simpson was ticking along nicely, and he reached his half century in the 13th over, with Middlesex at 141-2 and on course for a big total.

Some fine legbreak bowling from Lawrence got Essex back into the match, claiming two wickets in an over.

First Simpson departed for 51, with George Scott going for a second ball duck two deliveries later.

The 20-year-old was enjoying an excellent day, and he dismissed Morgan next up.

The England One-Day captain’s leg stump was sent flying as Middlesex slowed towards the end of their innings – at 172-5 with two overs remaining.

Dixon took the wicket of Ryan Higgins with the second ball of the final over, in what was otherwise a nightmare final over.

He shipped three sixes and a four as Middlesex passed 200 to close on 203-6.

Eagles got off to a poor start, and were a wicket down after just four balls.

Adam Wheater lashed at a wide delivery to depart for a duck, a week after posting the same score at the Oval.

Lawrence struck a boundary with his first ball of the innings, with a six and another four swiftly following.

Chopra didn’t hang around for long, lashing to Morgan at point off the bowling of Helm for nine.

Then Lawrence, an ever growing influence in the match, top edged a ball to Morgan for his third catch of the innings, out for 29.

Eagles were at 46-3 and in need of a partnership but were struggling to string together consistent runs – a cause not helped after Bopara was run out by Simpson.

An unusually cheap dismissal for ten Doeschate had Eagles five men down with just eight overs bowled, the Dutchman lashing to backward point and into the safe hands of Morgan.

Ashar Zaidi scored just two runs as he continues to search for his best form in the shortest form of the game, with Eagles six men down and just 62 runs on the board.

The flow of wickets was stemmed by a resilient Foster and Walter, as both let loose.

Foster in particular was hitting the ball to all part of the ground, as Essex kept the scoreboard ticking over.

He brought up his half century from 23 balls, only for Walter to send the next ball into the hands of Scott and leave Essex seven down.

Foster and Amir went in consecutive balls to the impressive Helm, with Essex on 125-9 before Dixon became the final man to fall - Eagles closing on 131.