I don't know how many people saw Owais Shah's dismissal at Lord's today. Shah's departure from Middlesex has been well documented, as he is clearly one of the most talented batsmen in England, and nobody wants to lose a player of his quality, and who is also an academy graduate.
However, at times Shah's application, concentration and shot selection leaves a lot to be desired. Middlesex were chasing a modest target, and a few wickets had fallen. The side were struggling, and needed senior man Shah to stand up and make runs which could have led to a win. Shah threw his wicket away with an ugly swipe which was caught at mid-on.
If one shot could sum up why Shah is being let go, it was that one. Owais will be looked back on as one of Middlesex's best players of the noughties, but the time has come for him to leave. After knowing his time as an England player has gone, Shah appeared to lack the motivation to make big scores - perhaps highlighted most pertinently when he made only his second ton of the season after hearing of his departure. His decision to not acknowledge the pavilion highlights his displeasure, but again raises questions over his temperament. If he only made runs as a sign for selfish reasons, why didn't he make runs when the team needed them throughout the summer?
Owais Shah's final shot for Middlesex may not have made much of a difference to a game that Middlesex lost convincingly, but it served to further underline the reasons for his departure.
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