Half-centuries from Eoin Morgan and Ryan Higgins could not stave off defeat for Middlesex in the NatWest T20 Blast as they went down to Glamorgan by nine wickets at Richmond.

Morgan and Higgins staged a recovery after Middlesex, who were put in to bat, had slumped to 39-5 – but it made little difference as the Welsh county swept to their sixth successive victory in the tournament.

Shaun Tait (2-17) put Glamorgan in control early on, taking out Dawid Malan’s off stump with his first delivery before Paul Stirling (10) was caught behind swishing at a wide one.

George Bailey made just three before falling lbw to Craig Meschede and Middlesex were reeling when Timm van der Gugten (2-13) had both John Simpson and James Franklin caught at slip in the space of three balls.

Morgan (58) and Higgins led the rebuilding job with a watchful partnership of 69, finally ended when the England one-day captain heaved Graeme Wagg to deep mid-wicket.

But Higgins took up the baton, hammering Wagg for two fours and a six in consecutive balls as he finished unbeaten on 57, hoisting Middlesex to 144-8 from their 20 overs.

However, hopes of defending that total soon evaporated as Glamorgan openers Mark Wallace and David Lloyd pummelled the home bowling, putting together a stand of 125.

Although Wallace (69 not out) survived a couple of half-chances, for the most part Middlesex’s bowlers – seam and spin alike – never looked like making the breakthrough.

When it finally came, with Lloyd slicing Nathan Sowter to backward point one short of his half-century, it was too little too late – and Colin Ingram (19no) blazed three sixes in a row to take Glamorgan across the line with more than three overs to spare.