On Sunday, the two remaining undefeated sides in Division One go head to head in round seven of the LV= County Championship, as Middlesex take on reigning Champions, Yorkshire, at Headingly.
With England starting their One Day International series against New Zealand this coming week, the match will have some notable absentees over the next four days, as both Middlesex and Yorkshire enter the encounter less a few of their high profile stars. Middlesex travel to Yorkshire without the services of both Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn at their disposal, whilst Yorkshire have Joe Root, Adil Rashid and Liam Plunkett missing with England.
Returning to the Yorkshire side however, having finished their involvement in the Test series against the Black Caps, are Adam Lyth and Garry Ballance, whose return collectively offers Jason Gillespie’s side a massive and welcome boost ahead of this crucial top of the table clash. Yorkshire’s thus far unbeaten defence of their County Championship title is all the more impressive when you consider the impact that the England international schedule has had on them.
Stepping up to the mark for the White Rose in the absence of new found England opener Lyth has been 21 year old Jack Leaning, who not only has over 500 first-class runs to his name already this term, he also tops the Division One batting averages at over 83. With the ball, the trusty Tim Bresnan continues to spearhead the Yorkshire attack, whilst wickets also continue to come with unerring regularity for both Jack Brooks and Steven Patterson.
Middlesex themselves will be boosted by the availability of both Paul Stirling and Tim Murtagh, who return from international duties with Ireland Cricket over in Malahide. Another recent absentee, through injury, has been Dawid Malan, who, having fought his way back to full fitness, is also expected to be in contention for a start at Headingley.
Following an intriguing game of cricket here at Lord’s last week against Warwickshire, in which Middlesex came close to manufacturing an unlikely victory in the closing stages of the fourth day, the Seaxes squad will head to Headingley full of confidence and belief that their fine start to the Championship season can continue, after more than matching a Bears’ outfit billed by many as one of the favourites to lift the County Championship crown this year.
Whatever occurs over the next four days in Leeds, if the game concludes in a positive result one way or the other, then only one of these sides will be heading into round eight with their unbeaten claims still intact.
Middlesex have named the following 13-man squad to play Yorkshire at Headingley starting tomorrow, Sunday 7 June: James Franklin (captain), Joe Burns, Nick Compton, Neil Dexter, James Harris, Dawid Malan, Tim Murtagh, Harry Podmore, Ollie Rayner, Sam Robson, Toby Roland-Jones, John Simpson, Paul Stirling.
