After the highs of Middlesex's record-breaking victory down at a damp Hove on Monday evening, their rollercoaster ride in this year's Royal London One Day Cup campaign took them on another downward slope at a picturesque Castle Park in Colchester today, as Essex became the latest side to inflict defeat upon the Seaxes and put a significant dent in the club's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the competition.
With Middlesex losing today's crucial encounter against Essex, the club's pathway to the knockout stages has now become anything but straightforward, although at least it's clear what needs to be done from here on in, which is to win both remaining matches in Group B to stand any chance of progressing.
This mission starts tomorrow, with a challenging visit from league leaders Nottinghamshire, the only unbeaten side left in Group B, who come to Lord's looking to secure another victory themselves, which will rubber stamp their own place in the quarter final line-up.
With Middlesex's record over the last five Group B matches reading L-W-L-W-L, the word 'consistent' wouldn't be the first one that springs to mind when looking for the best means of describing the club's fortunes this term!
Although that said, should Middlesex be able to re-discover the kind of form they've found in those two wins against Kent and Sussex, then there's nothing to suggest that the Seaxes can't get one over the boys from Trent Bridge tomorrow and take the first of two steps towards the knockout stages themselves.
With Middlesex's Nick Gubbins, Dawid Malan, James Franklin and John Simpson all looking in exceptional form of late at the crease, the club's hopes of posting another big total in their fifty overs will be high, although having conceded over 300 runs on Monday and almost 300 runs again today, defending it against the Notts Outlaws' line-up of Alex Hales, James Taylor, Samit Patel, Brendan Taylor and former Middlesex man, Dan Christian, will not prove easy and will need to see the Middlesex attack at their very best to prevail tomorrow!
Middlesex name a 15-man squad again for tomorrow's clash against Nottinghamshire at Lord's, and are expected to mix things up a little, with some squad rotation anticipated ahead of Friday's crucial LV= County Championship clash against Sussex CCC at Lord's.
Middlesex 15-man squad:
Franklin (captain), Balbirnie, Compton, Dexter, Gubbins, Harris, Khan, Malan, Patel, Rayner, Robson, Roland-Jones, Sandhu, Scott and Simpson.
Tube Strike:
If you're planning on coming to our Royal London One-Day Cup match against Nottinghamshire at Lord's on Thursday 6 August please be aware that a Tube Strike is planned, which could affect your journey. Please visit https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/tube-strike to find out more and to plan your journey.
