With this week’s three-day game against Oxford MCCU washed out without a single ball bowled, Middlesex head into their Specsavers County Championship opener against Warwickshire at Lord’s on Sunday, having had a frustrating week or more off the park since their previous pre-season warm-up against Essex had also been rain affected.
Warwickshire themselves come to Lord’s also having had their fair share of frustration with the weather, as despite dominating Hampshire in their opening County Championship encounter at the Ageas Bowl, too much time was lost in the game for rain for them to force home their advantage.
Keith Barker excelled with the ball for the Bears, picking up the first five wicket haul of the 2016 English season within just 25 overs of the hosts’ innings, with Hampshire reeling on 59 for 6.
With the bat Ian Bell looks to be back to his inimitable best, when hitting a majestic 174 in Warwickshire’s first innings total of 360.
Having arrived in the UK earlier this week, Middlesex will be boosted by the addition of Adam Voges to their batting ranks, who will skipper the side in this season’s campaign. Voges joins Middlesex off the back of a truly exceptional winter for Australia, where he took his Test batting average to an incredible 95.50.
The home side are also boosted by the naming of England’s Steven Finn within a strong bowling attack that also includes Toby Roland-Jones, James Harris, Tim Murtagh and James Franklin, offering skipper Voges plenty of variety in his attack over the four days that lay ahead.
Middlesex are pleased to announce the following 14-man squad for our opening Specsavers County Championship match of the season, starting at Lord’s tomorrow, Sunday 17 April:
Adam Voges (captain), Nick Compton, Steven Finn, James, Franklin, James Fuller, Nick Gubbins, James Harris, Dawid Malan, Tim Murtagh, Ollie Rayner, Sam Robson, Toby Roland-Jones, John Simpson, Paul Stirling.
Gates open at 10am with play due to start at 11am. Tickets can be bought on the gate on the day and cost £18 for adults, £9 for over 65s, £5 for under 16s. Middlesex Members can gain entry into the ground on production of their membership cards.
Middlesex Members – please CLICK HERE to read about access to the President’s Box on match days at Lord’s.
