Nottinghamshire CCC Specsavers County Championship match preview
This Sunday Middlesex begin their second home Specsavers County Championship match of the season, with table-topping visitors Nottinghamshire making the trip down from Trent Bridge to London for the four days at Lord’s.
Middlesex head into the clash, their fourth of this season’s campaign, sitting in third place in the table and unbeaten in their previous three clashes but having not yet secured a victory, although the weather to date has played a significant factor in that equation.
In the Seaxes last clash at the Ageas Bowl against Hampshire, they secured twelve points in the drawn affair, and again can take heart and confidence from a number of positives to come out of the game. None moreso than the fantastic hundred hit by England Lion, Dawid Malan, who majestically stroked his way to 121 off 168 balls. With Simpson adding another fifty to the one he scored against Warwickshire in Middlesex’s opening fixture and a useful half century from James Harris, there have already been plenty of positives on the batting front for Middlesex to focus on.
With the ball Steven Finn continues to spearhead the attack, with ten wickets to his name already, and he again will be ably backed up in the seam department by Tim Murtagh, Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris, with eight, six and five wickets to their names respectively thus far.
Middlesex will however be without their talismanic skipper, Adam Voges, who having been struck by the ball in a freak accident down at the Ageas Bowl, sits this one out following the concussion he suffered and James Franklin returns as captain.
After a complete round of all drawn matches in Division One last week, Nottinghamshire remain one of only two sides to have secured a victory in the top flight this term, having beaten Surrey in the opening clash of their campaign.
Steven Mullaney, Chris Read and Riki Wessels look in fine fettle, each with centuries to their names already this term, as does Samit Patel, who already has three half centuries to his name this season.
With a pace attack boasting the likes of Stuart Broad, Harry Gurney, Jackson Bird and Jake Ball, Nottinghamshire pose plenty of threat with the ball too, so Middlesex will need to be at their best if they are to record the first victory of this season’s campaign.
With only nine points separating Nottinghamshire in top spot in Division One and Surrey in bottom spot, this season is already shaping up to be one of the most closely competed County Championships for many a year.
With only two matches generating a positive outcome in the thirteen top-flight matches played to date, both sides will be keen to bag that elusive victory that will see them secure a position at the top of the table.
The Middlesex 13 man squad;
James Franklin (captain), Nick Compton, Steven Finn, 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.
Availability of the President's Box for the Middlesex v Nottinghamshire, Specsavers County Championship match at Lord’s:
Sunday 8, Monday 9 and Wednesday 11 May (Days 1, 2 & 4) - The President's Box in the Grand Stand will be available to Middlesex members along with the Father Time Bar, situated on Level 3 of the Grand Stand.
Tuesday 10 May (Day 3) - The President's Box has been booked, so the Middlesex member’s area will be situated next door in Grand Stand Boxes 10 & 11 on Level 2 of the Grand Stand.
