Following the disappointment of yet another rain affected draw at Lord’s this week, the seventh of a frustrating season for Middlesex so far, this time against Lancashire, Middlesex head up to Scarborough to take on a Yorkshire side who currently sit just two points ahead of them in the Division One table.
Despite such a glut of draws in the campaign to date Middlesex still remain proudly unbeaten in the Championship, and sitting in third place in the table, their aspirations of a title challenge remain firmly intact.
Both Nick Gubbins, fresh from hitting his maiden first-class double hundred at Lord’s this week, and best mate, Stephen Eskinazi, who himself hit his maiden first-class hundred in the same game, retain their places in the Middlesex squad, although Dawid Malan misses out on the trip to Scarborough having been called up to the England T20 International squad for the match with Sri Lanka.
His place is filled by George Bailey, who arrived at Lord’s earlier this week and is available in all forms for the Seaxes. Middlesex bowling ranks are boosted by the availability of Steven Finn, who has been released by England to play against Yorkshire at Scarborough, in preparation for the first Test against Pakistan.
The fourteen-man squad named by Middlesex is as follows:
James Franklin (captain), George Bailey, Stephen Eskinazi, Steven Finn, James Fuller, Nick Gubbins, James Harris, Ryan Higgins, Tim Murtagh, Ollie Rayner, Sam Robson, Toby Roland-Jones, John Simpson and Paul Stirling.
