In the final matches of the season Middlesex take on Kent at The County Ground, Beckenham and host Sussex at Eastcote Cricket Club. Currently second bottom on the table, Middlesex require two wins to ensure they remain in Division One.
Middlesex have named a strong squad for both Sunday and Monday which includes Kia Super League (KSL) players Naomi Dattani, Sophia Dunkley and Natasha Miles and internationals Fran Wilson and Holly Huddleston (for Monday only).
Skipper and vice Dattani and Miles will look to restore their opening partnership and build on their T20 success which saw them finish as runners-up to Lancashire. After a disappointing start to the summer both will be fighting tooth and nail to keep their side in the top flight. Dattani will be seeking to maintain her T20 form which saw her score 129 runs with a top score of 40, as will Miles who hit 105 runs at 21.00.
Beth Morgan once again proved a consistent source of runs in the 50-over format. She is the competition's second leading run-scorer just behind the White Ferns' Amy Satterthwaite with 183 at 36.60 and will aim to continue her form.
A fourth key batsman is Dunkley who has been playing for the Surrey Stars. With a strong international batting line-up Dunkley has not had a lot of opportunity with the bat but has shown her talent and will be looking to continue her form ahead of Finals Day. A key innings was in the second match against Lancashire Thunder where she hit 24 off 17, arriving in the middle when the Stars were in some strife requiring quick late runs. The running between wickets alongside England international Natalie Sciver was most impressive, as they were stealing runs which were dots earlier. With Middlesex's highest score this summer of 163 coming in a T20 match, the side will be eager to improve on this, knowing how important the singles can be.
Catherine Dalton and Maia Bouchier have both shown they can score quick runs in the T20 format and will be hoping to carry that form through to these important 50-over games.
Bouchier, all-rounder Milly Pope, right-arm seamers Gayatri Gole and Katie Wolfe and wicketkeeper India Whitty have all enjoyed success with the Second XI where they have taken their opportunities and will be looking to transfer that to the First XI if required.
Returning to Middlesex for Monday's match World Cup winner Fran Wilson will be aiming to get runs under her belt to help her adopted county retain their position in the top flight. She has shown she can hold her nerve in tough situations and scored crucial runs in the tight semi-final win over South Africa last month. Wilson will also be key in the field and demonstrated her ability in the World Cup, most notably against Sri Lanka with a low-diving catch at point.
With ball in hand Gayatri Gole will lead the attack on Sunday against Kent. Gole has claimed eight wickets in her first season in the First XI and has often beaten the batsmen for pace. She is also quick across the outfield and has a good arm, proving herself a good boundary-rider.
On Monday Holly Huddleston will take the new ball most likely alongside Gole and look to make early in-roads into Sussex. Huddleston will be aiming to add to her nine wickets at 10.22 for the summer.
Aside from herself left-arm quick Dattani has three other seam options in Pope, Ria Raval and Wolfe. Pope has done well this summer and is the county's fourth-leading wicket-taker with ten at 22.70.
Middlesex have two front-line spinners they can turn to in leggie Dunkley and off-spinner Isabelle Westbury. With five in-form international bowlers at the Stars Dunkley has not been required to bowl in the KSL but will be aiming to get some overs under her belt in case she is called upon on Finals Day. Dunkley is Middlesex's leading wicket-taker this summer with an impressive 19 wickets at just 10.58 including figures of 10-6-7-4 at the beginning of the season against Yorkshire. Westbury will look to deceive more batsmen with her well-flighted deliveries and add to her 11 wickets to help retain the club's Division One status.
As the final round matches of the KSL are being held on Saturday, most England-contracted players and especially those who are bowling are likely to be available only on Monday after a rest day.
This means Kent could be without opening left-arm quick Natasha Farrant who has the ability to run through a team, and captain Tammy Beaumont who was named player of the World Cup for her 410 runs. However, if Farrant is released for the match could prove tricky, having performed well in the T20 competition with nine wickets at 12.89. A third player likely to be key for the hosts is all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards who has been playing for the Yorkshire Diamonds in the KSL. She has picked up 14 wickets across both forms and scored 140 at 35.00 and is certainly a batsman Middlesex will look to put on the back-foot and dismiss quickly.
Monday's match might be the tougher of the two as Sussex have bolstered their line-up by signing former South African captain Mignon du Preez as they too fight the relegation battle. Du Preez has played 106 ODIs, scoring 2767 runs at an average of 32.35 and will also bring experience to a side who will be without Sarah Taylor and Danni Wyatt. England all-rounder and Loughborough Lightening skipper Georgia Elwiss is set to take the reins and will look to continue her KSL form in one of the last competitive matches before the Ashes in October. Elwiss has hit 79 runs at 19.75 for the Lightning with a top score of 41 off 28 against Yorkshire Diamonds and has taken three wickets. A Sussex spinner Middlesex will need to negotiate carefully is left-arm spinner Linsey Smith who has performed well in the KSL for the Southern Vipers and in the 50-over format for Sussex to claim nine wickets at 9.89. Another important player for the visitors is likely to be opening bat Georgia Adams who has had a disappointing KSL but will hope to find form ahead of Finals Day for the Southern Vipers.
With a number of KSL and international players on display for both matches it looks to be an exciting, albeit nail-biting weekend as Middlesex strive to stay in Division One of the Royal London One-Day Women's Championship.
N.B.
Preview written before Saturday's KSL matches.
Squad
Naomi Dattani (c)
Maia Bouchier
Catherine Dalton
Sophia Dunkley
Gayatri Gole
Holly Huddleston (Monday)
Natasha Miles
Beth Morgan
Milly Pope
Ria Raval (Sunday)
Isabelle Westbury
India Whitty
Fran Wilson (Monday)
Katie Wolfe
Preview written by Middlesex Women's Content Coordinator Georgia Isaac.
