After a sensational victory at the Kia Oval last night over London rivals Surrey, Middlesex head to the West Country to take on Gloucestershire at the Cheltenham Festival chasing their third consecutive victory in the Vitality Blast.
A magnificent hundred from Dawid Malan stole the show at the Oval last night as Middlesex’s Captain hit a career T20 high 117 off just 57 balls, smashing seven maximums and eleven boundaries in securing his third hundred in the format.
Middlesex’s second consecutive victory of the campaign was the first time they’ve managed back to back wins in the T20 format since they last won the competition in 2008 and this latest win took them to the top of the South Group table.
Head Coach Stuart Law wanted to see improvement from his side, and he’ll have been delighted with what he’s witnessed so far. His side have a new found energy and drive about them, and they’re finally playing with smiles on their faces. Long may it continue!
With both Paul Stirling and Eoin Morgan still yet to come back into the Middlesex side, the Seaxes are looking in great shape, and with the bowling unit now really on song they’ll be confident of securing another win against Gloucestershire tomorrow afternoon.
Middlesex name the same fourteen for the trip to Cheltenham as were included for the Surrey clash, although they have added newly registered batsman Dan Lincoln to the squad, after he impressed the coaching staff in hitting a quickfire T20 hundred for the Second Eleven recently.
With Gloucestershire’s only fixture this year falling victim of the weather, they’ll come into this clash a little rusty straight out of a four-day game, whereas Middlesex are a side playing with confidence. Anything like the kind of performance that Middlesex put on against Essex or Surrey in their opening two games could well see the Seaxes moving on from Cheltenham with a third win in their locker.
Middlesex’s fifteen-man squad for the Gloucestershire clash is as follows:
Dawid Malan (Captain)
Tom Barber
AB de Villiers
Stephen Eskinazi
Steven Finn
Nick Gubbins
James Harris
Tom Helm
Max Holden
Dan Lincoln
Toby Roland-Jones
George Scott
John Simpson (Wicket-keeper)
Nathan Sowter
Mujeeb ur Rahman
Gloucestershire
Middlesex
