Middlesex First Team Coach Richard Johnson has named an unchanged thirteen-man squad to face Durham this week at Lord's.
The same thirteen players who faced Nottinghamshire last week will go head to head with Durham, as Middlesex look to extend their five game unbeaten run to six matches and keep their fabulous start to the season going.
Johnson's side faced a stern test against Nottinghamshire this week - against a side that finished third overall in the County Championship last season and who are the bookies firm favourites to finish at the top of the Division Two table come the end of the season. That table topping spot currently however is held by Middlesex, who followed up three back to back wins against Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Sussex with a hard fought draw against the side from Trent Bridge.
Prolonged rain played a major hand in helping Middlesex secure a draw, with over two sessions of the final day of the match lost to rain, although Middlesex's Sam Robson and Max Holden had batted resolutely to get themselves into a position where the draw looked possible, when before it looked distinctly unlikely as Middlesex fought hard to stay in the game.
Robson's match saving innings, an unbeaten 101 off 180 deliveries, was as solid as it was fluent, with the opener carefully picking his moments to attack and watchfully picking his balls to defend. Holden's innings, whilst completely different, was no less important, as he swallowed up 115 deliveries for his unbeaten 18 - with both batters acknowledging that this was one of the toughest spells at the crease they'd ever endured, against a truly world-class bowling attack.
Whilst Middlesex were by no means at their best against Nottinghamshire, coming out of a tough test like last week's encounter with a draw, will have given Middlesex's young side even more confidence as they approach the half way point of the Championship season in a great position.
Looking ahead to this week's Durham clash, Middlesex will no doubt be in for another tough test, with England's new red-ball Captain, Ben Stokes, likely to feature in the opponents' ranks, with England's opening Test match of the summer against New Zealand on the horizon.
Tim Murtagh, who returned to the squad to face Nottinghamshire, will again spearhead a pace attack that includes Toby Roland-Jones, Ethan Bamber, Blake Cullen and Martin Andersson, with Luke Hollman again leading the spin attack for Middlesex.
Robbie White is still sidelined, recovering from a dislocated shoulder picked up a fortnight ago in Hove, Stephen Eskinazi is back hitting balls and played for the Seconds against Kent yesterday having now recovered from a broken thumb, although he misses out and needs more time in the middle after a lengthy lay-off, and Tom Helm, is recovering well from a side strain, but is being held back for a return in the Vitality Blast.
Middlesex name the following thirteen-man squad for this week's clash:
Information for members’ and spectators attending the game will be published on the Middlesex website shortly after this squad announcement.
Middlesex
Durham Cricket
