This week Middlesex return to four-day action as we head to Trent Bridge to take on Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire.
Middlesex have named a squad of fourteen for the encounter, with plenty of fresh faces coming into the squad who haven't been featuring in the recent Vitality Blast encounters.
Tim Murtagh will lead the side out, returning as four-day Captain, and Middlesex will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Championship, having gone unbeaten in their opening six encounters before losing that record last time out in Chesterfield, where a Shan Masood inspired Derbyshire took the hosts to victory.
That loss saw Middlesex drop to second in the table, behind this week's opponents, who overtook Murtagh's side at the top of the table courtesy of a convincing victory for them at Grace Road, where they beat Leicestershire by an innings and 9 runs.
Middlesex were hoping to be able to include South African Pieter Malan in their side for the trip to Nottingham, however delays in Malan receiving a visa have delayed his arrival to the UK. Malan applied for his visa immediately after agreement had been reached for him to join Middlesex and as soon as the South African Cricket Board had granted their permission for him to join the Club, however, having been advised that visas from South Africa are taking up to 4 weeks to be issued, he is still waiting for clearance to travel and arrive in the UK long after that timeline has passed. It is a disappointing blow to Middlesex, especially given that the matter is completely out of their hands, however Malan will still be joining the Club just as soon as he receives his visa. Barring any further delays, it is hoped that he will be here in time to join Middlesex's squad for the home clash against Worcestershire at Merchant Taylor's School in a fortnight's time.
Middlesex's squad does see a number of red ball specialists returning to action, with Ethan Bamber, Toby Roland-Jones, Sam Robson, Robbie White, Josh De Caires and Mark Stoneman all returning to action alongside Murtagh himself. The nucleus of the side will be well rested and ready for a return to action and there's no better time for them to slot back in than for this crucial top of the table clash.
The rest of the squad have been in T20 action in recent weeks and will need to switch disciplines for the return to red-ball action, with Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden, Martin Andersson, Jack Davies, John Simpson and Luke Hollman all playing as recently as Thursday night at Lord's when Middlesex hosted the Essex Eagles.
It's been six years since Middlesex last played Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, when back in 2016, six wickets from Ollie Rayner and eight from Steven Finn, and half-centuries from Nick Gubbins, Nick Compton, James Franklin and John Simpson saw Middlesex secure an important five wicket victory.
Only Sam Robson, Stephen Eskinazi, John Simpson, Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones survive in the Middesex squad from that encounter six years ago, in what was one of six victories Middlesex secured that season when going on to win the County Championship title. With four wins already under their belt this season, a repeat of that result in 2016 over the week ahead would see Middlesex take a beg step towards achieving their ambitions of finishing in the top two and securing a return to the top-flight of the Championship for next season.
Nottinghamshire will provide stiff opposition this week however, billed as the bookies favourites to win the Division Two title this year, and they'll head into this clash having secured a ten wicket win themselves on their last outing at home, when they demolished Derbyshire by ten wickets - Derbyshire's only defeat of the season to date.
At Lord's in the return fixture, both sides battled out a hard fought draw, and few could argue that a repeat of that result would benefit both sides this week.
Nottinghamshire will be missing Stuart Broad for this week's clash, and will be reliant on their two leading wicket-takers, Dane Patterson and Liam Patterson-White to carry the attack for them, with both claiming 28 wickets in the campaign to date.
Middlesex's attack will be spearheaded by the resurgent Toby Roland-Jones, who is bowling at his very best this season, as his 25 Championship wickets to date testify to.
Middlesex have named the following squad for the trip to Trent Bridge:
Nottinghamshire
Middlesex
