Middlesex v Glos | Match Preview
16 June 2021
With three teams in the Vitality Blast South Group already four points clear of the rest, both Middlesex and Gloucestershire will be hoping they too can separate themselves from the bottom of the table with a win at Radlett.
Gloucestershire come into the match having suffered a second defeat at the hands of Kent Spitfires. Supporters of The Shire won’t be too worried as one win in the opening three games is exactly what they started with in the previous two seasons and on both occasions, they qualified for the quarterfinals.
Middlesex on the other hand have just won their first match, the first fixture that has taken place at Radlett this year. The last time the two teams met in the Vitality Blast was also at Radlett where the home side were victorious by nine runs (D/L method).
Middlesex v Gloucestershire | Live on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 5:30pm Start
James Bracey will be welcomed back into the Gloucestershire team having made two Test appearances for England earlier this month. He kept wicket for the Second XI in a T20 match on Tuesday against Glamorgan while Glenn Phillips bowled three overs of spin. Should Dan Worrall feature, Phillips could replace Graeme van Buuren as second spinner behind Tom Smith.
Ryan Higgins also returns to the squad after suffering a fractured toe in the opening match of the season against Glamorgan. He took two wickets and made 22 not out in Cardiff and will provide Jack Taylor with extra fire power in the middle order and an experienced death bowler.
Gloucestershire's 14-man squad for tomorrow’s match:
Middlesex pulled off an unlikely victory against Hampshire yesterday for their first win of the campaign. Having conceded 215 runs, the Seaxes looked dead and buried at 30/3 in the fourth over with both Stirling and Morgan back in the clubhouse. However, a 122-run partnership between Joe Cracknell and John Simpson brought hem back within touching distance before Australian Chris Green got them over the line with 26 at two runs a ball.
Green has taken the most wickets for Middlesex through their first three games with seven at an average of 16. His number inflated thanks to a five-fer at Canterbury that included a hat-trick.
Steven Finn will be Stuart Law’s primary seam bowling option. Middlesex’s leading wicket-taker in 2020 has taken five wickets so far in this year’s Blast. He took 3/18 the last time Gloucestershire played at Radlett.
There is only one change to their bowling ranks, with senior statesman Tim Murtagh added to the squad, having recovered from an elbow injury that has recently kept him on the side-lines.
Middlesex’s 14-man squad for tomorrow:
Eoin Morgan (c), Ethan Bamber, Joe Cracknell, Blake Cullen, Stephen Eskinazi, Steven Finn, Chris Green, Nick Gubbins, Luke Hollman, Tim Murtagh, Sam Robson, John Simpson (wk), Nathan Sowter & Paul Stirling.
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