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Glos v Middlesex | Match Preview

9 July 2021

Following a hard-fought battle over four days in the County Championship, Gloucestershire and Middlesex will now trade in their whites for the more colourful Vitality Blast shirts and 40 overs of T20 cricket.

Gloucestershire have come out on top in all three matchups between the two sides so far this season; twice in the County Championship, once in the Vitality Blast. But complacency can’t rear its ugly head today as two points is the minimum requirement for The Shire.

Gloucestershire v Middlesex | Live on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 2:30pm Start Time

Gloucestershire are sitting one point outside the top four with just three games to play following back-to-back losses at home to Somerset and against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl. With a trip to Somerset still to come and Surrey the visitors to Cheltenham in a week’s time, Ian Harvey will be hoping to take both points on offer against the Seaxes to heighten their chances of qualification.

Harvey will be without David Payne who was called up to the England ODI squad following seven positive Covid tests within the original group of players and staff. He will, however, welcome the return of Ryan Higgins who has been unavailable for selection recently for the birth of his first-born child, Elliot.  

Ian Cockbain passed a fitness test on Thursday meaning he will also be up for selection following an ankle sprain he picked up after an accidental clash with Kent’s Qais Ahmad just over two weeks ago.

Matt Taylor and Dan Worrall will be brimming with confidence after taking 5-fers in the four-day game but a hellish number of overs bowled on the final day may result in a rest for both.

Gloucestershire's 15-man squad:

The London side, much like they are in the County Championship, are languishing towards the bottom of the table with just seven points from 11 games. They have lost all four matches that were played away from Lord’s and Radlett with one abandonment in Southampton.

Had it not been for a top edge six from Cockbain off the final ball of the 18th over at Radlett, Middlesex might have had a win over Gloucestershire, but such is their fortune this season.

Stephen Eskinazi, who acted as a thorn in the side of The Shire just yesterday with a stubborn stand of 145 alongside Daryl Mitchell, has also batted well in the T20 competition with 390 runs at an average of 48.75.

Middlesex will be without wicketkeeper John Simpson who was also called up to the England ODI squad on Tuesday, likely replaced by Robbie White or Joe Cracknell behind the stumps. He is just one of four players to have featured in all matches played so far this season.

Middlesex’s 13-man squad for today’s match:

Steven Finn (c), Martin Andersson, Josh De Caires, Joe Cracknell (wk), Blake Cullen, Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden, Luke Hollman, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Robson, Nathan Sowter, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Robbie White (wk).

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