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Vitality Blast Preview | Glos v Middlesex

3 June 2023

Glos play their second of two fixtures in three days on Sunday when they host Middlesex, fresh from the high of beating Surrey by two wickets under the Bristol lights on Friday night.

The Middlesex encounter is part of a fantastic double header at the Seat Unique Stadium, with Western Storm facing Central Sparks at 10:30 before Shire’s match at 14:30. Find out more here.

T20 Blast tickets for Gloucestershire v Middlesex on Sunday available here.

Team news

Dale Benkenstein makes no changes to the squad that prepared to face Surrey on Friday, with quick bowler Zaman Akhter still primed for a T20 debut.

Your 15-player Gloucestershire squad to face Essex:

Last time out

Gloucestershire sent the adoring home crowd home happy on Friday night as they beat Surrey by two wickets in Bristol. Surrey blessed with an impressive spread of internationals, could not stop Shire from chasing down 125 to win with five balls to spare.

Jack Taylor won the toss and elected to bowl and the Glos bowling unit responded taking four wickets in the first four overs, including Sam and Tom Curran, falling for ducks in consecutive Matt Taylor deliveries.

M Taylor was also there at the end to guide Shire to victory after important contributions from Grant Roelofsen, Ollie Price and James Bracey got the home side ahead of the rate, just two needed at the start of the 20th over.

Our opponents

Middlesex play their second game of a West County tour, the first a defeat to the relentless Somerset who won their fifth match of the South Group keeping their 100% record in this year’s competition.

The London side, however, have not won in five Blast games so far this season and will be desperate to turn the tides starting with Sunday’s match with the Shire.

The Middlesex squad to face Gloucestershire

Stephen Eskinazi*, Martin Andersson, Joe Cracknell, Blake Cullen, Jack Davies, Josh De Caires, Nathan Fernandes, Tom Helm, Ryan Higgins, Max Holden, Luke Hollman, Pieter Malan, Toby Roland-Jones, Thilan Walallawita.

Last meeting

Gloucestershire beat Middlesex at Merchant Taylors’ School on Bank Holiday Monday, Matt Taylor defending seven in a heroic final over to seal victory for Shire.

It was Gloucestershire’s first victory of this season’s Blast, Miles Hammond hitting a fourth T20 half-century as the Shire set the hosts 182 to win from their 20 overs.

Ex-Glos all-rounder Ryan Higgins was there at the end for Middlesex but he could not find a boundary for victory in Matt Taylor’s final over.

How to watch

Gloucestershire face Surrey in the Vitality Blast at 14:30 on Sunday 4th June at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.

Tickets to support the Shire in person available here.

If you can’t make it to the ground on Sunday the game will be free to stream in the Glos Cricket Match Centre.

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