Middlesex Preview: Pears prepped for County Championship return

Rothesay County Championship Division Two: Worcestershire v Middlesex

Venue: New Road, Worcester

Date: Friday 12th June

Scheduled start time: 11am

Match preview sponsored by MSN Pharmacy Group.

Worcestershire return to Division Two action on Friday after a three week break for the Vitality Blast T20, welcoming Middlesex to New Road for another important red ball assignment.

Level on points coming into the fixture, the Pears will be hoping to repeat their performance that secured them a win away at Lords back in April.

Friday sees Worcestershire return to four day cricket for the first time in almost a month, as Middlesex are the visitors to New Road in an eagerly anticipated clash between the two teams placed sixth and seventh respectively in Division Two.

Alan Richardson has shuffled his pack, welcoming Henry Cullen into the match day squad, whilst Jake Libby and Dan Lategan are poised to come back into the XI after impressing for the 2nd XI in recent weeks.

Ben Allison is named in a 14-man squad that would see him make his first red ball appearance of the summer, after featuring for the first time this summer on Tuesday night in the final Vitality Blast T20 fixture.

One man who won’t be featuring for the Pears this weekend is Adam Hose, with the batter missing out due to personal reasons.

After a three-week break, Worcestershire all-rounder Beyers Swanepoel is eager to “hit the ground running” when his side return to red ball action on Friday at New Road.  

The Pears sit sixth in Division Two, in a tightly congested mid table battle that sees just 14 points separate the second and seventh placed sides.  

The hosts will be hoping to make a swift transition back into the longer format of the game, with Friday offering Alan Richardson’s side the chance to bounce back from defeat away at Lancashire in the most recent four-day fixture.  

Early season wins against Kent and this week’s opponents were offset by defeats Northants and Durham, increasing the importance of Friday’s clash.  

Having not been contracted to play in the Blast, all-rounder Swanepoel is primed to return with a bang on the eve of his side’s return to Division Two action.  

“I really enjoyed that opening spell of games, even though I missed a couple early and had to sit out the Durham game through concussion.  

“Getting started at New Road and being around the boys ever since has made me feel so much more part of the group and my want to deliver is really high.  

“Obviously I haven’t been involved over the last few weeks, but I have been really bust training and keeping miles in the legs, ticking over and making sure I am ready to hit the ground running first thing on Friday.  

“The buzz is definitely back around everyone and that has only made me more excited to step back onto the field and try secure a really important win.” 

Worcestershire will go into Friday high on confidence, after an early season visit to the capital saw the Pears claim an impressive three-day victory over Middlesex.  

A lot has changed since April however, with the hosts having to adjust to life in a competitive second division amongst a host of personnel changes along the way.  

Oliver Hannon-Dalby has since returned to his parent club, whilst Swanepoel himself missed the trip to Lords, and more alterations are expected this weekend in the absence of Adam Hose.  

Despite the rotations, Swanepoel is confident in the depth the Pears possess throughout their squad is enough to claim a vital third win of the season.  

“It is part and parcel of the game. As a professional you just try your best to be prepared and do your role for the guys around you.  

“This team is full of great players and we have a belief that if we stick to our plans, do what we know works for us and deliver our roles that we have a good chance of beating anybody around us.  

“Middlesex are a good side and have made a very similar start to the year as us, it will be about who starts the better tomorrow and gets ahead in the game.  

“We want to make a positive start, whether that is with the bat or ball, and do the collective things that served us really well against Kent when we won here.” 

Captain: Leus du Plooy

Table position: 7th

Last result: Lost to Derbyshire by seven wickets

One to watch: Ryan Higgins

There is nothing to separate the two sides heading into this week’s match-up, with the visitors possessing an identical record to their opponents.

A seven wicket loss at home to Derbyshire will serve as motivation aplenty for the Lords based outfit, who travel to New Road keen to get back to winning ways after an underwhelming start to the Vitality T20 Blast.

Skipper Leus du Plooy has enjoyed a frugal start to the red ball season, but it is all-rounder Ryan Higgins who leads the way for Middlesex with the ball.

Taking 28 wickets in six matches at an average just over 20, the medium pacer recorded season-best figures of 4-27 against Lancashire at Old Trafford back in May.