First Squads of the Season!

So here it is - after months of waiting, the cricket season is finally upon us. While the official stuff gets started in a couple of weeks in Taunton, Middlesex kick off their pre-season friendlies tomorrow and Saturday with games against Kent at Beckenham, and a Middlesex League XI at Ealing, and the squads have been announced!

Middlesex CCC squad to face Kent on 23rd March
Neil Dexter (Captain)
Steven Crook
Joe Denly
Anthony Ireland
Adam London
Dawid Malan
Sam Robson
Ollie Rayner
Toby Roland-Jones
Tom Scollay
John Simpson (wk)
Tom Smith
Robbie Williams

The 13 man squad for the 40 over game is without Tim Murtagh (who was called up yesterday for Ireland at the World T20 qualifiers in Dubai) and Gareth Berg, Paul Stirling and Josh Davey, who were out there already. Chris Rogers and Corey Collymore are also missing, presumably still out in Australia, where they've been playing this winter.

This gives a chance to the less established Scollay, London and Williams, who didn't get much of a crack last year. Based purely on speculation and guesswork, I reckon Middlesex will line up with Denly and Malan opening with Robson at three; Dexter, London and Scollay making up the middle order with Simpson at seven, followed by the bowlers. Not sure if it will be a strict eleven-a-side game or if they'll be allowed to field all thirteen, but if so I assume all of the bowlers will get a few overs. The battle between Rayner and Smith could be an interesting one, as they'll both be fighting for the first choice spinner's role once the season starts.


Middlesex CCC squad to face the MCCL represetative XI on 24th March
Tom Scollay (Captain)
Steven Crook
Tom Helm
Anthony Ireland
James Kettleborough
Adam London
Ravi Patel
Ollie Rayner
Adam Rossington (wk)
Tom Smith
Gurjit Sandhu
Robbie Williams

The other game at Ealing has the look of a second team squad about it, with Dexter, Malan, Denly, Roland-Jones, Robson and Simpson all getting the day off. If it is how the second team will look once the season starts, the fact that both Rayner and Smith are in it suggests that they'll be going without a front-line spinner early on, but we'll see.

While these are just two fairly meaningless friendlies, it'll just be nice to see Middlesex back out on a cricket pitch for the first time since Grace Road!