T20 v Hampshire 6th June 2023

[Paul W]

https://www.middlesexccc.com/news/2023/06/squad-preview-middlesex-v-hampshire-hawks-vitality-blast

Simmo back in squad!

[Jonathan Winsky]

I feel very inclined to write that if John Simpson was to return to the Middlesex side in this match, then there is no way that it will come at the expense of Jack Davies, in which case one of those players (probably Davies) would have to play just as a batter. However, Martin Andersson and Blake Cullen have missed matches in this campaign shortly after an impressive performance, so I wouldn’t put it past us to leave Davies out!


For yesterday’s match v Gloucestershire at Bristol, I didn’t expect us to select two spinners in Luke Hollman and Thilan Walallawita and to bring in Josh de Caires for what was surely as much for his bowling as for his batting. However, it became clear why we did this, as both teams - seemingly justifiably - felt that slow bowling would do well in that match. Although de Caires performed well with the ball, I can only see him retaining his place for tomorrow if we feel that the conditions will once again be conducive to slow bowling, as I feel a bit glass-half-empty about the 20 balls for which he batted yesterday yielding 18 runs and one boundary, despite him scoring more runs and lasting longer than many of his team-mates. Simmo and Andersson are two players who could take de Caires’ place. Maybe Nathan Fernandes will come in for Walallawita, who was expensive yesterday.

Had I taken a look at Hampshire’s form a couple of days ago, maybe I would have felt that there was half a chance that we could win, as their first three matches yielded only one win, which was against us at the Rose Bowl. However, their two subsequent matches have seen them record two very comfortable wins, so that does not instill me with much confidence.

Hampshire have named a 14-man squad for this match consisting (https://www.ageasbowl.com/cricket/news/match-preview-middlesex-hawks-viality-blast-2023/) of James Vince, Toby Albert, Mason Crane, Scott Currie, Liam Dawson, Nathan Ellis, James Fuller, Ben McDermott, Nick Gubbins, John Turner, Joe Weatherley, Ross Whiteley, Chris Wood and Aneurin Donald.

[Paul W]

Jack Davies deserves to keep his place, so maybe it's time Max Holden missed a match, then John Simpson can return as keeper.

If we want to give Josh De Caires a run then maybe Luke Hollman will be left out (even though Hollman would normally be considered a more attacking batter).

[John Fitzgerald]

Jack Davies deserves to keep his place, so maybe it's time Max Holden missed a match, then John Simpson can return as keeper.

If we want to give Josh De Caires a run then maybe Luke Hollman will be left out (even though Hollman would normally be considered a more attacking batter).

And a better bowler!

[MIDDLE EXILE]

Won the toss and choose to bowl. Martin replaces Thilan.

[MIDDLE EXILE]

Disciplined bowling and excellent fielding have restricted The Hawks to a below-par total. A sensible approach should ensure success at last on a batsman-friendly track.

[Jonathan Winsky]

It was a testament how Middlesex's T20 Blast campaign was going that there wasn’t any point in this match that I felt that we had more than half of a chance of winning, despite the fact that we spent much of this match in a better position than many would have expected us to have been in, and despite there being some points at which some people may have even seen us as the likelier winner.

As I left work shortly after Hampshire ended their Powerplay on 63-1, I anticipated that their final total would be 200+. Therefore, I was surprised to come home to find that they had fallen 36 short of that landmark.

As Hants posted would seemed like a low total, I feared for how we would do when we batted, especially as the first 2.1 overs of our innings saw two wickets fall without a run off the bat, which meant that our innings had started with two maiden overs (byes and leg byes do not go against bowlers).

When we were 105-3 after 12.4 overs with Max Holden and Ryan Higgins going well, things were looking good for us, but my experience of following us in this campaign made me worried about what would happen if we began losing wickets, and it seems that I was justified in thinking that considering we slowed down once they were out.

At least we ran Hampshire close.

I am certain a win for us in a Twenty20 match will come at some point. Whether it will happen in 2023 remains to be seen!

[James Mitchell]

Well chaps, it was close but no cigar. On to Thursday ....

[Paul W]

A friend has asked me to point out-

N A Sowter 4-0-14-4 for Durham v Northants tonight.

Fine margins today. If the boundary fielder had stepped over the line before he declined to attempt to catch Martin Andersson and instead opted to just keep it in play, it would have been six instead of two off the penultimate ball of the penultimate over. Then the equation going in to the final over would have been 11, rather than 15. Still not straightforward, but we would still have been in the hunt.

Warning- Gallows humour coming up-

At this rate we'll soon become a feeder club for bigger teams like Leicestershire.

Still- at least we pushed them close tonight, but we only win games in this format if the opposition implode of their own volition. Even if we get close, our lack of confidence and self belief practically guarantees our opponents will come out on top.

[MIDDLE EXILE]

Hardly close in the end.11 successive defeats indicate we've forgotten how to win. The longer it continues the harder it gets. A failure to recruit specialist white-ball players is costing us dear, but onwards and upwards, keep the faith. Thursday is another day.

[Peter H]

Does anyone know why Luke Hollman is called "Gerald" by his team-mates?