Middlesex Season Preview

For all us Middlesex fans, it's that time of year again where we just dare to dream. Could this be the year? Could this be the year where the inconsistencies are ironed out, and the promise and potential are realised on the pitch? Could this be the year where the luck turns, or where someone makes thousands of runs or takes hundreds of wickets?

This is almost what makes being a Middlesex fan as disappointing as it inevitably is. There is always so much promise and potential, but this is rarely realised. Other than the 2008 T20 win, Middlesex have consistently underperformed for the past however long, and should have been doing much better. The team is always strong on paper, but fail to meet expectations on the pitch.

This year, like all of the other years, is no different. Looking at Middlesex's squad, there are some very talented players. There are the international stars in Strauss, Morgan, Finn and Stirling, as well as those who have proven their abilities as top county players in Murtagh, Rogers, Dexter and Malan. On top of that are the emerging young talents such as Roland-Jones, Housego and Simpson, which all should bode well. However, as we know, this is rarely the case.

While Finn may play more this year than last, the likely promotion of Morgan to the test side means he will join Strauss in only featuring fleetingly for Middlesex. And inconsistencies and injuries mean that the team is often being dragged along by a couple of individuals rather than performing as more than the sum of its parts.

So that's the doom and gloom out of the way. And now to the most dangerous part of being a Middlesex supporter - the hope. This team could be brilliant. Malan and Dexter had superb seasons last year and will be mainstays of the batting order with Newman, who finished very strongly. Add to the mix Chris Rogers, who averages over 51 in FC cricket, and Jamie Dalrymple when available, this batting line up will be incredibly strong even without Strauss and Morgan. Further down the list will be John Simpson, who keeps growing as a cricketer both with bat and behind the stumps; Gareth Berg, who is able to play as either a batsman or a bowler, and his all-round abilities adds a lot to the team, and Dan Housego, who is just waiting for that breakthrough season which could well be this one.

The bowling is equally as strong. While O'Brien and Collins have had to depart thanks to the ECB's regulations, the additions of Ireland and Collymore more than makes up for the losses. Tim Murtagh has taken millions of wickets over the past few years, and while he was quiet last time, his pre-season form suggests a wicket heavy summer. And as Steve Finn is no longer in the test team, he'll be available far more often this year, and the prospect of facing him will have many Division Two batsmen shaking in fear. Spin is probably the side's weakest point, but Ollie Rayner is around for a few months from Sussex, and Tom Smith performed capably when required last term.

A Middlesex fan can never get too far ahead of himself, as history suggests that another inevitable season of disappointment will follow. But with a quiet but effective captain in Dexter, plus a side who do look very strong, there's a feeling that maybe, just maybe, this could be THE year.

It was written in the stars...

Friday evening at Wantage Road, Northampton. Middlesex have put themselves in an incredibly commanding position, and appear to be coasting to victory, even prompting this Cricinfo article: "Scott Newman sets up Middlesex victory push". Shaun Udal set Northants an incredibly unlikely 395 to win on a final day where Steven Finn, Tim Murtagh and Danny Evans (fresh off a first innnings five-fer) were to bowl Middlesex to victory in a procession.

Saturday evening at Wantage Road, Northampton. Northants have won, thanks to an unbeaten 183 from openers Steven Peters. Nobody saw this coming; as Northants grasped victory from the jaws of defeat, and Middlesex staring at a third consecutive LV=CC defeat.

But someone did see it coming. Step forward Cricinfo's resident nostradamus CricketingStargazer, who on that earlier article congratulating Middlesex for their obviously-going-to-happen victory, said that: "This match is more finely balanced than it looks. Despite what the reports says, Middlesex showed little initial urgency. As a result, they have probably set 20-30 less than they might have liked. Batting looked increasingly easy through the day and, with the quick start, a final day chase is not impossible. The trick is going to be to keep Northants interested because determined batsmen are not going to be easy to dismiss tomorrow if Northants put up the shutters. The danger though is that Northants need under 4 an over and have the batting to get it if someone gets in.".

You know what. He was right.

And yes, as a deeply distressed Middlesex fan, I have chosen to ignore the questionable declaration from Udal and useless bowling from the much vaunted four of Murtagh, Finn, Berg and Evans. I've instead chosen to write about an extraordinary piece of punditry from CricketStargazer. Northant's victory truly was written in the stars.