Defending champions turn attention to T20
ESPNcricinfo previews Middlesex's prospects for the 2017 season
David Hopps
01-Apr-2017
Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori will be at the heart of Middlesex's T20 effort this season • Getty Images
Last season:
Championship: 1st Div 1; NatWest Blast: QF; Royal London Cup: 6th South Group
In:
Out: Andrew Balbirnie (released), Max Holden (loan, Northants), Cameron Steel (Durham)
Overseas: Brendon McCullum (NZ, T20), Adam Voges (Aus)
Championship: 1st Div 1; NatWest Blast: QF; Royal London Cup: 6th South Group
In:
Out: Andrew Balbirnie (released), Max Holden (loan, Northants), Cameron Steel (Durham)
Overseas: Brendon McCullum (NZ, T20), Adam Voges (Aus)
2016 in a nutshell
Memories of Middlesex's first Championship win in 23 years are still fresh more than six months later. Their winner-takes-all victory against Yorkshire at Lord's, with Somerset looking on from Taunton and hoping for a draw that in turn would give them the title, was a great advert for the Championship at a time when English cricket's debate lies elsewhere. That triumph was based upon a formidable batting line-up with six players averaging more than 40, led by opening bat Nick Gubbins who won England Lions recognition. Fortunately for Middlesex, the sleepy Lord's pitches awoke just in time to give them two late victories, but it was away wins against their two closest rivals that swung it. Their NatWest Blast form was better, even with Brendon McCullum under-achieving and Eoin Morgan largely absent, although a convincing quarter-final defeat against the eventual winners, Northants, was a meek way to exit.
Memories of Middlesex's first Championship win in 23 years are still fresh more than six months later. Their winner-takes-all victory against Yorkshire at Lord's, with Somerset looking on from Taunton and hoping for a draw that in turn would give them the title, was a great advert for the Championship at a time when English cricket's debate lies elsewhere. That triumph was based upon a formidable batting line-up with six players averaging more than 40, led by opening bat Nick Gubbins who won England Lions recognition. Fortunately for Middlesex, the sleepy Lord's pitches awoke just in time to give them two late victories, but it was away wins against their two closest rivals that swung it. Their NatWest Blast form was better, even with Brendon McCullum under-achieving and Eoin Morgan largely absent, although a convincing quarter-final defeat against the eventual winners, Northants, was a meek way to exit.
2017 prospects
Middlesex are capable of another excellent season. To retain the title, their pace bowling will have to be up to the task and a bit of help from Lord's would not go amiss. They lose Tim Murtagh to Ireland in early season, but England Lion Tom Helm has considerable promise, James Fuller will also have benefited from his Lions involvement and Harry Podmore could also kick on. If the title challenge runs out of steam, expect their strongest NatWest Blast campaign for years as Daniel Vettori, brought in as a specialist T20 coach, attempts to finally unlock the potential of a side not short of T20 ability.
Middlesex are capable of another excellent season. To retain the title, their pace bowling will have to be up to the task and a bit of help from Lord's would not go amiss. They lose Tim Murtagh to Ireland in early season, but England Lion Tom Helm has considerable promise, James Fuller will also have benefited from his Lions involvement and Harry Podmore could also kick on. If the title challenge runs out of steam, expect their strongest NatWest Blast campaign for years as Daniel Vettori, brought in as a specialist T20 coach, attempts to finally unlock the potential of a side not short of T20 ability.
In charge
Angus Fraser found Middlesex languishing in the middle of Division Two of the Championship when he was appointed as director of cricket in 2009. Seven years of hard graft later, with prima donnas phlegmatically and determinedly dispensed with and good habits ingrained, he supervised a Middlesex title win that had traditional virtues at its core. Celebratory hangovers had not even kicked in before Fraser challenged Middlesex to repeat it. James Franklin retains the captaincy of the Specsavers and Royal London sides, with Dawid Malan once again in charge for T20. Middlesex also took advantage of the Blast returning to a block by awarding a three-year deal to Vettori, who can add to his CV as head coach of Brisbane Heat and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Angus Fraser found Middlesex languishing in the middle of Division Two of the Championship when he was appointed as director of cricket in 2009. Seven years of hard graft later, with prima donnas phlegmatically and determinedly dispensed with and good habits ingrained, he supervised a Middlesex title win that had traditional virtues at its core. Celebratory hangovers had not even kicked in before Fraser challenged Middlesex to repeat it. James Franklin retains the captaincy of the Specsavers and Royal London sides, with Dawid Malan once again in charge for T20. Middlesex also took advantage of the Blast returning to a block by awarding a three-year deal to Vettori, who can add to his CV as head coach of Brisbane Heat and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Key player
Toby Roland-Jones' hat-trick in the final session of the season completed Middlesex's Championship triumph and his indefatigable seam bowling, often on unresponsive Lord's surfaces, sustained them throughout, with 54 wickets (and an impressive 84 in all competitions). His dangerous late-order hitting also reawakened the final day of a match against Yorkshire at Scarborough that had seemed destined for a draw. With Middlesex's seam bowling slightly understaffed for a title-winning side, more of the same will be welcome in 2017.
Toby Roland-Jones' hat-trick in the final session of the season completed Middlesex's Championship triumph and his indefatigable seam bowling, often on unresponsive Lord's surfaces, sustained them throughout, with 54 wickets (and an impressive 84 in all competitions). His dangerous late-order hitting also reawakened the final day of a match against Yorkshire at Scarborough that had seemed destined for a draw. With Middlesex's seam bowling slightly understaffed for a title-winning side, more of the same will be welcome in 2017.
Bright young thing
Helm's ill luck with injuries meant that he was just relieved to complete England Lions' tour of Sri Lanka in one piece, but he was also one of the successes of the trip, managing to browbeat pace and bounce at times from Sri Lanka's placid pitches. He deserves an injury-free summer and, if he gets it, Middlesex's tilt at a second successive title will be all the stronger for it.
Helm's ill luck with injuries meant that he was just relieved to complete England Lions' tour of Sri Lanka in one piece, but he was also one of the successes of the trip, managing to browbeat pace and bounce at times from Sri Lanka's placid pitches. He deserves an injury-free summer and, if he gets it, Middlesex's tilt at a second successive title will be all the stronger for it.
ESPNcricinfo verdict
A top-two Championship finish is well within Middlesex's capabilities but, as much as Fraser will view that as the No. 1 priority, it is the arrival of Vettori which is most intriguing. Great T20 nights have been more common south of the river at Surrey but, if Vettori can transform the likes of Ollie Rayner, Nathan Sowter and Ravi Patel into T20 slow-bowling stalwarts, then Middlesex might be about to join the party.
A top-two Championship finish is well within Middlesex's capabilities but, as much as Fraser will view that as the No. 1 priority, it is the arrival of Vettori which is most intriguing. Great T20 nights have been more common south of the river at Surrey but, if Vettori can transform the likes of Ollie Rayner, Nathan Sowter and Ravi Patel into T20 slow-bowling stalwarts, then Middlesex might be about to join the party.
Bet365 odds: Specsavers Championship Div 1 7-2; NatWest Blast 11-1; Royal London Cup 12-1
David Hopps is a general editor at ESPNcricinfo @davidkhopps