Middlesex v Derbyshire

Dear Santa,

I know that I'm being greedy but...

Hey, it worked last week so don't knock it! Tomorrow we take to the green sward at Uxbridge in as big a game as we have played in recent years. Not so much a "winner takes all" as a "winner might take something if that other team beats the team above us and then we beat another team in the last game while they don't do quite as well".

Phew. We will in all likelihood be faced with a track that will offer increasing turn as the match progresses and so John Morris has taken a squad of 13 with every spinning option available to him in this squad:

Chris Rogers
Wayne Madsen
Garry Park
Greg Smith
Wavell Hinds
John Sadler
James Pipe
Graham Wagg
Tim Groenewald
Jake Needham
Tom Lungley
Steffan Jones
Mark Lawson

The final team? I haven't a clue as I've not seen the track, but given our opposition have three spinners in their squad (Udal, Kartik and Toor) there is a chance that Mark Lawson could get one last crack at the business end. A little bounce, essential for a leggie, might see him get the nod over Jake Needham, with Tom Lungley my other man to miss out. Given that Graham Wagg, Greg Smith and Wayne Madsen can all bowl spin, one full timer might be enough.

Middlesex have the following 12:

Shaun Udal
Gareth Berg
Nick Compton
Neil Dexter
Steven Finn
Dan Housego
Murali Kartik
Adam London
Dawid Malan
Tim Murtagh
John Simpson
Kabir Toor

I'd have to say that I don't look at that side and worry unduly. With Shah, Morgan and Strauss away with England, their batting is dependent on Nick Compton and Neil Dexter and both have responded well, Dexter making a century in each innings in the last game. There are talented young players but hopefully our greater experience will be of use and the season will go right down to the last game.

We'll need the weather to be on our side, we'll need to hold catches and the toss could be crucial. Whatever happens, it will be a fascinating four days and I hope the boys do us proud.