Middlesex at Merchant Taylors

Middlesex have picked up a lot from the inconsistent, brittle batting they shows at the start of the season, particularly at Hove. At the moment they lead the table by 19 points from Somerset and Yorkshire (both 71), with Sussex in 4th with 68 points. Of course all these teams have a game in hand over Middlesex, but it would be an excellent opportunity for us to get right back into winning ways - if the weather and our absentee list permit.

Unfortunately the weather forecast for this bit of Metroland for Monday to Thursday is every bit as poor as its likely to be everywhere else in the South, so the toss and the state of the wicket may have a big part to play. I've been unable to see any mention of the quality of wickets on the Old Merchant Taylor's website: does anyone know how they play, or any peculiarities of the ground?

As for our team, well....Prior definitely not keeping and "50/50" to bat at all, Jordan away with the white ball for England, Zaidi looking wretched in most respects, most of the middle order batting competing to see who win's the lottery for This Werk's Rescuer. All in all, we have a fight on our hands. I'll stick my neck on the block and suggest something like this squad:

Nash
Wells
Yardy
Joyce
Machan
Hamilton Brown
Brown
Piolet
Lewis
Hatchett
Anyon
Magoffin

Good point about Wright. No, I did say squad, because I really couldn't work out the balance myself

I don't know if Hobden is fit yet for 4day cricket, and perhaps Hatchett should be the next in line, but that's moot as well/

No play because oif the rain but Zaidi still in the squad, Beer too, Prior (but see Robinson's coimments about him being 50/50). No Nash.

The Sussex squad is as follows:
JE Anyon
WAT Beer
BC Brown
RJ Hamilton-Brown
EC Joyce (capt)
J Lewis
MW Machan
SJ Magoffin
SA Piolet
MJ Prior
LWP Wells
LJ Wright
MH Yardy
SAA Zaidi

Quite agree that Zaidi has done nothing to warrant his 100% inclusion record this year, but with whom to replace him and how to balance the side? With a non-turning leg-spinner on a damp wicket? After his long wait Beer deserves a better chance, surely.

Why not Hatchett or Hobden to accompany Anyon, Magoffin and Lewis? It would be a longish tail, though all of the latter three have scored some runs this year, and we have enough strokemakers in the first seven places to make this less of a problem.

It does look as if we're going to rue the lack, not just of a containing spinner, but of a flexible all-rounder. Piolet only had a chance to show a little of his batting in the Middlesex game, but it looked to be primarily defensive.

Only Magoffin , of those players, can be relied on to take wickets.

Any news on when play can start?