Middlesex head to Chelmsford tomorrow night where they'll take on the Essex Eagles in the last but one match of this year's Vitality Blast campaign.
Two changes are made to the squad for this latest clash, with Ethan Bamber and Toby Roland-Jones coming in to replace Toby Greatwood and Max Harris.
Middlesex head into the encounter off the back of defeat to the Kent Spitfires in Canterbury, where once again the bowling unit looked off the pace, as they went for over 200 for the fourth match in a row.
With significant progress being shown on the batting front, which has looked increasingly positive as the campaign has evolved, the side now has seven batters hitting at a strike rate of above 125, and three of those striking the ball at close to or above 150. The approach that the side are adopting when chasing totals, in a positive and aggressive manner, is good to see and exciting to watch, and bodes well for the future if things continue to progress.
Captain Stephen Eskinazi (415 runs at an average of 37.72) and Max Holden (399 at 44.33) have been the standout performers in the side with the bat this term and lead the way in the run scoring race by some margin.
It's the lack of wickets and the weighty economy rate of the bowling unit that has been the most cause for concern throughout the campaign, and more so in recent games, with only Martin Andersson and Tom Helm having taken ten wickets in the campaign to this point, and eight of the team's bowlers going at over ten an over - this will need to be addressed if Middlesex are to get one over the Eagles at Chelmsford tomorrow.
The last time the two sides met, it was the Eagles who prevailed at Lord's in a rain affected affair, as after Essex had batted first and posted 237, Middlesex slipped behind the DLS rate when the rain came and the umpires were forced to call an early end to proceedings at the Home of Cricket, leaving the Eagles victorious by 22 runs by the DLS method.
Tomorrow's opponents currently sit in joint third place in the South Group table, although in fifth when net run rates are taken into account, on 14 points with both Hampshire and Kent. They'll be looking to arrest a poor run of form that has seen them slip from the top of the group table to fifth, having lost their last three encounters, all to sides who now sit above them - Somerset, Kent and Hampshire.
Prior to that Essex were one of the form sides in the group, having won seven of their opening nine matches to put themselves on the brink of qualification with games to spare. Middlesex will be looking to take advantage of Essex's loss of form to build on their one victory in the competition to date, when they smashed records to beat Surrey at the Oval just two games ago, chasing down an incredible 254 to secure the bragging rights in the London derby.
Middlesex will be hoping to finish the campaign well, to restore some pride, and come out of the campaign with some positives to show from the brand of cricket they're playing.
Middlesex's squad to face Essex tomorrow is as follows:
Essex
Middlesex
