For Middlesex men the season finished on an extremely positive note with the 1st XI gaining promotion to Division 1 of the county championship.
This was achieved through three strong performances in the final three matches of the season. From afar the batting effort at Worcester, a display that allowed us to reach 400, a score that gave us the points we needed to guarantee promotion, probably seemed quite comfortable. Reaching 400, however, was actually a fantastic achievement because the pitch the game was being played on was far from flat – it was a poor surface.
After a number of disappointing seasons in Division 2 it is hugely satisfying to once again be back competing for the county championship. Some people have said we are now ‘back where we belong’. I believe this to be incorrect statement. We are where we deserve to be, and we deserve to be there because the 1st XI played some really good red ball cricket in 2022. Congratulations to Richard Johnson and the team
The 1st XI are not the only team whose performances we should celebrate. During a season Middlesex and Sunrisers select for around 40 teams and a number of them had excellent seasons. Below is a taste of the success they had –
We caught up with Alan Coleman, Danni Warren, Michael Wilson and Kari Carswell to get their views on their hopes and ambitions for their respective teams during the 2023 season:
Alan Coleman – Middlesex Men Professional Squad
Hi everyone, and thanks to Gus for the invite to put something together for the MaSPA newsletter.
Things are shaping up well for 2023 - obviously you never really know how it will go until you set foot on the field in early April, but the boys are fit and healthy and looking forward to the challenge of Division 1 cricket.
We’ve not been in Division 1 since 2017, a long time ago, and the landscape of 4-day cricket is constantly changing. ‘Bazball’ has been a hot topic of conversation in the group across the winter - and a lot of players across the country will be questioning their own methods and looking at how they break into the England team given its current style of play. With batting bonus points going up by 50 runs, 250 now needed in the first innings for 1 point, and draw points going back down to 5 from 8 - there is a lot to ponder and discuss. The cricket will be competitive no doubt, but I believe we have enough quality in the squad to match up with the best teams in the country.
We still haven’t mastered T20 cricket by any stretch of the imagination, and barring the win in 2008, our record has been pretty poor. We’re looking to try and find our way to play the game, an identity that can run through the club, and one with which we can grow over the coming years. The data says that the most successful sides win >70% of their home games - our unique challenge obviously being that ‘home’ for us means 3 different venues each year.
Jono and I are very keen that the changing room is open and welcoming to all of Middlesex. So if you’re ever at Lord’s for a day’s cricket and want to say hello at a convenient time do let us know - we’d love to have you in and talking all things Middlesex, ‘Bazball’, cricket and life in general.
The team look forward to seeing you during 2023.
Danni Warren - Sunrisers
Sunrisers’ fourth season brings with it more competitive cricket, and our biggest ever programme of matches across the pathway.
Sunrisers start their Rachael Heyhoe-Flint campaign on Saturday 22nd April, with a 50 over competition that this year includes home and away fixtures for the first time. With a Charlotte Edwards Cup played over one national group, the competitive season brings at least 21 matches, an increase from 13 in 2022.
The revamped schedule is matched by a new look Sunrisers, both on and off the pitch, where fresh blood has been combined with familiar faces. Andy Tennant joined as Head Coach in October and has since convened an exciting team of coaches around him – Marc Broom continuing in his role as assistant coach, joined by Chris Liddle, Dan Housego and Jason Gallian in specialist roles. Robbie Gunn has recently joined the club full time, with his role as Club Coach working across the 1st Team and pathway. The new look Middlesex & Sunrisers Science & Medicine department brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, leading the way in delivering first class player support services.
On the pitch, Sunrisers go into the new season with 10 professionally contracted players, with Flo Miller and Jodi Grewcock picking up their first contracts at the start of February. Amara Carr, Kelly Castle, Jo Gardner & Cordelia Griffith have been the backbone of Sunrisers since the start and are joined for 2023 by Eva Gray, following her move from South East Stars, and Abtaha Maqsood who earned a professional contract after moving from Scotland last summer. Last season’s end-of-season awards were dominated by Grace Scrivens, who followed this up with a starring role as England Women’s U19 captain at the start of the year - picking up the Player of the Tournament and ICC’s January Player of the Month in the process. Finally, Mady Villiers joins Sunrisers full time, having already represented the club with distinction whilst on an England Central Contract.
This balance of old and new, has seen a renewed vigour over the winter, with excitement building for a successful season. Between now and the first match towards the back end of April, pre-season preparations include a trip to Desert Springs, where Sunrisers will take on SE Stars and Northern Diamonds in warm-up fixtures, before heading home to play further internal and external matches.
Michael Wilson – Disability Squad
D40 1ST XI
The 1st XI will go into the current season as one of the strongest teams in the Quest league having finished 2nd in the last two seasons and with a few new additions and players making the step up from the 2nd XI to bolster an already impressive squad. I am full of optimism that this season could be a landmark year and result in a first league title.
D40 2ND XI
The 2nd XI had a fantastic season last year and with a few new additions to the squad this year we are hopeful that they can go one step further than last season, where they won the 2nd XI Pursuit League South but were beaten by Yorkshire’s 1st XI in the final. Many of the players from last season were new to playing in the D40 squads so this season we expect big things and believe that Middlesex could be the first county to have two teams in the Quest league for the 2024 season.
SUPER 9S
Last season was a rollercoaster season where we saw the squad have a really inconsistent year winning 5 and losing 4 games but managing to hold on to 2nd place in the South East Regional league table and gaining a place in the regional final against Essex, which they won.This season we are hoping for a more consistent level of performance to make sure that we hold onto the status as regional champions come the end of the season
Kari Carswell – Middlesex Women
With the winter coming to an end, my reflections have been very positive, and full of excitement. Last summer we made a conscious shift in our approach to how we play our cricket, which was to play with ‘bravery and freedom’.
This approach has continued through our winter program and all the players have embraced every challenge put in front of them. The level of development and team togetherness is very welcome and something that, up until now, I have not experienced with this group in my years of working with them. We tackle failure as a group and continue to support each other’s development.
We have a highly skilled group of young cricketers who are highly motivated to win games of cricket for Middlesex CCC and do it in a manner that is exciting. Last years T20 success, in what was not the most competitive league for our talented squad, allowed us to continue to challenge ourselves with how we wanted to approach the game and the challenges it provides.
This summer, we have been put in a stronger T20 group providing a greater challenge, one which the entire group are relishing, and I am convinced we will be very successful. We also have a number of 50 over London Championship fixtures for our players to showcase their skills in the longer format.
We hope to continue to provide our region with players that can transition to, and flourish in, the professional game.
We can’t wait to get started.
