Championship Essentials: Somerset v Middlesex

Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the County Championship...

Fixture: Somerset v Middlesex

Venue: Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton

Dates: Thursday, April 29, 2021 - Sunday, May 2, 2021

Start time: 11am 

What's the lowdown?

Two sides who contested the opening round's best game at Lord's, with Somerset bouncing back from a 141-run first-innings deficit to beat Middlesex by four wickets. Since that meeting, both counties lost in round two, before registering thumping three-day wins last week. 

For the Cidermen, Leicestershire were always likely to be easy pickings, but the manner in which they raced to victory before the close of day three suggests that they have put their loss to west country rivals Gloucestershire behind them. 

Middlesex celebrated skipper Peter Handscomb's debut (coming 18 months after his appointment) by dismantling Surrey's storied top order in devastating fashion, dismissing them for 154 and 130 on a helpful Lord's surface.

At 16 for 3 in their first innings, the scars of Stuart Law's side's round two horror show at Southampton (where a Mohammad Abbas hat-trick blew away their top order) were plain to see and the Lord's outfit were indebted to a 133-run partnership between Sam Robson and Robbie White.

Who's in form?

Robson has been imperious at home this term, where he has 280 runs at 93.33, including the first century of the Championship season (165 against Somerset), but like the rest of Middlesex's batters struggled against Hampshire.

Toby Roland-Jones was the destroyer in chief of his side's capital rivals, with match figures of 7 for 70, including the prized scalp of Hashim Amla, the fifth time he has dismissed the South African in professional cricket.

For Somerset, Craig Overton has been relentless and has 17 wickets at 15.94 in the 2021 Championship, including 5 for 25 in the Foxes' second innings in his last outing, a performance Leicestershire coach Paul Nixon described as "world-class". 

With the bat, none of Somerset's batters has yet registered a century, though Tom Lammomby, after a torrid start with just 13 runs coming from his first five innings this term, hit an unbeaten 70 to see Somerset home against at Grace Road to spark hopes that he can rediscover last season's form.

Last five first-class matches (most recent first)

Somerset: WLWDW

Middlesex: WLLLW

Head-to-head first-class record

Total matches: 163

Somerset wins: 25

Middlesex wins: 85

Draws: 53

What's the team news?

Somerset: Tom Abell's men have included three spinners in their squad, with Roelof van der Merwe and Lewis Goldsworthy joining Jack Leach, who is set to make his 100th first-class appearance against Middlesex.

Somerset squad: Tom Abell (c), George Bartlett, Tom Banton, Jack Brooks, Eddie Byrom, Josh Davey, Steve Davies, Marchant de Lange, Lewis Goldsworthy, Lewis Gregory, James Hildreth, Tom Lammonby, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Roelof van der Merwe

Middlesex: Stuart Law has opted to shuffle his pack, opting to rest two of the seamers at the forefront of a three-day victory over Surrey last week. Ethan Bamber, who has been ever-present so far this season, and Toby Roland-Jones, who claimed four second innings wickets, have been left out, with Tom Helm and Blake Cullen stepping into the 13-man party for the trip to Taunton. Left-arm spinner Thilan Walallawita has also been added.

Middlesex squad: Peter Handscomb (c), Martin Andersson, Blake Cullen, Steven Finn, Nick Gubbins, Tom Helm, Max Holden, Luke Hollman, Tim Murtagh, Sam Robson, John Simpson, Thilan Walallawita, Robbie White

Latest Somerset news: Click here

Latest Middlesex news: Click here

Who's said what?

Somerset captain Tom Abell has been pleased with his side's fighting spirit thus far this season, winning two out of three games despite not being at their best.

“That’s room for optimism moving forward because there’s still plenty of growth for this team,” he said. “Having said that, hopefully we can see the best of ourselves this week. We have to start well on Thursday. That’s the key for us.”

What's the weather forecast?

Day one is scheduled to be dry at Taunton with no interruptions, though with temperatures dropping to nine degrees it will be chilly. Whilst rain is likely to play a part in the afternoon on days two to four, it won't be a washout with plenty of play likely.

Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Taunton: Click here

How do I follow the match?

TV/stream: Somerset will offer live coverage of the match via their website: Click here

All County Championship matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here

The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.

Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry ball-by-ball radio commentary of the game. 

Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and daily updates from every County Championship match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more. 

Going to the game?

Tickets: This match is to be played behind closed doors owing to Covid-19 restrictions. 

Travel: Not applicable owing to Covid-19 restrictions.

Prediction?

Though Middlesex are coming off the back of a comprehensive win, the batting frailties exposed at The Ageas remain a worry. Somerset's attack may not pack the star names of Hampshire's but remain as tricky as they come. Prior to their round two aberration against Gloucestershire, they had been unbeaten at Taunton since 2017. Home win.

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