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: Middlesex v Gloucestershire
Venue: Lord's
Dates: Thursday, May 6, 2021 - Sunday, May 9, 2021
Start time: 11am
What's the lowdown?
The neutral’s favourite, Gloucestershire can not stop producing thrilling finishes. Consult the Group 2 table and you’ll see Ian Harvey’s charges sit at its summit unbeaten, but that only tells half the story.
Two of the Gloucester’s three wins have come in frantic fashion on the final day, chasing 228 in 37 overs to beat Surrey in round one and then overturning a 146-run first innings deficit to chase 348 in a four-wicket win against Leicestershire last week. Add in a nail-biting draw at the Ageas Bowl, where they escaped nine wickets down, and you have a side that the faint-hearted would be advised to steer clear of this term.
Meanwhile Middlesex, who threatened briefly to have kick-started their season with a resounding thumping of Surrey, have twice surrendered first-innings leads to lose to Somerset and sit second from bottom.
The win against their capital rivals came at Lord’s and, with their seamers fine-tuned to exploit conditions, you’d expect home comforts to be welcome this week.
Who's in form?
Though Ian Cockbain and Tom Lace were the heroes of last week’s run chase (with scores of 113 and 97 respectively), opener Chris Dent and No.3 James Bracey have shouldered the bulk of Gloucestershire’s runscoring this season and have a century and seven fifties between them.
For Middlesex, Sam Robson has been domineering on Lord’s hallowed turf where he has struck 280 runs at 93.22.
Gloucestershire allrounder Ryan Higgins continues to be one of county cricket’s most underrated players and has the second most Championship wickets this season with 24.
It should come as a surprise to no one that Tim Murtagh tops the wicket-taking table for Middlesex and registered match figures of 7 for 102 at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton last week.
Last five first-class matches (most recent first)
Middlesex: LWLLL
Gloucestershire: WDWWD
Head-to-head first-class record
Total matches: 194
Middlesex wins: 89
Gloucestershire wins: 48
Draws: 57
Abandoned: 1
What's the team news?
Middlesex: James Harris returns after his brief loan stint at Glamorgan. Ethan Bamber and Toby Roland-Jones, having been rotated out last week, are back for this week’s fixture at Lord’s, where they average 18.2 and 16 respectively this season. Blake Cullen misses out.
Squad: Peter Handscomb (c), Martin Andersson, Steven Finn, Nick Gubbins, Tom Helm, Max Holden, Luke Hollman, Tim Murtagh, Sam Robson, John Simpson, Thilan Walallawita, Robbie White, James Harris, Toby Roland-Jones, Ethan Bamber
Gloucestershire: David Payne is available after the birth of his child. Matt Taylor also returns to the squad having been rested for the Leicestershire game.
Squad: Chris Dent, Kraigg Brathwaite, James Bracey, Tom Lace, Ryan Higgins, Ian Cockbain, George Hankins, Tom Smith, Josh Shaw, Dan Worrall, Dominic Goodman, Matt Taylor, David Payne, Georgia Scott
Latest Middlesex news: Click here
Latest Gloucestershire news: Click here
What's the weather forecast?
A chance of rain on the first afternoon and third morning but the current forecast for Lord's is better than for much of the rest of the country.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Lord's: Click here
How do I follow the match?
TV/stream: Middlesex 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.
Sky Sports Cricket will carry live coverage of this match on all four days, using the Middlesex stream. The broacaster's regular pundits, including Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, will be on hand to offer additional commentary.
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?
Gloucestershire are going great guns but this will be a tough ask against a Middlesex side who know how to take bundles of wickets at Lord's. It's just a hunch, but we see the Gloucestershire run coming to an end. Home win.
OTHER ROUND FIVE PREVIEWS
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Subscribe today and receive The Cricketer’s centenary issue – six issues for £19.21. Click here
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.