Tuesday, 19th August 2008
Leicestershire travel to face Middlesex at Lord's tomorrow looking for their first Championship double of the term which could help the team make a late push up the table.
The match is set to feature several talented youngsters in each line up at the home of cricket, with batsmen Greg Smith and James Taylor now available for County after being on England under-19s duty against New Zealand.
Smith particularly caught the eye in the tests and ODIs, scoring two centuries in the four-day format and 81 in an ODI, while Taylor has also made an impression on both the international and domestic scene in the past few months and will be looking for more first-class action.
Those two will compete for places in the top-order which has also featured Josh Cobb in recent weeks. Cobb, who turned 18 on Sunday has impressed with stylish knocks against both Warwickshire and Gloucestershire and looks set to keep his place in the team.
Johan Malcolm will again compete for a batting all-rounder position, and with Matthew Boyce cemented in the team, there could be as many as five English under-23 players in the side if senior coach Tim Boon goes with youth in his selection.
Our opponents also fielded plenty of youngsters in the recent defeat at Derbyshire - a match which on-loan Tom New also played in for the Phantoms. Middlesex fielded a debutant in Dan Housego, and four other cricketers under the age of 22 in Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Billy Godleman and Danny Evans.
The Twenty20 holders can also call upon the tall and lively Steve Finn if needed, so an intriguing battle awaits between two decent sides.
The last time the pair met was the season opener, when New made his maiden first-class century. Nadeem Malik was also in fine bowling form, with Boyce and Jim Allenby steering the team to an exciting six-wicket win late on the final day.
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