Middlesex are stronger this year – Malan
Batsman Dawid Malan believes greater experience in the dressing room will transform Middlesex’s fortunes when the new County Championship campaign begins.
After avoiding relegation from Division One in the final game of last season, Middlesex have added Somerset opener Nick Compton and New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin to the squad, while Adam Voges will be with the club until he links up with Australia in June.
And with England Test players Sam Robson and Steve Finn also expected to play a bigger role, Malan says confidence is high ahead of the opening match with Nottinghamshire at Lord’s, beginning on Sunday.
He told West London Sport: “As a team we had a tough year last year. But I think this year, with the new players that we’ve got in and the depth of the squad that we have, I think we can potentially try and win at least one trophy.
“We’ve always had talented players and guys that can win us games but we haven’t really had that depth.
“Now we’ve got guys who have been starting for the last three or four years who aren’t sure if they’re going to play the first game of the year, which is a healthy environment to have.
“Adam Voges not only scores runs, he’s a leader and someone you want the youngsters to be learning from, same with James Franklin.
“I think that’s something Middlesex have lacked in the past, a good group of leaders.
“Hopefully with the experience we have this year that will lead to a lot more calmness and direction on the field.”
Middlesex began last year well but their form nosedived during the middle part of the campaign, as their desperate one-day displays began to affect their Championship results.
And managing director of cricket Angus Fraser admitted performances in the shorter formats had to improve to prevent a repeat.
He said: “Everyone’s a little bit bruised from last year. We lost too many games of cricket.
“If you look at the way white-ball results affected our red-ball cricket, we don’t want to let that happen again.
“The players we’ve brought in can all contribute in white ball cricket as well and if this group of players play to their full potential I expect them to be competing in all competitions.”
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