Middlesex face tough test against in-form Glamorgan
Round seven of the County Championship arrives this week and Middlesex are back in action as they take on Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.
Middlesex currently sit fifth in Division Two of the County Championship after six matches and arrive in Wales off the back of a heavy defeat to table-toppers Leicestershire last time out, seven-wicket victors at Lord’s.
Glamorgan, meanwhile, have hit a good run of form, with back-to-back victories over Kent and Northamptonshire seeing them rocket up to third in the table, 40 points behind leaders Leicestershire and 10 behind second-place Derbyshire.
And the home side are being backed to get the victory this week as Betfair have Glamorgan as 4-5 favourites to get the win, while Middlesex are priced up at 1/1 (evens) to win away from home.
The visitors have a good record at Sophia Gardens in recent years, winning on their last three visits to Wales in 2019, 2002 and 2024 so will be grateful to head to a place they are fond of after their last outing.
Middlesex posted an 232 all out in their first dig, with Jack Davies top scoring with 49 and James Higgins adding 44 as the middle order rescued the home side from a precarious 56-4. Leicestershire responded with 274, Aussie skipper Peter Handscomb top-scoring with 87 and Zafar Gofar picking up 6-34 with the ball.
Middlesex’s batsmen struggled again in the second innings, Luke Hollman (pictured) top-scoring with 42 but no other batsman made it past 23 as the hosts were skittled for 143 leaving Leicestershire a target of 102 which they reached for the loss of three wickets.
The two sides have already met this season, a match where Middlesex won comprehensively by nine wickets at Lord’s.
The danger man for the home team could be Australia test match batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who will play the second of his scheduled two County Championship games for Glamorgan as he prepares for the Aussie’ World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s next month.
