Middlesex v Glamorgan - preview

Date released: 21 April 2008

Middlesex will make their first appearance of the season at Lord's, taking on Glamorgan in the LV County Championship Division Two from 23-26 April.

The Lord's tennants are already three games in to their new season with a win, a draw and a defeat already on the ledger.

Good form: David Nash started the season with a ton Middlesex opened the season at The Parks in Oxford, taking on the local UCCE team in a useful pre-season warm-up exercise.

Promising young bowler, Steve Finn picked up three of the students' wickets with new signing Shaun Udal taking three more in his first official outing since joining from Hampshire.

Wicketkeeper David Nash celebrated his return to the side, after missing a large slice of last season injured, with a century.

County matches

The LV County Championship season started away from home for Middlesex, at Grace Road Leicestershire.

Middlesex lost by six wickets but Owais Shah, hopeful of an England recall, starred with the bat, scoring 116.

Fifty: Owais Shah salutes a 50 in the season-opener at Lord's Shah also played for MCC in the season-opening fixture against Sussex. In his four innings this season, Shah has already collecting a century and three fifties.

The latest of these was 55 from 56 balls against Surrey in the Friends Provident Trophy match.

Fellow batsman Andrew Strauss hogged the headlines in the 58 run win over their cross-river rivals.

The England opener came in at number three at the Brit Oval and clubbed 163 runs from just 130 balls - including no fewer than 23 fours and four sixes.

Glamorgan's familiar names & faces

There will be a familiar face amongst the visiting Glamorgan side.

Another man with England caps to his name, Jamie Dalrymple, will make an early return to Lord's with his new side, after leaving Middlesex in the close season.

In contrast to Middlesex, with games already played, Glamorgan have only played one first-class game this season: thier own match against Oxford UCCE - which was also a draw.

Right-arm medium pacer, Ryan Watkins clocked a five-for in a friendly against Sussex at Hove.

Promising youngster Tom Maynard may have friendly discussion with Middlesex's young batsman, Nick Compton, about the pros and cons of a famous surname.

Gillespie bowling at Lord's in 2004 Glamorgan's young batsman Tom, son of former England star Matthew Maynard scored an impressive 61 for England U19s against Middlesex's 2nd XI.

At the other end of the experience scale Jason Gillespie, looks set to make his Glamorgan debut.

The former Australia quick-bowler is no stranger to Lord's. His name appears on the visitor's Honour's Board, after he took five England wickets in a comfortable Australia victory in 2001.