What's really annoying is that was essentially like playing at home. Big boundary, ball sticking in the wicket slightly. We know those conditions. You don't chase in those conditions. You look to get as many PP runs as possible in those conditions. You don't look to try and clear the ropes too often in those conditions. We were never able to make up the 30-odd run PP deficit.
It didn't help that we got our batting order wrong - Fuller probably should have come in at 3 because Northeast isn't aggressive enough to play there, and McManus can only hit spin so should have come in after Vince - but nevertheless, when we're badly missing that 3rd top order batter, there's only so much that can be gained from the others.
I strongly believe the number 3 position in England's batting line up is cursed. No one can make it their own. I'm not surprised Root doesn't want to bat there!
Middlesex look a bit like us on paper. A couple of excellent batters at the top, in the form of their captain and an overseas, but if they both fail, there's not too much else to bank on below them. And a solid, varied, but not worldie, bowling attack
I'm sure it's a rule that in Surrey-Middlesex games, there has to be one tiny boundary. No chance of ever hitting a two to that side!
I hope that Abbott is in the lineup tomorrow night. For Holland preferably. I see an academy player is in the squad - Tom Prest. Don't know anything about him.
