Cracknell a serious doubt for One-Day Cup final

Middlesex released a statement yesterday saying Harry Duke had been re-signed on loan from Yorkshire for the rest of the season as Cracknell would be out for ‘a few weeks.’

Even that diagnosis would make him touch and go for Middlesex’s first List-A final for 36 years against Leicestershire on Sunday, September 20th, but indications suggest the injury may have brought the batter/keeper’s season to a premature close.

Up The Middle understands Cracknell will have an X-ray tomorrow to assess the extent of the damage to the digit injured while keeping in last week’s match against Derbyshire.

However, there are fears among the team surgery will be required and that being the case, Cracknell, who scored his maiden List-A hundred against Sussex in the league stage of the One-Day Cup, would miss out.

It should be remembered that Cracknell suffered a similar finger injury late in the first batch of County Championship fixtures in May which ruled him out for the first half of this season’s Vitality Blast.

Should worst fears be confirmed, Cracknell’s absence would be a huge blow both to Middlesex’s trophy hopes, and in particular to the player himself.

The 26-year-old has enjoyed a stellar season, topping the averages in Championship cricket with 473 runs at 52.55 while he scored 335 runs in the Metro Bank league phase at a touch under 48. In addition he’s claimed 56 victims behind the stumps across all formats.

This latest news came during the first day of Middlesex’s Rothesay County Championship match with Lancashire at Merchant Taylors’ School.’ On a day truncated by rain and bad light, Middlesex reached 139-3 at the close after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

This represented something of a recovery from 20-2 which was in no small part down to a pugnacious unbeaten half century from Luke Hollman.

The all-rounder, pressed into service as an opener for the third Championship match running shared a stand of 72 for the third wicket with skipper Leus du Plooy who made 41.

The skipper was quick to acknowledge the value of Hollman’s knock and suggested he has a chance to stake a claim to the role on a permanent basis.

“I love to see that innings,” he said. “This team needs more of that character, and if you want to call it fight and grittiness he’s brought into that opener’s position. It has been awesome.

“He’s had an exceptional 50-over comp for Middlesex and it is no surprise he is doing well for us here.

“Even though opening the batting is something he’s not used to, he’s applying the same principles and principles always stay the same.

“I’d love him to go on tomorrow, double that up and really hone in on that spot.”

The day also brought news of a new arrival to Middlesex’s ranks in the shape of Danru Ferns.

South African-born, but now a naturalized New Zealander, the 32-year-old seamer effectively replaces Eathan Bosch who came in as an overseas player during the campaign, but left early after being called up for international duty.

Ferns has taken 116 wickets in first-class cricket at an average of 34.43 with a best of 6-62.

Despite their seeming plethora of seam bowlers to call upon, Middlesex will be glad of another option to aid rotation ahead of their trophy tilt at Trent Bridge.