Match Details VS Middlesex
Rothesay County Championship Division Two: Middlesex v Worcestershire
Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood Road, London
Date: Friday 10th April, 2026
Scheduled start time: 11am
Match preview sponsored by MSN Pharmacy Group.
Having dug their way out of trouble courtesy of a remarkable fourth innings rearguard, led by Matthew Waite, Worcestershire travel to Middlesex in relatively high spirits having clinched a draw from the jaws of defeat earlier this week.
A trip to the historic ground of Lord’s awaits Alan Richardson’s side, who are looking to notch a first win of their 2026 Rothesay County Championship Division Two campaign.
*Members who have not received their 2026 Membership Card can this weekend use their 2025 Card to access Members only areas at Middlesex*
The Latest
With some notable performances across the batting card in the latter stages of the tense draw at Derbyshire, Worcestershire will be keen to start in better fashion and secure themselves a foothold in the early exchanges.
Central to their hopes will be the form of young opening batter Dan Lategan, who shone throughout for the Pears, scoring 89 and 49 on his two visits to the middle and will be keen to pick up where he left off.
Matthew Waite and Tom Taylor, both stars with the bat last time out, will be licking their lips at the prospect of bowling on a Lord’s pitch known for it’s seamer friendly conditions.
Elsewhere, Adam Finch has been deemed fit to play after leaving the field on day one of the season opener, but has shaken off cramp to restore his availability.
Inside The Camp
“I’ve always wanted to do it”: Lategan loving life at the top
A week on from his first appearance opening the batting in red ball cricket for Worcestershire, it is safe to say Dan Lategan is fulfilling a long-standing aspiration.
“It is good fun. I really like to do it. I’ve always wanted to be an opener because I think it’s a good challenge, obviously I like the hard new ball, but it was a tough one up-front last week.”
Having featured in the final three Rothesay County Championship fixtures in the middle order for the Pears last September, Lategan’s promotion to the top of the batting card coincided with two superb visits to the middle in the 2026 opener against Derbyshire, last week.
A composed and patient first innings display saw Lategan get within touching distance of a maiden first-class century, only to be denied in the cruellest of circumstances as he was run out just 11 runs short of the milestone.
An assured 49 in the second innings saw the left-hander set his side on their way to an impressive fightback in the match. Not content with just playing his part, the desire to improve and lead his team radiates from the teenager.
“Facing Mo Abass, who is a very, very experienced bowler was quite a challenge, but I would say it was good fun because it’s a good challenge.
“Probably for a red ball opener, I play a lot more than other openers would. So, it’s about trying to rein that in and just try and get in before I start stepping through the gears. I have had to work on it a little bit, things like getting in and leaving the ball a bit better.
“Of course, it was very disappointing to not get that first 100, but for me it was more disappointing in the fact that I was not there for the team, especially in the second innings.
“I would like to have stayed there for longer and not have to get the lower order involved, but ultimately, I am happy with how the game ended up.”
After a whirlwind summer in 2025, Lategan made himself a mainstay of the team that went onto win the Metro Bank One Day Cup, after being fast tracked through the Club’s pathway.
Enjoying a winter in back in his native South Africa, learning the ropes from some of the biggest names in franchise cricket during a spell with MI Cape Town in the SA20, the 19-year-old has hit the ground running in Worcestershire colours at the start of the Division Two season.
Now, with a chance to walk out on the most iconic ground in world cricket just one sleep away, Latgean is determined to do all he can to ensure his team secure a first win of the season.
“Yeah, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t very excited.
“It is an honour to get the chance to play at Lord’s’, not everybody gets to do it, so it’s a massive privilege. Obviously, we are looking to cap it off by getting a nice little win, but we are all very excited to step on the hallowed turf.
“We’d love to kick on from last week with the good finish to the match and keep doing well. Hopefully I can contribute to a win, which would be nice.
“A good start just sets up the game a little bit better for us. Nobody wants to be on the back foot for most of the game, either with the ball or with the bat.
“We will wait and see which way the toss goes, hopefully we can get off to a good first hour and good first day and then go on from there.”
The Opposition
Last season’s finish: 4th
Captain: Leus du Plooy
One to watch: Sebastian Morgan
Fresh off the back of a handsome opening weekend victory over Gloucestershire by an innings and 14-runs, Middlesex welcome the Pears to London in fine form.
Led by Leus du Plooy, the South African has hit the ground running in 2026, with his sublime 182 the showpiece event in his side’s first round success.
The one for Worcestershire batters to keep a close eye on, however, is young quick, Sebastian Morgan.
Already a mainstay of the England Under-19 side that reached the World Cup final in February, the 18-year-old seamer will be raring to go again this Friday, having picked up figures of 4-48 in the second-innings last week to help his side off to a winning start.
Squad vs Middlesex
