Udal leads Middlesex for Stanford
Middlesex have named their 15-man squad for the Stanford Super Series in Antigua with Shaun Udal retained as captain after his late-season spell in charge
Cricinfo staff
03-Oct-2008
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Ed Smith, who began the season as club captain, hasn't been included which signals his time at Middlesex is drawing to a close. He injured himself at the beginning of the Twenty20 Cup and didn't play again during the summer, handing over the captaincy firstly to Ed Joyce then to Udal.
Two new faces have been named. The former Kent batsman, Neil Dexter and Warwickshire allrounder Neil Carter. Middlesex have signed Dexter on a long-term contract and Carter has been brought in on loan. "We are very grateful to Warwickshire for all their assistance in this matter," said chief executive Vinny Codrington.
Andrew Strauss will have the opportunity to take on his England team-mates, but Owais Shah will be involved with the national squad and isn't available. Dirk Nannes, the left-arm fast bowler, is the other notable absentee from the side that beat Kent in the Twenty20 final after he returned to Victoria for the Australian domestic season.
However, Middlesex have been able to retain the services of their other oveseas players - Tyron Henderson and Murali Kartik - for the week-long tournament. Henderson was the final-over hero at The Rose Bowl in July when he found three late yorkers to stop Kent's chances of victory, while Kartik's spin-partnership with Udal has been a revelation.
Middlesex will depart for Antigua on October 19 ahead of their first match, against England, on October 26. Their major game is against the current Stanford 20/20 champions, Trinidad and Tobago, on October 27 which is with US$200,000 for the winning team.
Squad Shaun Udal (capt), Neil Carter, Neil Dexter, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, Tyron Henderson, Ed Joyce, Murali Kartik, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Tim Murtagh, David Nash, Alan Richardson, Ben Scott, Andrew Strauss.