MIDDLESEX V SURREY at Lord's (SSCC1), 19-22 MAY 2017

Seventh plays host to the Division One leaders, but don't be deceived by the lowly position currently occupied by the defending champions, who have only played two matches to the three games contested by everyone else other than Somerset. However, the absence of Middlesex's leading championship run-maker this season Sam Robson - with a hamstring injury - is a definite plus from Surrey's perspective.

Still, Nick Gubbins has a good first-class record against the Oval outfit, as does off-spinner Ollie Rayner. Gubbins is averaging 47.25 with the bat in this year's championship. While the 23-year-old left-hander is occasionally mentioned in terms of being a future England player, he is currently being outshone by Stevie Eskinazi (289 runs at an average of 72.25 this term), who, for some inexplicable reason, rarely seems to attract press attention.

With Adam Voges averaging 45.00 and Nick Compton set to make his first championship appearance of the summer, the Middlesex top order should still be as potent as the North Londoners' tail, which often wags under the guidance of keeper John Simpson and all-rounder Toby Roland-Jones. If only Dawid Malan (87 runs at an average of 29.00) and James Franklin (23 runs at 7.66) were doing their job with the bat, the bit in the middle could be relied upon too.

Any side that can afford to omit the likes of James Harris and Tom Helm - well thus far, anyway - must have a seriously good bowling attack. That said, the typically reliable Tim Murtagh has started the championship season with just 3 wickets at 66.33 runs apiece, which could signal a changing of the guard with the likes of Helm and Harry Podmore looking like the new kids on the block. But Steven Finn and Roland-Jones make for a formidable pairing, and, course, Rayner has "history" against Surrey - as the small matter of 36 first-class career wickets at 18.63 runs apiece is testimony.

Surrey v Middlesex - First-Class Records Sheet

Scott Borthwick will start tomorrow's London derby with 197 first-class wickets. Middlesex's Stevie Eskinazi (968) is closing in on 1,000 f-c career runs, Steven Finn (495) is five poles away from 500 first-class career victims and Dawid Malan requires two more for his 50th.

18-year-old off-spinner Amar Virdi is named in the visitors' 13-man squad for Lord's, as are seamers Stuart Meaker and Ravi Rampaul, but still no sign of Jade Dernbach (back).

Surrey have not won a four-dayer at Lord's since August 1997. On top of that, the weather forecast suggests there will be no more than the equivalent of a session of play possible on each of the first two days. So, Surrey fans, forgive me if I combine sitting on the fence while, at the same time, paying heed to the weathermen. Conclusion - draw.

N.Compton, N.Gubbins, S.Eskinazi, D.Malan, A.Voges, J.Simpson (wk), J.Franklin (capt), T.Roland-Jones, O.Rayner, S.Finn and T.Helm.

Mike Burns and Peter Hartley.

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