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Middlesex skipper Shaun Udal says that he knows "eight or nine" of his starting XI for the Stanford Superseries games against England and Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.
The English T20 champions play the warm-up against England on Sunday, with the $400k challenge against Trinidad, the Stanford T20 champions, on Sunday.
Of the team that beat Kent Spitfires on Twenty20 finals day, only Owais Shah and Dirk Nannes will be unavailable for the Crusaders' campaign in Antigua. Shah will be playing for England in the Superseries, while Nannes - the unpredictable left-arm quick whose wickets fired the Crusaders' storming start to the group stages – is playing for Victoria in Australia.
Middlesex have signed all-rounder Neil Carter from Warwickshire on a loan deal that lasts for the Stanford games and the Champions League in December. It's believed that the left-armer will come into the attack as a straight swap for Nannes – but it's unclear whether his pinch-hitting abilities may also mean that he is an option to open the batting too.
With skipper Ed Smith out through injury after two group games of this year's T20, Middlesex constantly shuffled their top order as they pushed on to take the title. Andrew Strauss, Billy Godlemann, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Dan Housego, Owais Shah and Ed Joyce all took their turn opening the innings.
Dawid Malan, whose 103 off 54 balls clinched the quarter-final against Lancashire, believes the Joyce-Godlemann partnership will start in Antigua – but doesn't rule out further tinkering with the batting line-up.
"The first six overs are the most important - if you can get up to 60-odd from six that gives you a launching pad especially if you haven't lost wickets," Malan told SPIN.
"In the Twenty20 Cup we were in a bit of indecision, with Ed Smith being injured and our not really having enough batsmen. Ed Joyce moved down the order to add some stability. Towards the end of the series, when we had Owais back, it allowed Ed to go back up the order and the partnership between Billy Godlemann and Ed Joyce worked quite well, I think.
"I'm obviously not the one who picks the team but I think that's likely to be the partnership we'll go with in Antigua.
"With Neil Carter being signed - if he plays as one of the big hitters up the order, it could mean that I bat down the order, even at No 7 or 8. It's frustrating coming in so low down but it's a team game and you can't win without the other ten players. You've just got to go along with it."
Other options in the 15-man squad include batters Neil Dexter - newly signed from Kent – and Andrew Strauss and fast bowlers Alan Richardson and Steven Finn.
While the challenge match against Trinidad and Tobago, the Stanford 2020 champions, is billed as being a $400,000 winner-takes-all challenge, Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington outlined the small print of the deal, ahead of the team's flight to Antigua at the weekend: the money on offer to the winners is $220,000, which Middlesex have decided will be split 70/30 in favour of the players, should Middlesex beat Trinidad.
While the game with Trinidad is the big money-spinner, the Middlesex players are also highly motivated to perform against England.
"We'll definitely fancy our chances against England as a lot of them haven't played many Twenty20 games," seamer Tim Murtagh told the latest issue of SPIN magazine.
"Everyone wants to do well in that game as all the England selectors, coach and captain will be there. It's a bit of a spotlight for future honours, hopefully, for some of the guys. I quite fancy our chances. I'm not sure how seriously they're going to take it but I'd imagine they'd be out to do us over and show us a thing or two."
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