Watch Surrey take on Middlesex in LV= Insurance County Championship Group 2 as fans return to The Kia Oval for the first time this season; coverage starts at 10.30am on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Cricket; we speak to Surrey and England batsman Ollie Pope in build-up to day one
Thursday 20 May 2021 12:38, UK
This week's LV= Insurance County Championship match between Surrey and Middlesex will be shown live on Sky Sports from Thursday as crowds return to The Kia Oval!
Both sides are in need of a win with Surrey currently fourth in Group 2 and looking for a late push to make the top two and a place in Division 1 later in the summer, while Middlesex are fifth, just four points above bottom side Leicestershire, following five defeats in their first six games.
The match will be the last chance for a number of England stars to hone their skills before joining up for the Test squad for the two-match series against New Zealand at the start of June, with Rory Burns, Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes expected to be in the Surrey XI.
They should be tested by an impressive Middlesex seam attack featuring Tim Murtagh, Ethan Bamber and James Harris, who have done their best to keep the team competitive despite a faltering batting line-up.
Sky Sports pundits Mike Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Rob Key, Mark Butcher and Ebony Rainford-Brent as well as former England spinner Robert Croft will be in the commentary box to provide expert analysis.
We will also hear from Surrey and England batsman Pope in the build-up ahead of day one.
Watch the LV= Insurance County Championship Group 2 match between Surrey and Middlesex live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am on Thursday.
