When Herman Göring demanded of Adolf Galland, the top German Luftwaffe ace, what his fighter pilots needed to defeat the RAF, Galland’s legendary response was “Give me a squadron of Spitfires!”. Fortunately, he didn’t get them.
Ask many a cricket coach what it takes to win championships, it would not be a surprise if their answer was “a team of Ryan Higginses”. The Middlesex all round Ace currently sits fourth amongst this season’s Division Two’s wicket takers, nestled three wickets behind one James Anderson and with a better economy rate too. After a slow start with the bat, he posted a century against Durham at Lords. Year after year, for Middlesex, Gloucestershire and then Middlesex again Higgins delivers. Ahead of the start of the T20 Blast, the Higgins philosophy is really one of simplicity and it continues to be a successful formula.
Against Gloucestershire, Higgins made a low key start until the second innings when the wicket of Oliver Price broke Gloucester resistance and he added Graeme van Bueren and Craig Miles to hasten his old team to an innings defeat. 3/18 off 21 overs though is the perfect encapsulation of Ryan Higgins strengths. Not just a wicket-taker, but an extremely economical one. Not many in any form of cricket bowl 20 plus overs conceding less than one run on average in each.
More was to follow against with the ball against Worcestershire with seven wickets at 15 apiece and then at Wantage Road with two more on a batter’s pitch where time lost to bad light inevitably led to a draw.
But so far superb with the ball and less of note with the bat. A trend continued from last season and one that was a clear frustration for Higgo when we met. Form with the bat was to turn at Lords against Durham however. A commanding 131, his first hundred since late August 2024 was the rock around which Middlesex built a strong total and although Lord’s flattened out, as it so often does, inevitably Higgins led the wicket charge with 4, more frugally than all other bowlers except Josh De Caires.
Out gunning James Anderson in Manchester
In Manchester, overcast conditions and a bowlers track, were tailor made to suit Lancashire captain James Anderson. But it was Higgo that prospered with another seven wicket match haul and runs to boot even as Ben Geddes and Navya Sharma perhaps grabbed the bigger headlines in a resounding 6 wicket win. Higgo’s 4/27 in Lancashire’s second innings claimed 4 of their top 5 and set up victory whilst conceding a meagre 1.58 per over. His 34 with the bat in Middlesex’s first innings as Anderson attacked with menace was Middlesex’s second highest score before he and Sharma decimated Lancashire’s efforts to build a big lead in their second innings, which instead crumbled to 84 all out.
More runs and wickets against Derbyshire at Lords, were sadly not enough to dig Middlesex out of the hole a poor first innings had caused them to tumble into, but was evidence enough that Ryan Higgins had rediscovered his batting mojo to compliment his economical wicket taking.
It is little wonder that Middlesex awarded Ryan a new long term contract at the start of the season and he is repaying that faith in fine fashion. It is, he said ‘a real privilege and even more so as there was a point when I thought I would never be able to play for Middlesex again”.
So, as an allrounder which skills does Ryan consider his real strengths?
“It varies from season to season and even game to game” was his reply, before adding that “it is perhaps easier to be consistent with the ball in county cricket. A combination of the Dukes ball and green wickets means that batting can be a little more temperamental”.
Higgins was honest and self-critical enough to realise that 2025 was not a vintage season for himself or his team. “Personally it was not my best season. With the bat particularly, there were times when things didn’t work. But I hope this was just a blip”. So if Middlesex must strive for greater consistency in 2026 what is advice from one of their most consistent performers? With Ryan, it is essentially a ‘back to basics’ philosophy. “As a bowler, hit a good length and make the batter play a lot. As a batter, improve defence to good balls and put bad balls away”. Easier said than done, but as with many things, simplicity can often be the key to success.
Consistency can be the secret to a better Blast for Middlesex
The Blast has been a very difficult watch for Middlesex fans for the last 18 years. Since 2008 in fact, their only win and indeed only appearance in Finals Day. Does the same approach apply?
Partially it seems, although, for Higgins, “The Blast is different. A lot of winter work has gone into trying to upskill ourselves. The squad lacks the experience of some, but we can learn from those who have played in franchises around the world and look to find the advantage where we can”.
Middlesex have repeatedly looked for a big impact from marquee signings that has not materialised. “This time”, said Ryan, “we need to build on our strengths and team spirit. Sometimes that may mean playing ‘scrappy’ cricket to get over the line. The success of teams like Derbyshire, Kent and Leicestershire show are testament to the fact that big money and size are not always the formula for Blast success.
Under new coach Peter Fulton, “we’ve had a good hard look at ourselves. There are things we can do to make our lives easier with more of a focus on trying to win and to understanding what has gone wrong.
He added that “we have a deep responsibility to the fans and members to do ourselves justice. The team is in a great place with some superb young talent”.
“Consistency in our actions whilst being adaptable to different situations” will Ryan was convinced lead to improvement in all formats and not just the Blast. His mission from Peter Fulton is to “play the way I play but within a team setting”.
If Middlesex are to succeed in the Blast, they will need the best of Ryan, with bat, ball and as a senior leader in their team. Alas he can’t clone himself to provide a squadron of Ryans, but he can provide the example and leadership to support an inexperienced team. Hopefully consistently.
Listen to the full interview with Ryan here:
