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Starlet Holden wins Northants loan deal

Max Holden, who will skipper England Under-19s on their impending tour of India, has been loaned by Middlesex to Northants for the first half of the 2017 season

Max Holden can anticipate a county debut with Northants  •  Getty Images

Max Holden can anticipate a county debut with Northants  •  Getty Images

Max Holden, who will skipper England Under-19s on their impending tour of India, has been loaned by Middlesex to Northants for the first half of the 2017 season.
Holden, a correct opening batsman who has yet to make a first XI debut for Middlesex, will take part in Northants' pre-season tour of the Caribbean and remain with the Division Two club until the end of June when his loan spell expires.
He already has good memories of Wantage Road, having struck a century on the ground for England U-19s against Sri Lanka last summer.
"Ultimately I want to play as much cricket as I can," he said. "Seeing Haseeb Hameed progress the way he has and break into the England team has really given me a push. Obviously the ambition is to play for the England Test eleven - that's the dream."
Holden first caught the eye of Northamptonshire's head coach, David Ripley, aged just 13: "I have followed his progress since I first tried to get him to join our Junior Academy back in 2011. I'm delighted to add him to the squad and add competition for places."
He will be available in both the Specsavers Championship and the Royal London One-Day Cup, although it is the four-day game where he can be most confident of playing time.
Cambridgeshire born and raised, Holden began a four-year contract with Middlesex in 2016 after graduating from their Academy. He has established himself in the 2nd XI with Middlesex for the last two years despite continuing his education.
Angus Fraser, Middlesex's managing director of cricket, said: "At Middlesex CCC we are fortunate to have a number of exciting young cricketers, of which Max is one. These young players are desperate to play first XI cricket and at this moment in time at Middlesex there are batsmen ahead of Max.
"We believe he is ready to get a taste of first XI cricket and are happy to loan him to a county that will, in the short term, provide him with a better chance of achieving this goal."
Holden will lead England Under-19s in two four-day matches next month. The one-day section of the tour begins at the Wankhede Stadium next Monday with England captained by Yorkshire's Matthew Fisher.