Middlesex sat down, as most sports teams do, at the start of the season. They discussed cricket, of course they did. But they also picked through how they wanted to be viewed, and how they were going to go about their business in 2016 and beyond. The results were written down, and pinned to the home dressing room wall at Lords. The All Blacks call it the no dickheads policy. At Lords, it is the Middlesex DNA.Team spirit is a tenuous and fragile notion, but the Middlesex DNA can be tangible and visible. It defines director of cricket Angus Frasers recruitment - based as much on personality as playing prowess - and has ensured it is an easy team to come in to, with a series of youngsters slipping in seamlessly as injuries and international call-ups are juggled.It is the Middlesex DNA that makes them riotous celebrators of each others successes; wickets taken, centuries scored, matches won (each greeted with a trip to the Lords Tavern). Thus the team has no social divide, as batsmen mix with bowlers, the newest signing with the oldest lag. It is no coincidence; there is science to their chemistry. Everyone is mates, whether youre 22 or 36, Nick Gubbins, a batsman at the bottom end of that spectrum, says. We want to work hard for each other, and for the next man in to see that everyone is united.By the time they left The Oval after the final day of their fifth game of the season was washed out for a fifth draw, Middlesexs belief that they could win the title - written into the Middlesex DNA - was being tested. The batsman had been scoring runs, and the bowlers taking wickets, yet they were winless and exasperated. There was mitigation: two of those five draws had come on the deadest of Lords pitches - and a sixth would follow there a week later, against Somerset, by which point they had lost 618 overs to bad weather. That Lords pitch would become such a problem that when they drew again there against Lancashire, captain James Franklin said that they would officially complain to their landlords, the MCC.That game at The Oval was Gubbins 22nd first-class match, and he crossed the Thames more frustrated than most. The baby of a seasoned side, he had looked a class apart in coasting to 91, before a leading edge popped to mid-off. Still without a ton, three of his eight half-centuries had ended in the nineties, and it was becoming a problem. At The Oval, he had bottled a gimme, and he knew it. Toby Roland-Jones, one of the teams japesters-in-chief and a centurion himself, took to gently ribbing Gubbins; hands up, he would joke, if youve scored a ton.Gubbins is playing his 30th first-class game this week. He now has three centuries, including an unbeaten double. He was the first man to 999 Championship runs this season, has passed 50 nine times and averages more than 60. The first of the three tons, in that draw against Somerset, was watched in secret by his nervous parents and Gubbins admits he may have shed a tear. A weight had been lifted.I had been lying in bed wondering, he says. Once I got there, I cant describe the feeling, and since then I havent worried about hundreds. I probably got into a selfish mindset, as our psychologist would call it, thinking about the hundred not the team, whereas now its all about the team. What can I do for them? Can I get us off to a good start? My outlooks changed.Middlesex have mirrored Gubbins newfound appetite for conversion, winning four of their last six to top the table. There have been remarkable victories at Scarborough (all three of Yorkshires losses since the start of 2014, each as extraordinary as the last, have come to Middlesex) and Taunton. They even won at Lords, in three days against Durham.Others have helped to build on last seasons second place. John Simpson, the pugnacious, punchy wicketkeeper, has taken his all-round excellence to a new level, just like Roland-Jones, part of a revolving door seam attack (the win at Taunton came without Tim Murtagh, Roland-Jones or Steven Finn). Ollie Rayners offbreaks, meanwhile, have brought 35 wickets and a new contract. Rayners role was once merely to keep the over rate down, as well as provide a few runs and bucket hands at second slip. Now, though, liberated by the captaincy of Adam Voges and Franklin, he is, put simply, trying to get batsmen out. Pitches have been more helpful, but Rayner has helped himself, too; it has been conspicuous that he has spent the summer chatting to opposition spinners about how they go about their shared craft.But it is Gubbins, with more than 900 of his Championship runs in coming in the first innings, who has helped to decisively shape games.This is quite a contrast. Before, he was the original wide-eyed junior pro, known as much for playing the fool as hitting the ball. In 2015, he tripped celebrating a catch during a T20 at Lords; at a pre-season photoshoot he again went viral as Murtagh tricked him into imitating DJ Bravos Champion dance. Both incidents - as well as a cheery disposition and a tongue-out smile when he bats - have made him an easy target for a sledge. His glut of runs has spoken for itself, though. Throughout, he has been brutal on either side of the wicket to anything short, driven elegantly down the ground, and had sound judgement outside off. While he is constantly compared - for a shared school, county, role in the side and left-handedness - to Andrew Strauss (with whom he chats occasionally), it was a chance pre-season conversation with Alastair Cook, and constant dialogue with his team-mates Nick Compton and Sam Robson, that inspired his breakout year.Compos a massive help, he says. We live close by, and we go for coffee and just chat batting. We set targets together before the season, and he helped hone my process at the crease, and how Im building my innings. I set myself a modest amount to reach, and then I build from there. Robbo, too. The way he started the season was massive for me, because it gave me time to just work out my game. I also chatted to Cook. He said how he doesnt have a huge number of shots, but when the ball is in his area, he punishes bowlers. That made me really consider my strengths, then work hard on them.Unsurprisingly, the ECBs lead batting coach Graham Thorpe has been in touch and, while he plans to spend his winter playing for Subiaco in Perth (where work with Justin Langer has already been lined up), it seems likely he will tour with England Lions; a full international tour would be premature, even if those close to him are convinced the Strauss connection will eventually go one step further. Perhaps the most important thing is that Ive just learnt from experience to stay level and in the moment, he says. Ive had a good year, but that doesnt guarantee a good end to it, or a good one next year. That said its definitely nice to talk about something Ive achieved, not the silly stuff.Gubbins believes it is the Middlesex DNA that has underpinned their unbeaten run to the top of Division One. With three games to go, including a potential decider against this great Yorkshire side (another team with a distinct identity) at Lords, Middlesex are in position to win the Championship for the first time in 23 years. In the 17 years before that, they had won it six times. A barren run, they feel, that needs ending; now that really would be achieving something. Wholesale Jerseys Factory .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Wholesale Jerseys China . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. http://www.uschinasupplyjerseys.com/ . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. NFL Jerseys China . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. Wholesale SOCCER Jerseys . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. PITTSBURGH -- Technically, the calls were different. In the Pittsburgh Steelers huddle, however, the translation was the same: Get the ball to LeVeon Bell and get out of the way.Six straight times in the fourth quarter last Sunday against New York, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took the snap, turned around and put the ball in the hands of Pittsburghs increasingly versatile and seemingly tireless running back. And six straight times Bell pushed the pile forward, protecting the lead, the ball to help put the finishing touches on a 24-14 victory.Obviously were trying to end the game and obviously they know that, Bell said. Were just running the ball against their will and they cant slow us down or stop us. It gives you a motivation boost.A reality check, too.The offense that talked about putting up 30 points every week hasnt reached that total during the three-game winning streak thats pulled the Steelers (7-5) out of a midseason swoon and back into the thick of the AFC playoff race. Instead, Pittsburgh is leaning more heavily on a dominant line and Bells fresh legs.Roethlisberger has thrown it 94 times and handed off 87 times over the last 12 quarters. While he insists its simply taking advantage of what the defense is giving it, theres a little bit more at play. The wide receivers behind Antonio Brown have been a bit of a mess due to injuries and the defense is young and thin, particularly along the line. So why not burn the clock, give it to one of the best all-around players in the league and take your chances?I think LeVeon got it going, said tackle Chris Hubbard, who occasionally enters as a tight end to give the Steelers a little more push up front. We found what were good at and what were comfortable with and we got into a rhythm.One that might not be so great for fantasy owners but works pretty well on the actual field. It might not look as pretty on the scoreboard as it did while averaging 34 points in their first four victories, but it seems the Steelers are fine with ditching style points for substance.At the end of the day, its December football, Bell said. We understand everybody is fighting for position. We just want to get the job done. Thats all there is too it.The explosivenness Pittsburgh showcased early in the year has been replaced by something more pragmatic.dddddddddddd The Steelers have 17 scoring drives this season of 10 or more plays. Six of them have come over the last three weeks. Its also taken some of the pressure off a defense that has risen from 30th in yards allowed to a respectable 14th over the last month.Roethlisberger gave much of the credit to offensive coordinator Haley, who is among the leagues most creative play callers -- look no further than Bells option pass last week (which he threw away when nothing developed) -- but who also has become pretty effective at adapting quickly. He borrowed the six-lineman formation from Oakland once guard Ramon Foster and tackle Marcus Gilbert returned from injury, freeing up Hubbard to experiment at tight end.While there are at least two calls out of the six-lineman set that send Hubbard out for a pass, in reality when hes in the game theres not much disguising what is coming. The fact the Steelers are able to execute anyway is a testament to execution. Thats why the vibe was so electric during that clinching drive against one of the leagues best defensive lines.We just got to keep rolling, Hubbard said. We want that clock to roll out as much as possible so the other team wont get the ball back.Turns out keepaway can be just as effective as putting the scoreboard on tilt. Considering the wintry conditions that potentially await in Buffalo (6-6) on Sunday, the most direct path to the playoffs will likely continue to be through Bell. Thats fine by him.I was born for this, he said.Pittsburghs offense too.Game notes K Chris Boswell (abdomen), NT Javon Hargrave (concussion), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) and S Shamarko Thomas (concussion) did not practice Wednesday. ... RB DeAngelo Williams (knee) was limited. ... Pittsburgh named LB Arthur Moats as its nominee for the NFLs Walter Payton Man of the Year Award given annually to players who make significant contributions both on and off the field.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '