Frizzell County Championship Preview
10th May 2005Hampshire will look to continue their unbeaten streak in this round’s Frizzell County Championship Division One match against seventh-placed Kent at Canterbury. Wicket keeper Nic Pothas sustained an injury in Hampshire’s recent victory over Middlesex, but travels with the team ahead of tomorrow’s match. In the event that he is declared unfit to play, Tom Burrows will take his place.
Kent have named a 12 man squad ahead of the match. The only addition to the team that drew with Gloucestershire in their last match is that of Simon Cusden.
Middlesex are at home to Gloucestershire in their next match of the Championship, but are without pace bowlers Nantie Hayward and Chad Keegan, who have both picked up minor injuries. They will be replaced by Mel Betts and Chris Peploe. Despite suffering a finger injury in their last match against Hampshire, batsman Ed Joyce will play. England opener Andrew Strauss will add to Middlesex’s batting line-up.
After their seven wicket defeat of Glamorgan by seven wickets Gloucestershire will field the same eleven. Pace bowler Carl Greenidge was due for a fitness test because of a sore shoulder. Mark Hardinges could take his place if necessary. James Averis returns for the visitors after missing out on the victory over Glamorgan.
Gloucestershire Captain Chris Taylor said, “If you can get on a roll it does make things easier. The manner in which we won against Glamorgan was very convincing, so we will take a lot of confidence into the Lord’s match.”
In the final Division One match of the week Surrey take on bottom placed Glamorgan. After a defeat at the hands of Nottinghamshire last week, Surrey will be looking for their second win of the season. Tim Murtagh returns after recovering from an abdominal side strain that he sustained two weeks ago in his side’s match against Glamorgan.
Simon Jones is unavailable for selection by Glamorgan due to a lower back strain. Glamorgan will also be without one-day international Alex Wharf who suffered a side strain during the recent defeat against Gloucestershire which prevented him bowling in the second innings. Matthew Maynard is still suffering from bronchitis and has now contracted pneumonia, and is expected to be out of action for the next fortnight.
Andrew Davies and Adam Harrison have been added to the squad to replace Jones and Wharf. If Harrison makes his county debut alongside brother David, it will be the first time two brothers have played for Glamorgan in a County Championship match since Alan and Eifion Jones were involved in the match against Essex at Southend in 1983.
In the Division Two, Durham will be looking to continue their 100% record in their away match against Lancashire at Old Trafford. It is the first time in the club’s history that they have won their first three opening matches in the Frizzell County Championship. Head coach Martyn Moxon will continue with the same team with the addition of Australian Mick Lewis who will provide an extra bowling option alongside England bowler Stephen Harmison.
Lancashire’s overseas player, Brad Hodge will be in the team. The Australian batsman had a delayed start to his summer in England due to a hernia operation and is not expecting any favours from Stephen Harmison, a former team-mate at Durham. He said, “I’ve only faced Harmison a couple of times in the nets when I played a couple of games for Durham and I can tell you it wasn’t much fun. I don’t suppose it will be much fun facing him in the middle either.”
England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will carry on playing solely as a batsman for Lancashire as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. Lancashire coach Mike Watkinson will field an unchanged side from the one that comprehensively beat Derbyshire in the last round of matches.
Following on from their 10-wicket victory over Northamptonshire, unbeaten Yorkshire are looking to continue their winning ways as they play Leicestershire at Grace Road. England captain Michael Vaughan is still available to Yorkshire before he rejoins England ahead of their series against Bangladesh. Apart from the addition of academy player Adam Lyth, the team remains unchanged from the one that secured victory at the end of last week.
Leicestershire have named an unchanged squad of 12 from the one that lost to Essex in the last round. The team will not be finalised until the morning of the game when conditions have been assessed. Leicestershire will then decide whether to play four seam bowlers or bring in John Maunders to bolster the batting attack.
Northamptonshire will be without wicket-keeper Gerard Brophy for their match against second placed Essex. Brophy broke a finger in Northants 10-wicket defeat by Yorkshire and Riki Wessels has been brought into the side as a replacement. There are no other changes to the Northamptonshire side.
Essex have named a 14 man squad with three additions to the team that beat Leicestershire by six wickets in the last championship match. Grant Flower, Tim Phillips and Alex Tudor have all been added. Andy Clarke is the only player unavailable due to injury as he has aggravated an ankle problem which will be reviewed by a specialist.
In the final match of the round, Worcestershire take on bottom placed Derbyshire at New Road. Tom Moody, Director of Cricket at Worcestershire has a full strength squad to pick from after a number of players were rested for the three-day match against Loughborough UCCE. Batsmen Vikram Solanki and Graeme Hick return for the home side and fast bowler Matt Mason has sufficiently recovered from a hamstring injury to play. England spinner Gareth Batty, who was rested for the university match, also returns as Worcestershire look for their second victory in the championship this season.
Opening bowler for Derbyshire, Nick Walker, will be rested for the match and Paul Havell, who took nine wickets in the second XI’s comprehensive victory over Lancashire comes into the squad.
Play starts at 11am.
Fixtures:
Division One
Middlesex v Gloucestershire Lord’s
Surrey v Glamorgan Oval
Kent v Hampshire Canterbury
Division Two:
Leicestershire v Yorkshire Grace Road
Worcestershire v Derbyshire New Road
Northamptonshire v Essex Northampton
Lancashire v Durham Old Trafford