Worcestershire are boosted by having superstar Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal available to face Derbyshire in Division Two of the LV= County Championship.
Ajmal arrived in the UK yesterday and will immediately make his second ‘debut’ in the New Road clash having enjoyed a spell at the county in 2011.
Dan Hodgson goes straight into Derbyshire’s squad after signing on loan from Yorkshire.
Unbeaten Hampshire will again be without wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Wheater for their eye-catching clash with Surrey at the Ageas Bowl.
Wheater fractured his finger in Hampshire’s season-opening draw with Worcestershire, which preceded a win over Gloucestershire and stalemate with Derbyshire.
Surrey are going in search of their first win of the campaign having lost to Glamorgan and drawn with Essex in a rain-affected encounter.
Gloucestershire will be without left-arm seamer David Payne against Essex at Bristol.
Payne, who has begun the season impressively, is suffering from a bruised heel, meaning Ian Saxelby could get the nod.
Essex, who are still without Reece Topley, Saj Mahmood and Matt Salisbury, have named the same XI that drew with Surrey.
Glamorgan will be minus Michael Hogan and Ruaidhri Smith for the trip to Grace Road to face Leicestershire.
Hogan has returned to Australia to be with his wife for the birth of their second child, while Smith – who is in the process of completing a maths degree – is soon to undertake end-of-year exams.
LV= County Championship Facts
- Worcestershire have won four of their last six home championship matches against Derbyshire (drawn one, lost one).
- Leicestershire have lost one of their last 18 home championship matches against Glamorgan, winning six and drawing 11 in this time.
- Surrey have won six and drawn one of their last seven championship visits to Hampshire, the draw being their most recent trip, in 2008.
- Essex are unbeaten in their last 11 championship visits to Gloucestershire (won four, drawn seven).