Sussex are boosted by the return of Matt Prior for their LV= County Championship Division One clash with Nottinghamshire.
Prior, who struck a century in his only championship appearance this season, has been sidelined by an Achilles injury over the last few weeks.
However, having appeared in the NatWest T20 blast last night, he is set to return to the four-day fold at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground in time to press his claims for England Test selection.
Just one point separates Sussex and Notts, with the latter narrowly ahead of their opponents in fourth.
Somerset, the only unbeaten side remaining in the top-tier, will travel to face Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.
The Red Rose have won just one of six encounters since returning to the top-flight, although they will be buoyed by some fine Twenty20 form.
Marcus Trescothick’s men, meanwhile, are seeking a victory that could lift them to the summit.
Current leaders Middlesex will attempt to ensure that does not happen as they travel to face champions Durham at the Emirates Durham ICG.
Division Two leaders Hampshire are trying to continue their stunning start to this term when hosting Derbyshire in a top-versus-bottom clash at the Ageas Bowl.
The former, this year powered largely by James Vince’s stunning run of form, have named an unchanged squad from that which beat Leicestershire last time out.
Derbyshire, yet to win in the longer form this season, have also resisted the urge to make alterations.
Essex, one of the sides chasing Hampshire, have left-arm seamer Reece Topley back in the fold versus Glamorgan at the Essex County Ground.
Seamers Matt Salisbury, Tanveer Sikandar and Tom Moore have been retained to complete the seam triumvirate with Topley, while Monty Panesar offers the spin option.
Glamorgan will be keen to continue their excellent start, having tasted defeat just once in six games to sit third.
Second-placed Worcestershire, meanwhile, will travel to face a Surrey side bolstered by Hashim Amla’s availability.
Amla impressed in yesterday’s sprint-format win over Middlesex with 39 and will be aiming to prosper further in the longer form.
LV= County Championship Facts
- Northamptonshire are unbeaten in their last 14 home championship matches against Yorkshire, drawing six and winning eight.
- Ten of the last 12 toss-winners in championship matches at The BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground have elected to field. Six of those went on to win.
- Middlesex’s victory at Lord’s last season ended a run of six championship games against Durham without a win.
- Lancashire have lost one of their last 14 championship matches against Somerset, winning five and drawing eight in this time.
- James Taylor averages more against Sussex (78) than he does against any other county. He hit an unbeaten 204 in the last match between these teams at Trent Bridge in June 2013.
- Essex have lost one of their last 14 championship matches against Glamorgan, winning five and drawing eight.
- In five championship innings against Derbyshire James Vince has hit 256 runs at an average of 64. This season he has reached 50 seven times in 10 visits to the crease.
- Five of the last six championship meetings between Surrey and Worcestershire have been drawn, the latter winning the other encounter at New Road in 2010.
- Angus Robson has recorded four half-centuries in championship cricket this season; his other five innings have produced 20 runs.
- Saeed Ajmal has taken 45 wickets in 12 championship innings for Worcestershire, claiming five-wicket hauls on four occasions.