England international Moeen Ali is hoping to end a fairytale summer by helping Worcestershire secure LV= County Championship promotion.
After enhancing his reputation on the world stage with an array of excellent performances for his country in all three formats, the all-rounder now turns his attention to the final two matches of the domestic campaign.
Division Two leaders Worcestershire sit seven points above Hampshire and 39 ahead of this week’s opponents Surrey in third, despite losing their last two games.
Ahead of the clash with Surrey at New Road from tomorrow, Moeen told the club’s official website: "We've had such a good season and hopefully we can finish well and hopefully get promoted.
"Surrey and Essex will be two tough games. But overall we've played really well this year and we deserve to be in this position we are in.
"If we can finish well, then we can start thinking about promotion - but until then we've just got to keep focused and do well."
Worcestershire, who travel to fourth-placed Essex during the final week of the campaign, have also added Brett D'Oliveira to their squad.
Surrey have included pacemen Matt Dunn and Jade Dernbach in their travelling party but Chris Tremlett and Dominic Sibley are sidelined with shoulder and thumb injuries respectively.
With Surrey only having an outside chance of promotion, they have resisted the temptation to select Kevin Pietersen.
Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart explained the reasoning to his club's official website, saying: "We discussed it, (head coach) Graham Ford and myself, the possibility of bringing Kevin in.
"But realistically, we've got just an outside chance of promotion.
"So it's better for the future of the club if we give the likes of an Aneesh Kapil or Arun Harinath two first-class games to gain more experience to see how they can progress - which will stand us in good stead for next season."
Ex-Worcestershire players Kapil, Vikram Solanki, Gareth Batty and Steven Davies could all play against their former employers this week.
Essex are looking to keep the pressure on the top three when they host Kent at the Essex County Ground.
Although Alastair Cook is unavailable for selection, Ravi Bopara returns for the final match of the Mike Denness Shield.
Essex, 44 points off the second promotion spot with a game in hand, could give a first-team debut to seamer Jamie Porter after the 21-year-old impressed for the club’s second XI.
James Tredwell is in Kent's squad along with fit-again Calum Haggett, but Robbie Joseph is sidelined with a back strain.
Derbyshire are aiming for a fourth consecutive four-day win when they visit the SWALEC Stadium to face Glamorgan.
COMMUNITY | Pujara and Madsen playing cricket with pupils from Dale Primary School today #P2bD https://t.co/BfVUUSEM80
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) September 8, 2014
India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, signed for the final three matches of the campaign, will get his first taste of county cricket in Wales.
Ahead of his debut, the 26-year-old told the club’s official website: “I’m looking forward to a good few weeks with Derbyshire.
“I’ve been to Derby before during India’s Test warm-up match in July. I love Derby because it’s a small town; there’s a quietness about it that I like.
“When I was here with India, we had a conversation about staying here to play and I am really happy that it has worked out.”
Gloucestershire batsman Will Tavare has his sights set on reaching 1,000 first-class runs when Leicestershire travel to Bristol.
The 24-year-old needs another 110 to complete the milestone in his debut season.
Injuries have ruled seamer James Fuller and club captain Michael Klinger out for the rest of the campaign.
Bottom-placed Leicestershire, without a win in 13 four-day matches this term, make the trip without the departing Nathan Buck.
The seamer, who will join Lancashire at the end of the current season after rejecting a new three-year contract to stay at Grace Road, has a foot problem.
SQUAD | From: Smith, Robson, Eckersley, Boyce, Redfern, Cobb, O’Brien, Taylor, Naik, Freckingham, Shreck, Sheikh, Wyatt
— Leicestershire CCC (@leicsccc) September 8, 2014
LV = County Championship Division Two facts
* Gloucestershire have won their last three championship games against Leicestershire – they last won four in a row against the Foxes between 1938 and 1949 (seven wins).
* Derbyshire have won their last five championship games against Glamorgan, their best ever winning streak against the Welsh county.
* Kent are unbeaten in their last nine championship visits to Essex (won five, drawn four), last losing in 1994.
* Six of the last seven championship matches between Worcestershire and Surrey have been drawn – the Pears won the other match, at New Road in 2010.
* Of batsmen to face at least 500 balls in championship cricket this season, Jason Roy has the second highest strike rate (82.7%) and lowest dot ball percentage (62%).