The LV= County Championship Division One title could be decided this week when leaders Yorkshire travel to Trent Bridge to face second-placed Nottinghamshire.
The White Rose took advantage of Notts’ loss to Durham last week by comfortably defeating Roses rivals Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford to extend their lead at the top to 26 points with two matches remaining.
A fourth consecutive victory or a strong draw for the Tykes in front of the Sky Sports cameras in Nottingham this week will secure their first four-day crown since 2001.
To take the title race beyond this week Notts need to collect three more points than the visitors.
Yorkshire opening batsman Alex Lees told the club’s official website: “For us, playing Nottinghamshire is the ideal scenario.
“We know a good draw or win at Trent Bridge, we’d rather do it with the latter, will see us home in the title race and we don’t have to look anywhere else.
“All we need to do is concentrate on our game against the team closest to us in the table.
“If you were playing another team, you could be forgiven for having one eye on what Notts were doing elsewhere.
“We’ve hammered away all season. It’s been our philosophy from April to September.
. @timbresnan requires two wickets for a career total of 400. He is in the squad for @TrentBridge #YCCC pic.twitter.com/VqiXFDQ1ip
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) September 8, 2014
“We’ve concentrated on each session, each over. We’ve got eight days of cricket left and I’m sure if we keep doing that we’ll be there.”
Yorkshire are boosted by the availability of England pair Gary Ballance and Joe Root, the latter skippering the side in the absence of banned club captain Andrew Gale.
Kane Williamson is absent due to T20 Champions League commitments with Northern Knights but Tim Bresnan is included in a 13-man squad despite injury ruling him out of England’s NatWest International T20 with India at Edgbaston yesterday.
England trio Alex Hales, Harry Gurney and James Taylor, who was unused in Birmingham, are expected to play for Nottinghamshire.
However, Andre Adams - who has signed a short-term contract with Hampshire next season - has played his last match for the county after injury ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
Notts director of cricket Mick Newell told the club's official website: “We’re very focused on this game.
“There’s a chance for us to get back into the title race and our job is to win our next two games to make sure Yorkshire have to win their last match.
“The weather looks fair so there’s every chance of a positive result after four days of cricket."
At the other end of the table, second-bottom Lancashire’s survival hopes are enhanced by the availability of Jos Buttler and James Anderson for the game against Sussex at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground.
The Red Rose, 12 points adrift of Middlesex and Durham having played a game more, slipped to their first Roses defeat in 16 matches last week and have since been rocked by the retirement of seamer Kyle Hogg.
Sussex are 16 points above their opponents in fifth and can call on England all-rounder Chris Jordan.
Middlesex and Durham are aiming to pull clear of Glen Chapple’s side when they go head-to-head at Lord’s.
Victory for either side coupled with a defeat for Lancashire will be enough to retain their Division One status for another campaign.
Durham, the 2013 champions, are finishing the season in fine fettle after beating Notts both in their last championship outing and the Royal London One-Day Cup semi-finals.
England international Ben Stokes was key to the latter triumph on Saturday, blasting a brutal 164 off just 113 deliveries to set up a Lord’s final with Warwickshire on September 20, and he is included in a 13-man party.
Mark Wood and Usman Arshad are due to play for the club’s second XI this week while Graham Onions, Gavin Main and Jamie Harrison are still sidelined.
Middlesex can call on the services of Steven Finn and Eoin Morgan for their final home game of the campaign.
Third-placed Warwickshire will be looking to continue the momentum generated from their recent limited-overs exploits when they host already-relegated Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.
The NatWest T20 Blast champions and Royal London One-Day Cup finalists welcome back all-rounder Chris Woakes from international duty, although his England team-mate Ian Bell is sidelined with a broken toe.
Bottom-of-the-table Northants have yet to win a top-flight match this term, losing 10 of their 13 contests.
Northants squad - Peters, Middlebrook, Kettleborough, Keogh, Coetzer, Rossington, Duckett, Hall, Willey, Wagner, White, Azharullah.
— Northants Cricket (@NorthantsCCC) September 8, 2014
LV = County Championship Division One facts
* The nine championship meetings between Middlesex and Durham at Lord’s have produced five home wins, one for Durham and three draws.
* Nottinghamshire have lost two of their last 12 championship fixtures at Trent Bridge (won five, drawn five). One of these defeats was against Yorkshire.
* Lancashire are unbeaten in their last seven championship matches at Hove (won three, drawn four).
* Warwickshire have won six, drawn four and lost one of their last 11 championship fixtures against Northamptonshire. They won this season’s earlier meeting by an innings and 105 runs.
* Since the start of 2010, only one player has hit at least 2,000 runs and taken more than 200 wickets: Chris Woakes. He averages 40 with the bat and 22.1 with the ball in this time.