By Rob Barnett
Hampshire have named an unchanged squad as they seek to secure the second LV= County Championship promotion spot that they currently occupy.
Jimmy Adams’ side face Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium from tomorrow, knowing 15 points will guarantee top-flight cricket next year.
Given third-placed Essex play title-chasing Worcestershire, albeit at the Essex County Ground, fewer points may suffice.
Hampshire are the only team who can deny already-promoted Worcestershire the Division Two crown, trailing the leaders by 18 points.
Opening batsman Michael Carberry is again missing for the south-coast side, who were last week held to a draw by Kent, due to a hand injury.
Hampshire first team coach Dale Benkenstein said: “It’s a great feeling going into your last match with everything to play for – it’s why you play the game.
“There is no guarantee that we are going to win but we just need to make sure we play good cricket and hopefully that will give us a good chance.
“We have to go about it like it’s just another game. There is a lot riding on this game but one match doesn’t determine whether you are a good side or not.
“All of the things we have done well all season will hopefully continue in this game and the result will look after itself.”
Worcestershire are without New Zealand international Mitchell McClenaghan, who has returned to his homeland due to the death of his father.
Fellow seamer Chris Russell is added to the Pears’ squad along with spinner Brett D’Oliveira.
Essex, who have won five of their last six championship games, have added spinner Matt Salisbury to the squad that beat Leicestershire in two days last week.
Essex head coach Paul Grayson said: "Six weeks ago, if someone had suggested that this would be the situation we would find ourselves in, we would have been delighted to accept it.”
Fifth-placed Kent can overtake Surrey, who are not playing this week, to finish fourth. They take on Gloucestershire at the Spitfire Ground but must make do without captain Rob Key and fellow batsman Ben Harmison due to groin and knee injuries respectively. Sam Northeast will therefore lead the team.
Alex Gidman is set to make his last Gloucestershire appearance before leaving for Worcestershire. His brother Will Gidman, who is joining Nottinghamshire, is sideline by a shin injury.
Derbyshire have announced an unchanged squad, including fit-again Tony Palladino who missed last week’s victory over Surrey, to tackle winless Leicestershire.
Leicestershire include Matt Boyce, Neil Pinner, Tom Wells, Ben Raine and James Sykes after they aided a second XI treble last week.
LV= County Championship facts
*Leicestershire have played 31 matches since their last away victory in the championship (drawn 16, lost 15). Their last win on the road was at Northamptonshire, in their final away game of 2010.
*Essex have won their last four championship games – they last won five in a row in 2002, when they triumphed in their final five fixtures to win Division Two.
*Hampshire have won 12 and drawn seven of their last 19 championship matches against Glamorgan.
*Gloucestershire have lost one of their last eight championship games against Kent, winning four and drawing three.
*Three players have scored at least 500 runs and taken at least 25 wickets in this season’s championship at a batting average above 30 and bowling average below 30: James Middlebrook, Andrew Hall and Rob Taylor.
*Since the start of 2012 only Jim Allenby and Darren Stevens have scored at least 2,000 championship runs and taken at least 100 wickets. Andrew Hall needs 40 runs and five wickets to become the third player to achieve this feat.