Nick Compton will go head-to-head with his former team-mates at Somerset tomorrow when Middlesex make the trip to Taunton for the LV= County Championship Division One clash.
The 31-year-old spent five seasons at Somerset, where his heavy run-scoring was recognised by England, before opting to return to first county Middlesex during the winter.
Compton played a major part in his new side claiming an excellent draw in their opening game of the season, against Nottinghamshire, helping them bat out the final day with 85 off 217 deliveries.
The right-hander is included in a 13-man squad that also contains New Zealander James Franklin, set to make his debut, and Neil Dexter, fresh from impressing for the club’s second XI.
However, Dawid Malan is sidelined with a hand injury sustained in the field on the opening day of the campaign at Lord’s.
Middlesex, missing Eoin Morgan due to Indian Premier League commitments, have lost only one of their last 17 first-class games in Somerset since 1974 and come up against a side that were defeated by Durham on home soil in their first match.
The hosts have added young batsman Tom Abell and experienced seamer Alfonso Thomas to their ranks.
The latter, who broke an ankle while playing golf in the off season, is now fully fit after continuing his rehabilitation during a two-week coaching spell at IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils.
Leaders Sussex, with two wins from as many matches, are deprived of the services of six players for the visit to Emirates Durham ICG to play Durham.
Left-arm paceman Tymal Mills, a winter signing from Essex, suffered a back problem during the victory over Worcestershire and joins James Anyon,Lewis Hatchett,Matt Prior and Michael Yardy on the sidelines, the latter due to illness.
Chris Jordan is touring the West Indies with England, but Chris Nash returns to contention following a hamstring problem and is named in a party that also includes all-rounder Harry Finch and Steffan Piolet plus new signing Oliver Robinson.
Durham, having triumphed at Taunton, have named an unchanged squad and are still without England duo Ben Stokes and Mark Wood.
Veteran spinning all-rounder James Middlebrook is expected to make a shock second debut for defending champions Yorkshire, 14 seasons after his last appearance for the White Rose, as they welcome last season’s runners-up Warwickshire to Headingley.
The 37-year-old, released by Northamptonshire at the end of last term, has been drafted into a side lacking an experienced spinner with Adil Rashid on international duty, a move that sees young slow left-armer Karl Carver drop back into the seconds.
Leeds-born Middlebrook, who started his career with his native county, is added to a 12-man squad that is lacking the services of six players to England duty and injured seamer Ryan Sidebottom.
An injury Tim Ambrose sustained in the draw with Hampshire has ruled him out of the clash, meaning 20-year-old Pete McKay is handed an opportunity for Warwickshire.
Looking forward to playing with @midders07 again. He played in 01 when I made my debut. Made me feel at ease. Hoping to return the gesture.
— Tim Bresnan (@timbresnan) April 25, 2015
Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott remain with England while Chris Woakes is set for a spell of six weeks on the sidelines following knee surgery.
Nottinghamshire are without groin-injury victim Harry Gurney against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.
That means director of cricket Mick Newell can select from four seamers that have advanced through their ranks – Luke Fletcher,Jake Ball,Luke Wood and Brett Hutton.
Notts, also missing Stuart Broad, have drawn both their games while Hampshire have also yet to win on their return to the top flight.
Veteran seamer Andre Adams is set to line up against the side that he served so well for seven years.
Although Chris Wood returns to contention, overseas signing Jackson Bird is still unavailable due to a back injury.
Watch Jake Ball (@JakeBall30) ahead of Hampshire clash: http://t.co/cs34tKdO7U#HantsvNottspic.twitter.com/Opt81ZwYB3
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) April 25, 2015
LV= County Championship Division One facts
Durham v Sussex
* Durham have won the toss in nine of the last 10 Championship matches between these teams.
* Durham won one of their first 13 Championship fixtures against Sussex, but seven of their last 13 against them.
* Matt Machan scored 29.9% of Sussex’s runs against Worcestershire, the highest Championship team run percentage this season.
* Luke Wells is one of two players to take more than one number 11 wicket this season – Simon Kerrigan is the other.
* Ed Joyce is the third-highest Division One run-scorer since the start of 2010 - only Marcus Trescothick and James Hildreth have more.
Hampshire v Nottinghamshire
* Nottinghamshire have won three and drawn one of their last four Championship away games against Hampshire.
* Chris Read (1,130) and Sean Ervine (820) are the leading Championship run-scorers since the start of last season batting at number seven and lower.
* 91.7% of deliveries bowled by Will Smith so far this season have been dots, the highest percentage of anyone bowling more than one over.
* All 11 of James Tomlinson’s wickets so far have been batsmen batting in the top seven.
Samit Patel has taken the joint-most wickets LBW this season: four, level with Steven Patterson.
Somerset v Middlesex
* Since 1974 Middlesex have lost one of their 17 Championship away games against Somerset (won six, drawn 10)
* Since the start of 2010 Marcus Trescothick (5,440) is the only player to score more than 5,000 Division One runs. James Hildreth (4,970) is second on this list.
* Hildreth has scored 295 runs in his last three Championship innings against Middlesex, passing 50 each time.
* Somerset won three Championship home games in 2013 and 2014 combined, fewer than they did in just 2012 (four).
*Jamie Overton hit two Championship half-centuries batting at number 11 last season; no one else recorded more than one.
Yorkshire v Warwickshire
* Yorkshire have lost one of their last 13 Championship encounters with Warwickshire (won seven, drawn five).
* The champions have lost two of their last 33 matches (won 16, drawn 15).
* Since the start of 2012 Jack Brooks has taken 52 Championship wickets in 10 matches played in April.
* Varun Chopra has scored 498 runs in his last six Championship innings, at an average of 124.5.
* Since the start of last season Jeetan Patel is the only player to score at least 500 runs and take 60+ wickets in Division One.