Former South Africa batsman Neil McKenzie is set to play for Hampshire for the first time this season when Kent visit the Ageas Bowl in the LV= County County Championship tomorrow.
McKenzie, pictured, has been resting a persistent knee niggle since helping Highveld Lions win South Africa’s domestic Twenty20 competition in early April. Among a 12-man squad he replaces Michael Roberts, who came in for George Bailey during last week’s draw with Division Two leaders Northamptonshire. Australia batsman Bailey remains on international duty.
Fifth-placed Hampshire also welcome back wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Wheater, who has overcome a side injury and replaces Michael Bates. Dimitri Mascarenhas continues to be rested for four-day cricket.
Bottom side Kent are again without skipper James Tredwell, who is part of England’s Champions Trophy squad, with Geraint Jones retaining the captaincy.
Northants are missing injured batsman Rob Newton as they host third-placed Worcestershire at Wantage Road.
Newton sustained an ankle problem during Sunday’s Yorkshire Bank 40 win over Kent Spitfires. Rob Keogh will take his place in the middle order.
That is set to be the only change from the Hampshire draw with Australian seamer Trent Copeland, who has taken 27 wickets in six championship contests, leading the attack for the last time before returning home.
Glamorgan, who are sixth in Division Two, have named an unchanged squad from last week’s rain-ruined draw with Leicestershire for the game with seventh-placed Gloucestershire at Bristol.
Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire are shorn of England players for their Division One match at Scarborough.
The White Rose will be without Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan and Joe Root while Notts are missing Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann.
Second-placed Yorkshire have made two changes from the squad that drew with Somerset last week, in-form batsman Alex Lees replacing Joe Sayers and Iain Wardlaw coming in for Taunton 12th man Ben Coad. Seamers Jack Brooks and Liam Plunkett remain sidelined.
Notts, who sit fifth, are set to name the side that was held to a draw by Sussex yesterday.
Third-placed Middlesex, who play Somerset today in the YB40, will be minus England duo Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn for the meeting with leaders Sussex at Lord’s.
They can call on Ireland’s Tim Murtagh and Paul Stirling, who missed their last championship outing - a draw with Durham - due to international duty.
Warwickshire, who lie sixth, must make do without England trio Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott and Chris Woakes versus second-from-bottom Surrey at Guildford.