Anderson returns for Lancashire, Knight out for Warwickshire

Division One

Middlesex v Lancashire, Lord's
Lancashire have another rare opportunity to put James Anderson to good use, before England filch him for the rest of the summer. He has recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of the last two one-day matches, and returns to the team alongside Gary Keedy. Now that Phil Tufnell has fled to the jungle, Middlesex have struggled for spin options, but the young Pakistani legspinner, Imran Tahir, may be the answer to their problems. but the young Pakistani legspinner, Imran Tahir, may be the answer to their problems. Tahir plays for Norton-in-Hales in the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire League. Last season, he equalled the league record of 104 wickets, and in the process broke Norton's old record of 97... as held by a certain Sir Garfield Sobers. He impressed during Thursday's C&G victory against Northants, and is set to make his Championship debut.

Nottinghamshire v Surrey, Trent Bridge
Nottinghamshire may be sitting pretty at the top of the County Championship, but yesterday, had it not been for Paul Franks, they would have slumped to the most embarrassing defeat in their history - against Lincolnshire. Franks, however, won't be around to bail them out against Surrey. He has aggravated a calf strain. Surrey have a couple of injury worries themselves - they are waiting on the fitness of Ian Salisbury (finger) and Alex Tudor (knee). Even so, they remain confident enough to omit Graham Thorpe for the second match running.

Warwickshire v Sussex, Edgbaston
Sussex's Jason Lewry and Tony Cottey have both been passed fit after injuring themselves in the field during last week's win against Kent. Lewry will play despite breaking his nose on Carl Hopkinson, as he ran in to take (and hold) a catch, while Cottey's bruised thumb should not hamper him unduly. Warwickshire have been in prime batting form this season, but they will be without one of their linchpins, Nick Knight, who has undergone knee surgery and is replaced by Jonathan Trott. Watching from the Edgbaston stands will be the Kenyan legspinner, Collins Obuya, who is due to make his debut next week.

Division Two

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, Cardiff
Gloucestershire, top of the table and fresh from a 324-run annihilation of Buckinghamshire, are in prime form for their trip to Cardiff. They all but thrashed Durham in their last match (only for the weather to intervene) and the arrival of Jonty Rhodes has brought out the best in Tim Hancock, who blasted a career-best 135 in the C&G Trophy on Thursday. Glamorgan will be without their captain Steve James and Darren Thomas, both of whom have both undergone knee operations. Much will be resting on Matthew Maynard, with two Championship hundreds to his name already this term.

Yorkshire v Derbyshire, Headingley
Yorkshire have begun their Championship season in a fury after their humiliating relegation last season, and Derbyshire will be hard-pressed to resist them at Headingley. Michael Vaughan, with the grand total of 16 runs in three innings so far this season, will be determined to mark his appointment as England's one-day captain with a sizeable innings. Darren Gough, however, will be missing after tweaking his hamstring against Essex. Derbyshire have injury doubts surrounding Michael Di Venuto (hamstring) and Shahid Afridi (finger).

Tour match

Worcestershire v Zimbabweans, Worcester
Zimbabwe were eased into their tour of England - by opposition and protestors alike - with a ten-wicket victory over the British Universities, but the real test begins at New Road. Grant Flower, who has since spoken out in support of his brother's black-armband protest in the World Cup, scored a century in that opening match, and with the first Test just two weeks away, the onus is on Zimbabwe's lesser lights to follow his example - Flower is the only man in the party with a Test hundred to his name. South Africa's allrounder, Andrew Hall, makes his debut for Worcestershire, after returning from the tour of Bangladesh.

National League, Division Two

Scotland v Somerset, Edinburgh
Another anticlimax, or a rapid return to the form that saw off Durham in their inaugural fixture? Scotland were hammered back into their place by Marcus Trescothick in the C&G Trophy, and the sight of him marching out to pick up where he left off (103 from 70 balls) may be more than the Scottish bowlers can take.