New round of games in CricInfo Championship

A new round of CricInfo Championship games sees several fascinating clashes in both divisions.

In the division one clash at Headingley Yorkshire play host to a much-changed Somerset side.

Though both teams will be boosted by their Test stars, including the England opening attack of Caddick and Gough, Somerset will miss Peter Bowler who is busy with his university studies and Keith Parsons who has a knee injury. Also absent will be new fast bowler, Richard Johnson, who is suffering from a side strain.

Johnson had started the season in the sort of fine form that attracted the national selectors a few years ago, but in a story that has mirrored much of his career, injury has intervened at an inopportune time.

"Somerset are a pretty good all-round side. They've got good players in Trescothick, Caddick and Cox," admitted David Byas, the Yorkshire captain. "We've got them at home, which is to our advantage; but they're a very capable team and we'll look at them very closely."

But he was confident his side could do well: "We're looking to win the game and take maximum points," said Byas, who has added Simon Widdup to the Yorkshire XI.

Jamie Cox, the Somerset skipper was equally full of respect for his opponents: "Yorkshire are all very solid. Both sides are at full strength as far as England availability goes."

James Ormond (hamstring) and Neil Burns (groin) are doubts for Leicestershire who meet Lancashire at Grace Road. Skipper Vince Wells was quick to identify the main threats for his team: "Muralitharan is a major threat in the four-day game, and Athers (Michael Atherton) will be looking to get into a bit of form before the Tests start."

Neil Fairbrother is back for the visitors, but Flintoff is expected to miss another couple of weeks following his side injury.

Elsewhere Northamptonshire host Surrey. Steve Coverdale, Northants' chief executive, admitted that his team faced a stern challenge in the coming days.

"In our first two games, we played the two teams which were promoted with us (Glamorgan and Essex)," he explained. "Now we're up with the big boys, we've got Surrey, Yorkshire and Lancashire in our next three games. Surrey have got more than 11 outstanding players."

Surrey are not taking the encounter lightly however. Their coach, Alan Butcher, expects spin to play a significant part in the game and is wary of their opponents home-record. "Northants had a good year last year at home, where their pitches turned," he said. "Their overseas player (Michael) Hussey looks in good nick at the moment and has scored runs already."

Meanwhile, in the second division, Notts will be missing several players for their journey to Sussex. Andrew Harris, Jason Gallian, Richard Logan and John Morris all miss out for the visitors.

Durham are similarly troubled by injuries to Daley, Speak, Brown and overseas player Martin Love who is nursing a bruised thumb. All four are unfit for the encounter with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

James Hamblin and Irfan Shah stand-by for Hampshire with Shaun Udal a doubt. He will undergo a fitness test prior to the game against Worcestershire, for whom Paul Pollard is unavailable.

Gloucestershire's key overseas player, Ian Harvey, is hoping to have recovered from a blow on the chest that adversely affected his breathing and is looking to take his place in the side to play Middlesex.