Ramprakash tipped to do well

Mark Ramprakash will put his disappointing form behind him when he plays for Middlesex against Somerset in tomorrow's fourth round NatWest Trophy match at Southgate. That is the opinion of Mike Gatting, his former captain, who in his own career had undergone a similar crisis. A good score at Southgate will go some way to restoring his confidence.

The Middlesex player's England place is under pressure again after scores of 0 and 2 in the Lord's Test Match against West Indies. His attempt to re-create a new role for himself at the top of the innings has come under threat from Michael Vaughan return to the fold after injury. The home county must have high hopes of success after the 128-runs caning they handed Nottinghamshire in the previous round. Somerset are a competent team, but Middlesex have a very good chance of winning, as Gatting said.

Michael Gough, the England A tourist in Bangladesh and New Zealand during the off season, has recovered from a back injury and is likely to open for Durham against Hampshire where he will come up against Shane Warne. His half-century for the county's 2nd XI yesterday has shown that he has got over the injury sustained in January. He is in Durham's 15-man party from whom the final selection will be made.

Dominic Cork will be still on a high from his Lord's success when he leads Derbyshire away to Yorkshire. He is keen to show that what he can do for his country he can do also for his county. Derbyshire cricket manager Colin Wells appreciated Cork's role a high-class bowler and a batsman and his importance in restoring the county's confidence in taking on the more favoured Warwickshire side. For Derbyshire Matt Cassar has joined Paul Aldred and Rob Bailey on the lengthening casualty list. Nick Knight's injury sustained at Lord's keeps him out of the Warwickshire eleven, but in spite of his own rib-problem Allan Donald is expected to play.

Yorkshire take a strong team to Northampton. Michael Vaughan, Darren Gough, Matthew Hoggard and Craig White from the successful side at Lord's are complemented by allrounder Gavin Hamilton's return to fitness. It is often said that when Yorkshire's cricket is strong so, too, is England's - a maxim that is underlined by the presence of so many international representatives in the county's side.

Andy Flintoff and Nasser Hussain will be the main injury problems for Lancashire and Essex respectively - though in the England captain's case he will definitely not play.

Graham Thorpe will rest his injured calf before his return to the England squad later in the week, and thereby misses Surrey's match against Sussex. There is better news for Kent as James Hockley has reported fit after being out over a month for the encounter with Glamorgan at Canterbury.