da blaze casino： Middlesex v Lancashire, Lord’s Lancashire have another rare opportunity to put James Anderson to gooduse, before England filch him for the rest of the summer
Wisden CricInfo staff08-May-2003Division OneMiddlesex v Lancashire, Lord’s
Lancashire have another rare opportunity to put James Anderson to gooduse, before England filch him for the rest of the summer. He has recoveredfrom 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 hasfled to the jungle, Middlesex have struggled for spin options, but theyoung Pakistani legspinner, Imran Tahir, may be the answer to theirproblems. 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 CountyChampionship, but yesterday, had it not been for Paul Franks, they wouldhave slumped to the most embarrassing defeat in their history – againstLincolnshire. Franks, however, won’t be around to bail them out againstSurrey. He has aggravated a calf strain. Surrey have a couple of injuryworries themselves – they are waiting on the fitness of Ian Salisbury(finger) and Alex Tudor (knee). Even so, they remain confident enough toomit Graham Thorpe for the second match running.Warwickshire v Sussex, Edgbaston
Sussex’s Jason Lewry and Tony Cottey have both been passed fit afterinjuring themselves in the field during last week’s win against Kent.Lewry will play despite breaking his nose on Carl Hopkinson, as he ran into take (and hold) a catch, while Cottey’s bruised thumb should not hamperhim unduly. Warwickshire have been in prime batting form this season, butthey will be without one of their linchpins, Nick Knight, who hasundergone knee surgery and is replaced by Jonathan Trott. Watching fromthe Edgbaston stands will be the Kenyan legspinner, Collins Obuya, who isdue to make his debut next week.Division TwoGlamorgan v Gloucestershire, Cardiff
Gloucestershire, top of the table and fresh from a 324-run annihilation ofBuckinghamshire, are in prime form for their trip to Cardiff. They all butthrashed 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. Glamorganwill be without their captain Steve James and Darren Thomas, both of whomhave both undergone knee operations. Much will be resting on MatthewMaynard, with two Championship hundreds to his name already this term.Yorkshire v Derbyshire, Headingley
Yorkshire have begun their Championship season in a fury after theirhumiliating relegation last season, and Derbyshire will be hard-pressed toresist them at Headingley. Michael Vaughan, with the grand total of 16runs in three innings so far this season, will be determined to mark hisappointment as England’s one-day captain with a sizeable innings. DarrenGough, however, will be missing after tweaking his hamstring againstEssex. Derbyshire have injury doubts surrounding Michael Di Venuto(hamstring) and Shahid Afridi (finger).Tour matchWorcestershire v Zimbabweans, Worcester
Zimbabwe were eased into their tour of England – by opposition andprotestors alike – with a ten-wicket victory over the BritishUniversities, but the real test begins at New Road. Grant Flower, who hassince spoken out in support of his brother’s black-armband protest in theWorld Cup, scored a century in that opening match, and with the first Testjust two weeks away, the onus is on Zimbabwe’s lesser lights to follow hisexample – Flower is the only man in the party with a Test hundred to hisname. South Africa’s allrounder, Andrew Hall, makes his debut forWorcestershire, after returning from the tour of Bangladesh.National League, Division TwoScotland v Somerset, Edinburgh
Another anticlimax, or a rapid return to the form that saw off Durham intheir inaugural fixture? Scotland were hammered back into their place byMarcus Trescothick in the C&G Trophy, and the sight of him marching out topick up where he left off (103 from 70 balls) may be more than theScottish bowlers can take.