Rookie duo in Northants squad

By Paul Bolton

Northamptonshire have included rookies Ben Howgego and Christian Davis in their squad for tomorrow’s LV= County Championship match against Essex at Wantage Road.

Opening batsman Howgego has recovered from a back injury and has been brought into a 13-man squad as possible opening partner for Stephen Peters if Northamptonshire decide to move James Middlebrook back to his customary middle order position.

Davis, a 19-year-old all-rounder, has yet to play a first-class match but he has been brought into the squad as a possible replacement for captain Andrew Hall who has been ruled out with a new calf injury.

Northamptonshire are also missing South African slow left-armer Con de Lange who has a back injury but they will welcome back seamers Jack Brooks and Chaminda Vaas. Brooks has recovered from a sore back which he suffered playing against Kent at Canterbury last month.

Former Sri Lanka left armer Vaas returns for the first time in a month having finally recovered from a thigh strain. Vaas’s return to fitness is well-timed as Northamptonshire regard him as a key member of their Friends Life t20 squad.

Seamer Oli Stone, who made his first-class debut in the draw against Yorkshire at Headingley, drops out of the squad and David Murphy is again preferred to Niall O’Brien as wicketkeeper.


Date: 05/06/2012 20:51:28 by Paul Bolton
In: Today | Northamptonshire |