Somerset can call on Jack Leach and Craig Overton for Essex clash

Somerset are due to face Essex at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton from Thursday, and will be buoyed by the eligibility of the pair

ECB central contract holders Jack Leach and Craig Overton have been made available to Somerset for the second round of the LV= Insurance County Championship.

Somerset are due to face Essex at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton from Thursday, and will be buoyed by the eligibility of the pair.

The West Country outfit were comprehensively beaten in their opening encounter of the campaign, dispatched in just eight sessions by Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

^{Jack Leach is available to Somerset against Essex}

The performance was described by Somerset captain Tom Abell as lacking "backbone and fight", but the returning Leach and Overton should go some way to ensuring the county is more competitive second time around.

England management will continue to allow several other central contract holders to take part in the four-day competition elsewhere.

Rory Burns, Ollie Pope and Sam Curran are all permitted to feature against Hampshire at the Kia Oval - Curran is not cleared to bowl, however.

Zak Crawley is expected to come into the Kent team after sitting out the draw at Essex despite being made available by the ECB, while Dom Bess and Dawid Malan are at Yorkshire's disposal.

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• Tom Abell questions Somerset's mentality after Hampshire defeat: "We haven’t shown enough backbone or fight"