Napier returns for needy Essex

Essex have key all-rounder Graham Napier available for the first time in this season’s LV= County Championship campaign.

Despite making Kent follow-on in their last match, Essex somehow contrived to lose by 192 runs at Chelmsford. But first-team coach Paul Grayson keeps faith with much the same squad for their next Division Two match.

Napier, who played a solitary match for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, made an instant impression for his county in the weekend’s Friends Provident Trophy matches, with unbeaten knocks of 42 and 28. He also took 3-35 versus Derbyshire.

Napier comes in for Alastair Cook, away with England for the first npower Test against West Indies at Lord’s.

Matt Walker looks set to keep his place, 37 runs short of 10,000 career first-class runs. Opener John Maunders (back) remains sidelined.

Grayson said: “We played well against Kent apart from a session and a half where we did not take our chances.

“Now we have Napier in the side we have renewed confidence, with the extra bit of quality that he brings.

Graham Napier, here seen in the 2008 FP Trophy final, has returned from the Indian Premier League in South Africa

“We have named a strong 13-man squad for the visit to Northants and are confident going into the game.

“By winning yesterday against Derbyshire it shows the character of the players in what was potentially a tricky game.

“We have no divine right to win every game, unfortunately against Glamorgan a few mistakes proved costly for us. There is a thin margin of error in this game with (Mark) Cosgrove being dropped when on a low score. I am really pleased with the response of the players.”

Northamptonshire are set to hand a championship debut to seamer Lee Daggett.

Daggett has bowled economically in three FP Trophy matches for the Steelbacks since joining from Warwickshire, and now had a chance to impress in the longer form of the game.

“Lee certainly deserves his chance because he has bowled well when afforded the opportunity,” Northants head coach David Capel told ecb.co.uk.

The only other expected change from Northants’ defeat to Gloucestershire sees Mark Nelson replace Alex Wakely.

But Northants' final selection depends on whether Monty Panesar is picked in England's XI to face West Indies in the first npower Test of the summer at Lord’s, which starts simultaneous to the championship game.

Northants remain without key trio Stephen Peters (thumb), David Sales and Johan van der Wath (both knee).