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Essex have named a 13-man squad for their LV County Championship match against Worcestershire at New Road, starting on Friday.

Fast bowler Maurice Chambers is added to the squad for the first time this season, having missed much of last season with a stress fracture in his back.

Tim Phillips (knee) is the only absentee due to injury.

PRE-MATCH COMMENTS
First-Team Coach Paul Grayson

On Maurice Chambers (who could play his first Championship match since his debut at home to Derbyshire in June 2005)

“We feel with Maurice that we want to get him back involved in and around the first-team set-up because he shows a lot of potential. We are not sure if he will play at Worcester but if the pitch shows signs of being uneven and a bit up and down then he may come in. Maurice gives us another option.”

On recent form after salvaging a draw when nine wickets down at home to Leicestershire and two subsequent defeats in the Friends Provident Trophy

“Confidence is still good. We’ve had a tough game against Leicestershire (in the last drawn Championship fixture) who are a strong side, but we remain there or thereabouts in the table. Yes, you could argue we were on the wrong side of that draw but a lot of determination was shown to get that draw, as has been shown throughout the season so far. We’ve played ok overall - and have won two out of four in the Championship – but there’s more to come. Worcestershire are a good side so with them and Middlesex to come in the next fortnight I should know more about the team at the end of that period. It would be a great boost if we could head into the Twenty20 Cup at the top of the Championship table.”

MILESTONES
(All First-class):

Ravinder Bopara 3826 runs
Danish Kaneria  970 runs
Danish Kaneria 641 wickets
Ravinder Bopara 46 catches
Mark Pettini 44 catches
Danish Kaneria 44 catches

ONLINE AND RADIO COVERAGE
BBC Essex – our official broadcast partner - will be providing live ball-by-ball commentary of the game from 11.00am on Friday morning. You can access the commentary via the Essex CCC website by CLICKING HERE or athttp://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/realmedia/cricket_commentary.ram from the start of the match.

Essex squad to play Worcestershire in the LV County Championship at New Road
(Friday May 30 to Monday June 2)
Jason Gallian, Tom Westley, Varun Chopra, Ravinder Bopara, Mark Pettini, James Foster,Ryan ten Doeschate, James Middlebrook, Alex Tudor, David Masters, Tony Palladino,
Danish Kaneria, Maurice Chambers.