White in for Berg as Northamptonshire make one change for Surrey trip

Northamptonshire seamer Jack WhiteNorthamptonshire seamer Jack White
Northamptonshire seamer Jack White
Seam bowler Jack White replaces the rested Gareth Berg in the Northamptonshire squad for their LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash against Surrey at the Kia Oval that starts on Thursday morning (11am).

White has been in good form for the second team in recent weeks, claiming five wickets in last week's comprehensive win over Leicestershire, and then taking four for 27 from 14 overs in the first innings of this week's ongoing clash with Worcestershire.

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The 30-year-old has yet to make a first team appearance this season, but he replaces the rested Berg and has made the trip to London.

The call up for White is the only change to the 13-man squad that travellled to Chelmsford for the draw with Essex last weekend - a match in which the bowling attack bowled 225 overs straight over the final two days and a bit in a bid to force victory.

The squad was given Monday and Tuesday off following those exertions, and travelled down to London on Wednesday, with Berg the one to miss out this week under the club's rest and rotation policy.

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"Jack has been bowling beautifully all season really, and he has been a bit unfortunate not to play," said head coach John Sadler.

"But bowling is hard work, the body wasn't built for fast bowling, and we have to try and manage that as best we can in what is a tough season.

"So it is nice that when it is the time to do that we have somebody like Jack in good form.

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"So we will assess conditions on Thursday morning and see what the best team looks like.

"The players fielded for 220-odd overs and it takes it out of you, so for them to have had a couple of days off to spend with their families was important I think."

Northants will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten start the season, having drawn against Gloucestershire, Yorkshire and Essex.

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Surrey are currently top of the division one table having won two and drawn two of their four fixtures to date, and they have named a star-studded 15-man squad for the date with the County.

England wicket-keeper Ben Foakes returns to the squad, having recovered from a stiff back that kept him out of the draw against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

He replaces Jamie Smith, who is recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained whilst scoring a double-hundred last week.

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Opener Rory Burns captains a squad that also includes fellow England Test stars Ollie Pope and Sam Curran, as well as former South Africa star Hashim Amla, New Zealand Test all-rounder Colin De Grandhomme and England white-ball fast bowler Reece Topley.

Northamptonshire squad to face Surrey: Ricardo Vasconcelos (c), Josh Cobb, Emilio Gay, Matt Kelly, Rob Keogh, Simon Kerrigan, Lewis McManus (wk), Luke Procter, Ben Sanderson, Tom Taylor, Jack White, Will Young, Saif Zaib

Surrey squad v Northants: Rory Burns (C), Hashim Amla, Gus Atkinson, Jordan Clark, Sam Curran, Colin De Grandhomme, Ben Foakes, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Ryan Patel, Ollie Pope, Cameron Steel, Reece Topley, Amar Virdi, Dan Worrall