Derbyshire to be boosted by Abbas return for Championship clash against Northants
Derbyshire are set to be boosted by the return of Pakistan seam bowler Mohammad Abbas for their Rothesay County Championship Division Two trip to Northants on Tuesday (Sept 15).
Abbas was named Pakistan's player of the series in their emphatic 3-0 defeat to England after claiming 13 wickets, with the third Test ending on Saturday Edgbaston.
And Derbyshire head coach Mickey Arthur has confirmed the 36-year-old has made himself available for the final two four-day games of the summer - starting with this week's trip to the cinch County Ground.
Abbas played five times for Derbyshire earlier in the summer, claiming 11 wickets, and is now set to line up for the east midlands county again.
"My mouth waters as to the attack we could be putting out," said Arthur following his side's dramatic win over Kent on Friday.
"Mohammad Abbas, when I asked him about the last two games, he was straight in, which is testament to his commitment to us as a county.
"So I am really excited.
"This season we have lost games that we should have won, which has been frustrating, but we are getting there.
"We are incredibly ambitious as a squad and as players, and the win over Kent will go a long way in building the confidence for us to nail those big moments."
Derbyshire secured the win over Kent with just 15 balls of the match remaining, with pace bowler Brett Randall the hero in the end, claiming the final wicket of Hasan Mahmud in the 96th over of the innings.
The scalp was the New Zealander's third wicket of the innings, and his 14th in his three matches since signing for Derbyshire.
"We got a very good one there, and I can't fault Brett's attitude, commitment and skill, he has been top class and done a wonderful job for us," said Arthur.
"He continually asks questions of batsmen, and is incredibly good in the dressing room. He has been exemplary."
Derbyshire will arrive at Wantage Road sitting fifth in the division two table, having won four and lost six of their 12 matches. They are 40 points adrift of second-placed Northants.
The County have a narrow two-point lead over third-placed Kent, who end the season with two home games against the bottom two - starting with Tuesday's Canterbury date with Lancashire.
They then finish their season by hosting rock-bottom Gloucestershire on September 24, when Northants will travel to Lord's to take on Middlesex.