Duo return but key player ruled out as Northants face crunch clash at Derbyshire

It's rock-bottom hosting second-bottom at the County Ground in Derby, and Northants head coach John Sadler has named a 14-man squad for the trip.

As well as key pair White and Keogh returning from injury, the club has also retained the services of left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White from Nottinghamshire.

The 25-year-old was signed on a one-match loan from Trent Bridge ahead of last week's defeat to Gloucestershire, with the club stating the move was made to cover Keogh's absence.

But despite Keogh's return, he has been kept on for another game after impressing in last week's loss at Wantage Road, claiming five wickets in the match.

Also added to the squad are all-rounder Justin Broad and left-arm seamer Michael Finan, while vice-captain and wicket-keeper Lewis McManus misses the trip as he is about to become a father for the first time.

That means Ricardo Vasconcelos will keep wicket, as well as open the batting.

Former Derbyshire fast bowler George Scrimshaw is also named in the squad, and could line up against his former team-mates.

If White plays it will be his first appearance of the campaign after suffering an ankle injury in pre-season in March, while Keogh has missed the past threee matches with his back issue.

The match at Derby is a crucial one for both sides, with Sadler admitting his side need to start winning soon if they are to launch a promotion bid this summer.

Northants have drawn four and lost one of their opening five fixtures to sit second bottom, but they are only 11 points adrift of second-placed Middlesex, and 21 adrift of leaders Sussex.

The County take on Derbyshire this weekend and then host Yorkshire at the County Ground ahead of the break for the Vitality T20 Blast, and the head coach admits his team has to win at least one of those encounters.

“It’s important to get something out of the next couple of games against Derbyshire and Yorkshire for a couple of reasons,” said Sadler.

"One is momentum to take us into the T20, but also, if we're going to mount a challenge and be there or thereabouts in September, we've got get a win under our belts, certainly in these next two.”

Derbyshire squad v Northants: Lloyd (c), Chappell, Conners, Dal, Donald, Dupavillon, Guest, Lamb, Madsen, Reece, Thomson, Tickner, Whiteley

Northants squad v Derbyshire: Procter (c), Bartlett, Broad, Finan, Gay, Kaul, Keogh, Nair, Patterson-White, Sanderson, Scrimshaw, Vasconcelos, White, Zaib