Lehmann 'excited' by challenge of high-flying Northants taking on champions-elect Durham
Darren Lehmann says he is 'excited' by the challenge of Northants taking on Rothesay County Championship Division Two leaders Durham at the cinch County Ground on Wednesday (start 10.30am).
It's third hosting the frontrunners as the battle for promotion to the top tier of English cricket reaches the home straight, and the head coach can't wait for the action to get going.
Durham are looking certainties for the title as with four games to go they lead the way by 40 points, but beneath them second-placed Kent and Northants are neck and neck on 151 points, and there is everything to play for.
The County have named an unchanged 16-man squad for the clash, with Durham heading south protecting an unbeaten record in four-day cricket this season.
Former England captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes is expected to feature, as could international fast bowlers Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse, while the north east county have added India Test batter Mayank Agarwal to their line-up for the final four games.
He replaces the division's leading run-scorer David Bedingham, who has had to return to South Africa.
They are a formidable unit and were six-wicket winners against Northants when the teams met in June.
Durham have won seven and drawn three of their matches to date, and Lehmann is looking forward to seeing how his side shape up against them on home soil.
"I am excited to test ourselves against one of the best teams in the competition, if not on the county circuit," said the Australian. "They have played brilliant cricket all year.
"We competed pretty well when we played them up there, and now we get to play them at home so I am looking forward to the next four days.
"The pitch will be a good one, and it will be a good cricket wicket."
On the team news for the game, Lehmann added: "We have had a couple of days off, so it is the same squad.
"We just have to work out what to with the side come Wednesday morning and we will have a final look at the wicket.
"We have given the guys two days to refresh and get ready for another hard four days."
The match will be the last one for Nathan McSweeney in a Northants shirt this summer, as he heads back to Australia for international duty next week.
The 27-year-old has been called into the Australia A squad to tour India.
Northants squad v Durham: Luke Procter (c), George Bartlett, Yuzi Chahal, Liam Guthrie, Calvin Harrison, Louis Kimber, Lewis McManus (wk), Nathan McSweeney, Stuart van der Merwe, Gus Miller, James Sales, Ben Sanderson, George Scrimshaw, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Raphy Weatherall, Saif Zaib