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Shah: England Lions duty

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• Essex
• Middlesex

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• Owais Shah

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Essex are without seam bowler David Masters for the visit of Middlesex to Chelmsford.

Masters is absent due to a family illness and his place is likely to be taken by Chris Wright, who faces the prospect of playing against his former county.

South African paceman Andre Nel returns after being rested for the tour match against New Zealand, while centrally contracted opening batsman Alastair Cook continues his search for form ahead of the first Test on May 15.

In-form middle-order batsman Ravinder Bopara is away on England Lions duty and could be replaced by Grant Flower.

Shah unavailable

Middlesex are without influential batsman Owais Shah as they go in search of their first County Championship win of the season.

Shah scored 116 and 50 against Leicestershire in Middlesex's opening-day defeat, but he will join Bopara at the Rose Bowl for the England Lions' fixture against New Zealand.

Fast bowler Chris Silverwood is still laid low by a knee injury, so his place in the 12-man squad is taken by Danny Evans.

Shaun Udal is named as the only frontline spinner and South African all-rounder Vernon Philander is in line to make his Championship debut.

England batsman Andrew Strauss is named in the Middlesex squad, nine days before the first Test against the Black Caps gets under way at Lord's. Nick Compton and Chris Peplow are on stand-by.