Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell will include James Taylor in the team to face Somerset in the LV= County Championship from Friday if he isn’t selected in the England team to face Australia in the third Investec Ashes Test.
Taylor has been away from his Nottinghamshire teammates preparing for the pivotal fixture for the past week and will surrender his place to fit-again Riki Wessels if he is called on by his country.
Nottinghamshire have produced exceptional form in limited overs cricket this season but have been patchy with the red ball, a situation that Newell is keen to address.
“There have been three career-best batting performances this season but we have lacked a bit of consistency and the absolute priority has to be to take 20 wickets in a match." Mick Newell
“We’ve had some reflection on where things have slipped in the championship and it comes down to every member of the squad needing to pull together,” said Newell.
“There are lots of ideas coming from within the squad as to the best method for us to improve but the simple fact is that we need to win more matches.
“There have been three career-best batting performances this season but we have lacked a bit of consistency and the absolute priority has to be to take 20 wickets in a match.
“Losing Andre Adams to injury early in the season hasn’t helped because he’s been our best bowler in recent years but we need others to step up and take wickets.”
Adams is included in a 14-man squad that also features Graeme White hinting at a possible change to the balance of the side if two spinners are selected.
“Graeme’s selection will come down to conditions but, aside from Harry Gurney who is playing regularly in all formats, we have a fresh bowling unit with Ajmal Shahzad, Luke Fletcher and Andre Adams having time to recover recently,” said Newell.
“We’ve allowed ourselves to another mid-season lull in the championship and we need to recover from that and win matches.”
The match begins at 11am on Friday at Taunton.
Nottinghamshire team to face Somerset (from): Alex Hales, Steven Mullaney, Michael Lumb, Riki Wessels, Samit Patel, David Hussey, Chris Read, Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme White, Luke Fletcher, Andre Adams, Harry Gurney, Jake Ball, James Taylor