Ryan Sidebottom will line up for the Notts Outlaws as they bid to finish their one-day season on a high with victory over Sussex Sharks in the NatWest Pro40.

NatWest Pro40 League Division One
Hove, Sept 16: Sussex Sharks v Notts Outlaws
Start time: 12.45pm

The left-arm seamer has not played any cricket since suffering a side strain during the third npower Test between England and India at the Oval in August.

Although he was initially named in the squad to travel to South Africa for the ICC World Twenty20, Dimitri Mascarenhas took his place on the plane when Sidebottom’s intended comeback game for Notts against Lancashire in the Pro40 was washed-out.

The 29-year-old received some compensation for that disappointment after being named in the one-day squad to tour Sri Lanka next month, as well as being awarded a 12-month central contract.

He said: “I think England didn’t want to risk me at the Twenty20 without having got any match practice under my belt.

“With Andrew Flintoff’s ankle a concern, they probably wanted Mascarenhas in as an extra all-rounder.

“It was a bit of a disappointment but the central contract has more than made up for it. Now I’m looking to play at the weekend and against Somerset in the Championship to prove my fitness - and help Notts finish the season with promotion.”

Notts and Sussex are competing with Hampshire and Lancashire for second place in the competition behind Worcestershire, who were crowned as champions this week.

The Outlaws have the best run-rate of the four but will need Hampshire to lose to Lancashire while themselves beating Sussex to claim the runners-up spot, as the Hawks are a point ahead.

Lancashire would then finish behind Notts in the table, as they would have fewer wins from their eight games.

Squad:
Swann, Jefferson, Fleming (capt), Wagh, Patel, Shafayat, Read (wkt), Adams, Ferley, Sidebottom, Shreck, Clough.