Samit Patel and Graeme Swann will return to the Notts Outlaws team to face Middlesex in Sunday’s NatWest Pro40 encounter at Lord’s eagerly anticipating news of whether they have made the England squad to travel to Antigua for the Stanford Super Series.

Swann is expected to open the batting alongside Will Jefferson as the Outlaws look to claw back ground in Division One with their games in hand whilst Middlesex need points to avoid relegation.

Patel will bat at five with Paul Franks recalled to the side and Darren Pattinson left behind nursing a minor groin strain.

Matt Wood also misses out to accommodate the return of the England duo.

“We’ve had to make changes to address the balance of the team with Graeme and Samit available to us but we’ve got a deep batting line-up and we have to make use of it,” said Notts Director of Cricket Mick Newell.

“Middlesex are in the bottom two and they’ll be desperate to win and we’re expecting a high-scoring game.”

England will announce their picks on Tuesday and although Patel and Swann share a common goal with Notts, both players acknowledge that they are in direct competition for an international spot.

"I can only assume that they brought Samit in because of the balance of the team - they wanted to set the team up differently with Steve Harmison coming back in,” said Swann.

“I just have to keep proving that I'm the best one-day spinner in the country, to get my place back.

"It doesn't play on my mind, because I'm not a money-driven bloke, but I also expect to be in the squad for Antigua. I genuinely believe that I am the best bowler for the job and, once out there, I hope to make it into the starting XI as well. Twenty20 is my game.

"It's not easy, but regardless of which county you are from, you just want to be playing in the team. I know I am the best spinner in the country in one-day cricket. There's only one way to prove that, which is by playing well for Notts. I have to churn out wickets and runs."

Patel made an immediate impact in the NatWest Series against South Africa, earning a man of the match award and taking eight wickets.

"It's come so quickly that I haven't really talked about it to Swanny," said Patel.

“My dream is to play one-day and Test cricket for England and hopefully I’ve made that much of an impression that I can but at the moment I want to win trophies for Notts.

“We’ve had a good year as a club and we’re in a good position in two competitions.”

Notts Outlaws team to face Middlesex: Will Jefferson, Graeme Swann, Mark Wagh, Ashwell Prince, Samit Patel, Bilal Shafayat, Chris Read (Capt / Wkt), Paul Franks, Mark Ealham, Andre Adams, Charlie Shreck