Stuart Broad has been made available for three of Nottinghamshire’s Specsavers County Championship matches in late April and early May.
The ECB have released the England seamer – who has just finished a two-Test tour of New Zealand – for the match against Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road, starting on 27 April.
The 31-year-old will also be able to play in the first two home matches of the Club’s season, against Hampshire, starting 4 May, and Lancashire, starting 11 May.
“It’s always great to be able to welcome him back into the Notts fold, so we’re delighted to have him for the three games,” said Assistant Head Coach Paul Franks.
“The signs from him are particularly good at the moment because of the encouraging form he has shown in New Zealand and now he is going to have the chance to recharge his batteries for 10-12 days before linking up with us.
“He has made one or two adjustments to the way he is bowling and he looks really motivated, so that he looks as effective as he has in a while. We’re certainly excited to have him back, not just the staff, but the players as well.
“He hasn’t always been available for us that much, but there’s no doubting his commitment when he does.”
Broad is just one of the England Test squad who have been made available for varying periods of Specsavers County Championship action, with six of that number going straight back into the fray.
James Vince and Liam Livingstone are due to be with their counties for the opening round of Division One fixtures which start on Friday week (13 April) – Vince for Hampshire against newly-promoted Worcestershire at the Ageas Bowl, and Livingstone in his new role as Lancashire captain at home to Notts at Emirates Old Trafford.
“The signs from Stuart are particularly good at the moment because of the encouraging form he has shown in New Zealand.” Assistant Coach Paul Franks
Then Mark Stoneman and Ben Foakes are set to face Vince’s Hampshire when Surrey begin their Division One campaign at the Kia Oval on Friday 20 April – when the Somerset pair of Craig Overton and Jack Leach will make their first county appearances as England players at home to Worcestershire at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
All six will remain available for the three further rounds of Championship matches that are played before the start of the Royal London One-Day Cup on 17 May.
New Middlesex captain Dawid Malan will be available from their third match of the season in Division Two, against Glamorgan at the SSE SWALEC from 27 April.
Yorkshire duo Jonny Bairstow and Test captain Joe Root have been made available for two Division One fixtures against the champions Essex at the Cloudfm County Ground in Chelmsford from 4 May, and at the Kia Oval against Surrey from 11 May.
Alastair Cook will be available for Essex from their game at Hampshire on 27 April, setting up a potential head-to-head with Root and Bairstow in Chelmsford.
The England management have yet to make a decision on the early-season availability of Jimmy Anderson for Lancashire.
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) and Mark Wood (Durham) are all unavailable for the start of the season, having signed to play in the Indian Premier League.
Players selected for the first Test of the summer against Pakistan, which starts at Lord’s on 24 May, have been told by the ECB that they are expected to return by 17 May, with availability for Royal London One-Day Cup fixtures to be confirmed nearer the time.
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