Capel will not be offered a new contract when his present agreement runs out at the end of the year but the 35-year-old wants to keep playing. ``I will be looking to move elsewhere because I think I still have something to offer,'' he said.

Capel scored nearly 11,000 runs for the club, took 467 wickets and won 15 England caps but has featured in only one championship match this season.

Capel is keen to pursue a coaching role when his playing career ends and Northants have not ruled out bringing him back in the future in an off-the-field capacity.

Warwickshire have omitted batsmen David Hemp and Trevor Penney from their championship team to meet Essex at Edgbaston today.

Mark Wagh, the former Oxford University captain, is set for a first county appearance of the season.

The other vacancy is filled by the return of England opener Nick Knight, who missed last week's championship win against Hampshire with an injured heel.

Essex will be without Stuart Law, who misses his first championship match of the season. Law suffered bruised ribs when he was hit by an Ed Giddins delivery in Tuesday's AXA League match between the counties.

Chris Wood has been appointed by the England and Wales Cricket Board to take over from Harry Brind as pitches consultant when the latter retires at the end of next season.