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Gloucs (16th) v Essex (15), (Gloucester)

Form.- Gloucs: Have lost their last three matches, after drawing the first match of the season. Essex: One win to their credit, against Warwicks, but have been beaten twice since. Recent meetings: 1998: Gloucs won by an innings and 281 runs (their biggest ever innings victory). 1997: Rain-affected draw. 1996: Essex won by an innings and 64 runs. Team news: Gloucs add Robert Dawson to the side who lost to Sussex. Tim Hodgson, Tim Walton and Richard Anderson are in the Essex squad, replacing Ian Flanagan and Jamie Grove. Gloucestershire's in-form players are Jack Russell with two half-centuries in the last match and Mike Smith with 24 wickets. For Essex, Stuart Law had a century in each innings of his last match and Mark Ilott has 20 wickets.

Kent (11) v Leics (6), (Canterbury)

Form. - Kent: Beat Durham in last match and have one draw and two defeats on their record. Leics: Suffered first defeat for 21 months, against Somerset, and have two wins and a draw from their other matches. 1998: drawn with no play on first and fourth days. 1997: Leics won by six wickets. 1996: drawn. In 1975 Kent scored 575 against Leics, their highest score at Canterbury. Team news: Kent's Martin Saggers (ex- Durham) is in the squad and the injured Alan Wells is replaced by Ed Smith. In form for Kent are Matthew Walker, who scored a century against Cambridge, and Julian Thompson, who has taken 13 wickets in his two matches. For Leics Chris Lewis has 340 runs (two centuries) and has taken 11 wickets.

Middx (3) v Sussex (14), (Lord's)

Form. - Middlesex: Lost to Hampshire last time out, prior to that have two wins following on from two draws. Sussex: Beat Gloucs in last match with county record fourth-innings score, three balls were left when winning hit was made. One loss and two draws in other matches. 1998: Sussex won by an innings and 160 runs in just two days. 1997: Rain-affected draw. 1996: Sussex won by 234 runs, no play possible on two days and both teams forfeited an innings. Team news: Sussex replace Rajesh Rao with Alex Edwards. In-form batsmen are Tony Cottey and Michael DiVenuto for Sussex and Justin Langer for Middlesex.

Surrey (5) v Somerset (4), (The Oval)

Form.- Surrey: Have won their last two matches after two draws. Somerset: Beat Leicestershire (see above) and Yorkshire with two draws and one defeat otherwise. Have secured 15 out of a possible 16 bowling points. 1998: Somerset by 165 runs. 1997: Drawn, rain affected. 1996: Drawn after Somerset had scored 558 in their first innings. In the 1996 match Surrey conceded 79 extras in an innings and the following year set a world record by conceding 86. Team news: Somerset captain Jamie Cox returns, Paul Jarvis is out injured. Peter Bowler is averaging 78.00 with the bat and Andy Caddick has 20 wickets at 21.05. For Surrey Martin Bicknell has 17 at 21.64.

Worcs (17) v Glamorgan (13), (Worcester)

Form.- Worcestershire: Have lost their last three matches and have only one batting point this season compared to 17 bowling points. Glamorgan: Have won their last two games and earned their two batting points in the last match. 1998: Drawn, Glamorgan were 24 runs short of victory with two wickets in hand. 1997: Worcs by 54 runs. 1996: Drawn, no play second day. Team news: Steve James returns for Glamorgan at the expense of Wayne Law with Owen Parkin also in the squad. Worcestershire's Alamgir Sheriyar has taken 17 wickets in last two matches.