Surrey skipper Mark Ramprakash returns to Headingley this week hoping to celebrate more success at what has proved a happy hunting ground in the past.

Seventeen years after making his Test debut at Leeds, the 38-year-old has another career highlight in his sights as well as helping Surrey to kick-start their LV County Championship season in the process.

With seven games of the season left the side has yet to register their first win but go into the match, which starts on Wednesday, knowing a victory would catapult them up a tight division one table.

Only 28 points separate fourth from eighth spot so a repeat of last year’s run-in, when Surrey won five of their final nine LV Championship games, will transform the picture.

Ramprakash was himself forced to sit out Surrey’s last LV County Championship match with gastroenteritis, the defeat to Durham at Guildford, but recovered to feature in the Brown Caps’ first two NatWest Pro40 games.

Paceman Nicholson has won his battle to recover from ligament damage to his knee and will now be available for selection. Likewise spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, Surrey’s leading wicket taker in the County Championship this season, has been given a clean bill of health having suffered from a bad cut to his spinning finger.

However, the Brown Caps will unfortunately be without their leg spinner, Chris Schofield who has a damaged right hand after falling awkwardly during Surrey’s NatWest Pro40 match with Glamorgan. He is due to visit a specialist this evening. Surrey skipper, Mark Butcher will also be missing in action but the former England batsman is making good progress on his injured knee. He had a light run this morning as well as a hit in the nets and provided he responds well to the treatment in the next week, a comeback date could be sooner rather than later.

Ramprakash missed out the last time the two sides met in this form of the game back in May, but a ton this time around would be fitting considering his first ever first-class hundred was against Yorkshire way back in 1989 when he made 128 for Middlesex.

The Surrey 13 man squad is; Scott Newman, Stewart Walters, Mark Ramprakash (captain), Jonathan Batty (wicket-keeper), Usman Afzaal, Matt Spriegel, Matt Nicholson, Chris Jordan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Jade Dernbach, Pedro Collins, Jimmy Ormond, Murtaza Hussain.

Matt Nicholson spoke exclusively to Surrey TV before the County Championship game against Yorkshire, to see the interview click here

Mark Butcher also spoke to Surrey TV regarding his comeback from injury, to see this interview click here

As always ball-by-ball commentary is available www.surreycricket.com,courtesy of BBC London.

Highlights of each day’s play will be available within two hours after the close on Surrey TV.

Add to Del.icio.us Digg it share on Facebook (What is this?)

• Get the New Surrey CCC Performance Polo Shirt/Brown