SURREY: Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, is one of four players to have been targeted by the club, Steve Rixon, the coach, has confirmed. Fleming, who has played for Middlesex and Yorkshire, is also wanted by Somerset. Rixon, who worked with Fleming when he was New Zealand coach, will not elaborate on possible arrivals or departures until after the final game against Sussex.
WEBSITE: www.surreycricket.com

MIDDLESEX: Owais Shah, who had been linked with several counties since being relieved of the captaincy in June, has committed himself to the club by signing a four-year contract. Shah, 25, responded so well to his demotion that he has been included in the National Academy squad this winter. Stuart Clark, the Australian fast bowler, is doubtful for the game against Kent with a back problem.
WEBSITE: www.middlesexccc.com

SUSSEX: Mark Robinson, the former bowler who is now the club coach, has been awarded a testimonial next year. Robinson, 37, played for Northamptonshire and Yorkshire before joining the county in 1996. Three years later, he took his 500th wicket on the same day as he scored his 500th run. “He is exactly the type of player for whom testimonials were devised,” David Green, the chairman, said.
WEBSITE: www.sussexcricket.co.uk

GLOUCESTERSHIRE: Gloucestershire need six points at Old Trafford to stay in the first division, a total surpassed in each of their past 15 championship games. “We’re preparing in exactly the same way as we do for every game — the same way we prepare for finals,” Mark Alleyne, the coach, said. Ominous words for Lancashire. Martyn Ball is added to the squad as a second spin option.
WEBSITE: www.gloscricket.co.uk

WORCESTERSHIRE: Did it all go horribly wrong, or, looking back, did rain rob them? The biggest issue is the captaincy and there are no obvious candidates in the present team. There must also be concerns remaining over the resignation of Ben Smith, the former captain. Only Graeme Hick excelled with the bat, while only Matt Mason, with 51 wickets at 29.74, averaged under 30 with the ball.
WEBSITE: www.wccc.co.uk

LANCASHIRE: Barring a late hitch in Stuart Law’s application for UK citizenship, Lancashire should be able to sign two new overseas players for next season. In addition to Brad Hodge, they are hoping to entice Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lanka spin bowler, into a return to the club. Muralitharan had two previous stints at Old Trafford, in 1999 and 2001, taking 116 wickets from 14 championship matches.
WEBSITE: www.lccc.co.uk

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: Bilal Shafayat, the former England Under-19 captain, has been recruited from Nottinghamshire. Other new signings include Damian Wright, the Tasmania fast bowler. Kepler Wessels, the first-team manager, and David Sales, the batsman, have accepted new three-year deals but Carl Greenidge and Mike Cawdron have been released while Adam Shantry has left for Warwickshire.
WEBSITE: www.nccc.co.uk