Friday 24 March 2017 15:37, UK
Alastair Cook could face James Anderson when he bats in first-class cricket for the first time since quitting as England Test captain.
England's all-time highest Test run-scorer will be up against the national record wicket-taker in the most eye-catching clash following confirmation of contracted players' availability for their counties in the early weeks of the season.
The England and Wales Cricket Board stated: "The majority of England's centrally contracted players will be available to play for their counties in the early stages of the Specsavers County Championship and the Royal London One-Day
Cup this spring."
Cook is in line to open for promoted Essex on their return to Division One of the championship when they begin their campaign against Lancashire, Anderson's county team, at Chelmsford on April 7.
Cook's availability to Essex will be largely unfettered for much of the first half of the season, because he is no longer involved in England's white-ball teams and is therefore free until the first Test against South Africa in July.
Joe Root, who replaced him as Test captain last month, will miss Yorkshire's opening championship fixture at home to Hampshire - as will his club and country team-mate Jonny Bairstow.
Worcestershire's Moeen Ali and Nottinghamshire's Jake Ball will also take an initial rest following busy winters and before a packed international summer.
All will then return, however - in the championship and opening rounds of the 50-over competition - and the only England players entirely unavailable for county action during the early weeks of the new season are the eight who have been signed up to take part in the Indian Premier League.
The IPL players are: Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.
