HAMPSHIRE have Liam Dawson back for their must-win penultimate match of the season against Surrey at The Oval.

With two wins needed from the remaining two games for Hampshire to have a chance of staying in the Specsavers County Championship’s first division, Dawson returns after missing the recent draws against Somerset and Yorkshire.

Dawson, who arrives fresh from making his one-day international debut against Pakistan on Sunday, will probably replace Andy Carter.

It is a fixture that affects both ends of the table.

Hampshire are 14 points adrift of Durham, who visit the Ageas Bowl in the last week of the season but have game in hand, and 17 shy of Lancashire and Warwickshire – who have both been dragged into the mire after heavy recent defeats at the hands of the Brown Caps.

Surrey were also threatened by relegation when they visited The Ageas Bowl as recently as seven weeks ago.

But their win at The Ageas Bowl – by an innings and 13 runs -was the first of three in four matches that has taken them into the top three.

Surrey followed their win at The Ageas Bowl with a winning draw against Championship leaders Middlesex and comprehensive victories against Warwickshire (by 226 runs) and Lancashire (by ten wickets).

Lancashire have a week off but Warwickshire play Somerset at Taunton. Hampshire will also hope that Durham are well beaten by title-chasing Yorkshire at Headingley.

Hampshire (from): Adams, Smith, Alsop, Vince, Ervine, Dawson, McLaren, McManus, Berg, Crane, Wheal, Carter, Andrew