ESSEX all-rounder Graham Napier is close to making his long-awaited return to Championship cricket.

Napier, who spent much of last season out of the game suffering from a stress fracture to his back, has been involved in Essex’s CB40 games this season, but not in their four-day matches.

Essex coach Paul Grayson said they have had to ease Napier back into cricket after such a long spell out of the game.

But he says they are having to hold Napier back – such has been his determination to play.

Grayson said: “Napes has worked very hard to get himself fit and healthy again after last season. But we have had to be careful with him.

“He has played in all our one-day games, but we have to be careful asking him to play for four days.”

Napier has shone in the CB40 games, claiming a hat-trick in Essex’s rain-affected clash with Glamorgan.

Grayson said he would have been in the squad for the drawn Championship match at Derbyshire had he not picked up a little niggle.

“He has looked good,” said Grayson. “But fortunately we are in a position where we have got everyone fit at the moment and we don’t need to be rushing players.

“He would have travelled to Derby with us had it not been for the little injury he picked up, so he is not far away.”

Essex’s next Championship game is away at Surrey, starting on Wednesday.

James Foster’s troops drew their four-day game after the rain came to their rescue against Derbyshire.