James Harris: Middlesex seamer joins former county Glamorgan on loan

James Harris joined Middlesex from Glamorgan at the end of the 2012 season

Welsh seam bowler James Harris is to rejoin Glamorgan on a two-week loan deal from Middlesex.

Harris joins after Timm van der Gugten was ruled out of Thursday's County Championship game at Northamptonshire.

The 30-year-old spent six years in the Glamorgan first-team squad from the age of 17, claiming 12 wickets against Gloucestershire on his debut.

Harris has played for England Lions and has 494 first-class wickets in 148 games, as well as scoring 3,862 runs.

He was previously back at Glamorgan on loan in 2014, and is the new chairman of the Professional Cricketers' Association.

"It happened really fast, I probably wasn't going to be playing in the next couple for Middlesex, the opportunity came up to play some cricket for Glamorgan and I jumped at the chance," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"I'm just desperate to play in this lovely weather, it was a no-brainer. Mark (Wallace, Glamorgan director of cricket) spoke to Angus (Fraser at Middlesex), and I'm very grateful."

"It's about playing as much of a part in the team as I can, and trying to put together a performance that leads to a Glamorgan win."

Harris joined his new, or old, team-mates for nets at Northampton on the eve of the game- with the likes of David Lloyd, Michael Hogan and Chris Cooke providing familiar team-mates for him, as well as Wallace and coach Matthew Maynard.

"I've got some new kit, though my cap is with my dad in Swansea and I'm going to grab that off him next week since I couldn't bear to make him drive all the way to Northampton knowing he wouldn't be allowed in to watch the game," said Harris.

He is also relishing his new responsibility chairing the players' union, the PCA.

"It's exciting, I've done nothing but play cricket for the last 15 years so it'll give me some experience in a lot of different fields and broaden my horizons, trying to make sure the players are well represented and giving me some more experience for life after cricket," he explained.

Glamorgan are currently without Ruaidhri Smith (hamstring) and Jamie McIlroy (rib fracture), while Van der Gugten is described as having "muscle tightness" despite completing the Sussex game.

Australian one-day international Michael Neser has yet to arrive from Queensland, and new recruit James Weighell went wicket-less on his debut in last weekend's defeat by Sussex.

"We've needed to strengthen the bowling attack and bring cover in," said Wallace.

"James is a fantastic bowler with a very strong first-class record who knows the club inside out and will slot seamlessly into the squad."

Joe Cooke and Roman Walker are also named in a 13-man party after strong performances for the second team away to Lancashire.

Much-travelled South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell, who played T20 for Glamorgan, could make his Northants debut, while batsman Charlie Thurston and seamer Jack White are recalled.

Northants (from): Curran, Vasconcelos, Gay, Keogh, Procter, Thurston, Zaib, Rossington (capt, wk), Berg, Buck, Parnell, J White, Sanderson.

Glamorgan (from): Selman, Lloyd, J Cooke, Balbirnie, Root, Carlson, C Cooke (capt, wk), Taylor, Douthwaite, Harris, Weighell, Walker, Hogan.