ANDRE Nel is hoping to get Essex's season off to a flying start this morning - just hours after stepping off a plane from his native South Africa.

Fast bowler Andre Nel was originally expected to miss today's LV County Championship opener against Northampton-shire at Chelmsford due to commitments in his homeland.

But the 30-year-old has now been given the go-ahead to join the county in time for today's match and will jet into the UK just hours before the scheduled 11am start.

Nel was set to miss the game after his Titans side qualified for the semi-finals of the Standard Bank Pro-20 Series.

But the return of fellow pace bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel from Test duty in India - a tour Nel missed after Cricket South Africa imposed a quota for the number of non-white players included - meant he was surplus to requirements.

Essex chief executive David East is now praying that Nel's flight lands on time for the Springbok to line up against the Steelbacks.

"This is an unexpected bonus, particularly as the Titans have progressed to their domestic Twenty20 semi-finals," East said.

"We always hoped Andre would be with us for the first match and, travel permitting, he should be with us for the Northants game."

The Transvaal-born seamer, who had spells at the Ford County Ground in 2005 and 2007, will remain with the county until May 18, when he will be replaced by Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

And first team coach Paul Grayson is expecting Nel, who has played 34 Tests and 75 One-Day Internationals, to play a big part in Essex's success during his brief stay.

"We are delighted that Andre will be playing for us earlier than anticipated," Grayson said.

"We know all about him, and he knows all about us, so we hope he will make a big contribution during the first month of the season before Danish arrives.

"Andre is a popular player with both the players and our members and supporters so we are looking forward to having him back."

Essex now have a 14-man squad to pick from for today's game, with Nel reinforcing a pace attack that includes new signings David Masters and Chris Wright for the first time in championship cricket.

Masters and Nel will play if available, leaving Wright, Alex Tudor and Graham Napier to fight over the one remaining spot in a bowling line-up completed by either James Middle-brook or Tim Phillips.

Captain Mark Pettini will resume life as a middle-order batsman at number five, with newboy Jason Gallian opening and 19-year-old Tom Westley coming in at number three.

Wicketkeeper James Foster, who turned 28 yesterday, will be hoping to put a difficult winter with the England Lions and MCC behind him.

Essex (from): Pettini (capt), Gallian, Chopra, Westley, Bopara, Foster (wkt), ten Doeschate, Middlebrook, Tudor, Nel, Masters, Phillips, Napier, Wright.