ESSEX have dismissed tabloid rumours linking Ravi Bopara with a short-term switch to Middlesex.

The Crusaders were rumoured to be considering a bid to take the England all-rounder on loan for the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League tournament, which will be held in India in December.

The Echo understands Middlesex did enquire about the availability of fellow all-rounder Graham Napier, but the 28-year-old had already committed to spending the winter with Wellington in New Zealand.

The county qualified for the competition by winning this season's Twenty20 Cup, a victory that also saw them play in last week's Stanford Super Series in Antigua.

However, the county is reportedly keen to bolster its squad ahead of the Champions League, with Bopara and Nottinghamshire's Samit Patel top of their shopping list.

Any approach would see Bopara join Middlesex only for the duration of the tournament before returning to Essex in the New Year.

The 23-year-old would already be in India as a member of England's squad for seven One-Day Internationals between November 14 and December 2.

However, Essex chief executive David East insisted the county had heard nothing from Middlesex, saying: "We have had no approach from Middlesex for Ravi (to play in the Champions League)."

The Champions League starts on December 3, with Middlesex scheduled to face the Australian KFC Big Bash winners Victoria Bushrangers, South Africa's Standard Bank Twenty20 holders Nashua Titans and Indian Premier League runners-up Chennai Super Kings.

Meanwhile, Napier has jetted out to the Kowloon Cricket Club for this weekend's Hong Kong Sixes competition.

Big-hitting Napier, who smashed 152 not out from just 58 balls in a Twenty20 Cup win over Sussex in June, will line-up in the England team alongside Hampshire's Dimitri Mascarenhas, Yorkshire's Tim Bresnan, Middlesex's Ed Joyce, Derbyshire's Graham Wagg and Warwickshire's Jonathan Trott and Darren Maddy.

England will face India, Pakistan and South Africa in their opening Bradman Group fixtures on Saturday.

The Sobers Group will contain Sri Lanka, Australia, Hong Kong and an All-Star side including West Indian Shiv Chanderpaul, former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and England seamer Matthew Hoggard.

The top two sides will go through to Sunday's cup round-robin stage, while the bottom-two will face off in the plate competition.