The county season returns this weekend with both divisions of the County Championship getting underway. Before they do start there is time to preview both divisions. Our Division Two preview will follow later but for now we will concentrate on Division One, which for the first time in a while will be down to eight sides.
Recent Winners
2016 – Middlesex
2015 – Yorkshire
2014 – Yorkshire
2013 – Durham
2012 – Warwickshire
2011 – Lancashire
2010 – Nottinghamshire
2009 – Durham
2008 – Durham
2007 – Sussex
The Format
Things have changed in the County Championship this season. The top flight has been reduced to eight sides. Each team playing each other home and away to make up 14 matches rather than the 16 of previous seasons.
Teams get 16pts for a win, eight for a tie and five for a draw. Bonus points can be accrued for the first 110 overs of each innings. 200-249 runs = 1pt, 250-299 is 2pts, 300-349 is 3pts, 350-399 earns 4pts and 400+ is 5pts. With the ball 3-5 wickets is 1pt, 6-8 is 2pts and 9 or 10 earns 3pts.
At the end of the season the bottom two sides in the table will be relegated so 25% of the division will drop down which is quite a large number.
County by County Guide
Essex
The Division 2 champions will be looking to defy the odds and stay in the division. Unfortunately for them the gap between the top flight and the second string has never been bigger. Essex are probably worthy relegation favourites. They will need to hit the ground running if they are to survive.
The strength of this Essex side very much lies with the batting and they are likely to have Alastair Cook available for much of the season which is a positive. Varun Chopra and Adam Wheater should be good signings. The question marks come with the ball. Graham Napier and David Masters have retired so that is 103 wickets they have to find. With no significant seamers being signed aside from the overseas ones there looks a big hole in their attack.
Last Season: 1st in Division 2
Overseas Player(s): Neil Wagner (until June), Mohammad Amir (June onwards)
Key Players: Varun Chopra & Jamie Porter
One to Watch: Dan Lawrence – broke into the side last season and all set for a huge 2017
Best Odds: 25/1 Betfred
Predicted Finishing Position: 8th
Hampshire
Durham’s demise was for Hampshire’s benefit and the south coast county will be eager to avoid needing help from others at the end of this season. Much has been made of Hampshire’s decision to take a couple of high profile Kolpak signings. When you put all the hoo-hah to one side they could be the difference between relegation and a title challenge.
Batting has been a massive issue for Hampshire for a while but the welcome return of Michael Carberry and the addition of Rilee Rossouw and George Bailey should improve that area while James Vince isn’t likely to be away as much and Tom Alsop and Lewis McManus have both gained experience. One area Hampshire don’t struggle in is with the ball. Fidel Edwards is back for more while Kyle Abbott looks a great signing. The return from injury of Chris Wood and Reece Topley could be significant. Mason Crane could be vital if it is a hot summer.
Last Season: 8th
Overseas Player(s): George Bailey
Key Players: James Vince & Kyle Abbott
One to Watch: Mason Crane – could well be England’s main spinner when the plane lands in Australia in the winter
Best Odds: 14/1 Bwin
Predicted Finishing Position: 3rd
Lancashire
It has been all change for the Red Rose in the winter. Coach Ashley Giles has headed for pastures new and an influx and exodus of players have taken place. After a season of struggle I guess changes needed to be made but not all of the ones that have been made were by choice which is a concern.
Lancashire have a strong batting line up which is only enhanced by the signings of Shivnerine Chanderpaul and the Kolpak signing Dane Vilas with the likes of Liam Livingstone and Haseeb Hameed two huge young talents. If they see plenty of Jimmy Anderson it would do their bowling no harm and if Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren stay fit and keep in the wickets Lancashire might just stay up.
Last Season: 7th
Overseas Player(s): Ryan McLaren
Key Players: Haseeb Hameed & Shivnerine Chanderpaul
One to Watch: Liam Livingstone – been around a while but could be a real four day star this year
Best Odds: 16/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 7th
Middlesex
The London side won the title in amazing circumstances last season and now they go from the hunters to the hunted which is never the easiest transition. The one thing which will serve Middlesex well is that they have kept their squad intact and one or two youngsters might come to the fore even more this year.
Middlesex have a strong batting line up with the likes of Nick Gubbins, Nick Compton, Adam Voges and Sam Robson having big runs in them but they have a solid bowling attack which is going to be strengthened with the improvement of Tom Helm. If they can find a way of forcing more results at Lord’s then a successful title defence isn’t beyond them.
Last Season: 1st
Overseas Player(s): Adam Voges
Key Players: Nick Gubbins & Toby Roland-Jones
One to Watch: Tom Helm – had a great winter and much will be expected of him in this campaign
Best Odds: 18/5 NetBet
Predicted Finishing Position: 2nd
Somerset
It was heartache at the death for Somerset last season when Middlesex snatched the title away from them in the final hour of the campaign. While there were plenty of quibbles about what went on during that afternoon at Lord’s most people forgot that had Somerset not been friendly with a couple of declarations they could have won the title themselves without worrying about what Middlesex did.
You don’t become title challengers without a solid batting line up. Four men made more than 1000 Championship runs last season but I wonder if their strength will become their weakness this season. Can Marcus Trescothick deliver big runs this season? Is Peter Trego a genuine all-rounder or was last season his peak with the bat and who will cover Chris Rogers’ runs? At least with the ball Somerset look solid especially if result wickets are produced at Taunton once again.
Last Season: 2nd
Overseas Player(s): Dean Elgar
Key Players: Marcus Trescothick & Jack Leach
One to Watch: Tom Abell – still fairly young but given the captaincy this season and it is always intriguing to see how a young captain goes
Best Odds: 17/2 NetBet
Predicted Finishing Position: 5th
Surrey
It was a solid first season back in with the big boys for Surrey last year and now they will be looking to push on and get right in among the elite and challenge for trophies. The work done behind the scenes at The Oval has been impressive and Surrey boast a squad worthy of winning most pots this season it must be said. Clever signings have added in the right places to a talented young squad to form a competitive bunch.
In previous seasons there has been question marks over the batting for Surrey. They have had a talented set of young batsmen making their way through but haven’t quite managed to put it all together at this level but Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick are game changers in that regard. With both Curran brothers improving all the time and the likes of Stuart Meaker, Ravi Rampaul, Mark Footitt and Jade Dernbach back them up well. Quality spinners are mixed in so everything is there for Surrey to go very close.
Last Season: 5th
Overseas Player(s): Kumar Sangakkara & Aaron Finch
Key Players: Scott Borthwick & Sam Curran
One to Watch: Ollie Pope – young keeper who could break into the side if injuries occur
Best Odds: 11/2 NetBet
Predicted Finishing Position: 1st
Warwickshire
The former champions will be looking to put a largely disappointing effort behind them and get back to challenging for silverware. They have recruited the coach which they had plenty of success under in the form of Ashley Giles but not much has changed on the field which is a concern. They will be hoping their big players can perform and the improvement their youngsters have made is significant enough to have them in the mix.
The bowling attack has always been the strength of the Bears although they will have to cope with the absence of Chris Woakes who is at the IPL. Chris Wright, Keith Barker and Rikki Clarke are top level with the ball but Warwickshire can’t afford injuries. They will also need Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott to fill their boots all season.
Last Season: 6th
Overseas Player(s): Jeetan Patel
Key Players: Jonathan Trott & Keith Barker
One to Watch: Alex Mellor – no youngster but big shoes to fill if he is given Varun Chopra’s opening spot
Best Odds: 11/2 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 6th
Yorkshire
The strongest and best side in the County Championship over the last three years are back to try and regain their title but there are plenty of question marks over them heading into the campaign after a winter full of change. Andrew Gale has swapped the captaincy for the coaching role so Gary Ballance will take over the side and there will be plenty of interest at Headingley both on and off the field.
Yorkshire’s success was always based around a very strong bowling attack but with Jason Gillespie no longer around to be called upon and an early season injury to Jack Brooks they could be open to a struggle in that department. On the flip side they may well see more of Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Adil Rashid in the early part of the campaign.
Last Season: 3rd
Overseas Player(s): Peter Handscomb
Key Players: Adam Lyth & Jack Brooks
One to Watch: Alex Lees – established in the side but had the one day captaincy taken off him so how he responds will be interesting
Best Odds: 5/2 Ladbrokes/Coral
Predicted Finishing Position: 4th
Betting
Quite often when the County Championship season there is a value debate to be had but this year in what I see as a five runner race with Warwickshire, Essex and Lancashire not looking good enough in my eyes I think we can have a go at the winner without having to worry about getting extreme value in a short field.
With all the question marks over how Yorkshire will go without Gillespie and whether Middlesex can force enough wins I think there is a chance of someone new to come through and I believe that will be Surrey. Man for man and in terms of depth I think Surrey have the most competitive squad in the competition and with England unlikely to take away anyone other than Jason Roy they shouldn’t be too unsettled. With a strong batting line up and a very solid bowling attack all the tools are in place for Surrey to get the main crown back.
At the other end of the table I don’t see how Essex can survive and I’m not sure they can finish above anyone either. I can’t overstate the fact they have lost 103 wickets from last season and while Wagner and Amir will combine for some they won’t make them all up. While Essex look strong on paper with the bat they are prone to some crazy collapses too which won’t help them out. The 9/4 on them to finish bottom is too good to turn down.
Specsavers County Championship – Tips
Back Surrey to win Division One for a 3/10 stake at 6.50 with NetBet
Back them here:
Back Essex to finish bottom for a 4/10 stake at 3.25 with Coral
Back them here:
