We have gone through the top flight of the Specsavers County Championship in fine detail and now it is time to look at Division Two where for the second season in succession we have 10 counties battling it out for the two promotion spots.
On the face of it at least, this looks like being a much more competitive division at the top end than Division One and as the season goes along I envisage a lot of the storylines and better matches being played out in this league.
Recent Winners
2017 – Worcestershire
2016 – Essex
2015 – Surrey
2014 – Hampshire
2013 – Lancashire
2012 – Derbyshire
2011 – Middlesex
2010 – Sussex
2009 – Kent
2008 – Warwickshire
The Format
The format for this division is the same for the first division in terms of the points that are allocated for the competition. The only change that needs to be remembered from Division One is that while there are 14 matches per county in this division not every team plays the others twice. That can lead to something of a fixture bias given that there are a couple of weak looking counties.
County by County Guide
Derbyshire
It was another disappointing campaign for Derbyshire last term and in many ways the manual has been torn apart and they are starting again this season. I think we saw a move towards focusing on the one-day stuff last year and I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the route they go down again this term given the investment they are making in that area.
If they are to be successful in the four day sphere then Hardus Viljoen is not only going to need to avoid major injuries but he will also need to be heavily among the wickets if Derbyshire are to offer anything this season. They will probably be fine with the bat with Wayne Madsen a guaranteed run machine but I fear for them with the ball.
Last Season: 8th
Overseas Player(s): Duanne Olivier
Key Players: Wayne Madsen & Hardus Viljoen
One to Watch: Afghanistan cricket is really coming into the spotlight at the minute so don’t be surprised if we hear a lot about Hamidullah Qadri over the course of the campaign.
Best Odds: 25/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 10th
Durham
It has been a while but Durham finally have a level playing field to play off this season. After point deductions last season gave them no chance of competing they will be pleased to have the chance to be competitive at least. Unfortunately the demise of this county continued with some high profile exits in the winter so the Durham academy will be tested once again but we know from experience it is one of the best around.
The wickets are usually good for a result at the Riverside so that is one thing in the advantage of Durham. If they can get a couple of bowlers who get hot in the early stages of the season then by the time Axar Patel arrives for the second half of the campaign there could be the shoots of promotion ready to flourish. I don’t think Durham will go that well but they’ll be competitive.
Last Season: 9th
Overseas Player(s): Aiden Markram, Tom Latham, Axar Patel
Key Players: Paul Collingwood & Chris Rushworth
One to Watch: We saw a lot of Cameron Steel last season and sometimes the hardest thing to do is to back up a big campaign with another for someone so young. Durham will need him to though.
Best Odds: 16/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 6th
Glamorgan
The Dragons went so close to T20 glory last season when they were touched off at Finals Day and that is likely to act as an inspiration ahead of the coming campaign but in four day cricket it could be another hard slog with two huge batsmen no longer around and a bowling attack that is being moulded more for the shorter formats.
Shaun Marsh is a good pick as overseas player but he only replaces Jacques Rudolph while Colin Ingram is only playing white ball cricket for the Welsh outfit. Michael Hogan has the reins in the Championship and if he can get some support from the other seamers Glamorgan will win matches but I expect their best work to come in the one day environment.
Last Season: 7th
Overseas Player(s): Shaun Marsh
Key Players: Shaun Marsh & Michael Hogan
One to Watch: Lukas Carey was my one to watch last season and he never really disappointed in that position. He should kick on again this term which will be perfect for the Glamorgan attack.
Best Odds: 20/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 8th
Gloucestershire
A talented young Gloucestershire side will be out to better their sixth placed finish last term but with no real investment in the squad it is hard to see where they better that result. Dan Worrall should give the attack a spark in the first half of the campaign but even with his inclusion they will need a couple more bowlers to step up to the plate.
The real concern I have with Gloucestershire is their depth of batting resources. They have some very good batsmen but too many of them are too brittle which would be a real issue if a couple of them pick up injuries at the same time. When they get their first XI out on the field though they should be competitive.
Last Season: 6th
Overseas Player(s): Dan Worrall, Andrew Tye (T20)
Key Players: Chris Dent & Liam Norwell
One to Watch: James Bracey is not going to begin the season as the wicket-keeper but Gareth Roderick’s fingers may go at some point so expect to see the youngster get the gig at times throughout the campaign.
Best Odds: 20/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 7th
Kent
I think many judges expected Kent to be a lot stronger last season than they were but I see no reason why they will not be a part of the promotion mix this time around. They will have to cope with the loss of Matt Coles which is not exactly ideal but they have enough options with the ball and we saw in pre-season that they are competitive in all conditions.
There are not many teams in Division Two with the batting depth that Kent have even allowing for the exit of Sam Northeast. Heino Kuhn has been picked up on the Kolpak system and the work that Allan Donald does with the bowlers should not be underestimated. I don’t think Kent have enough in what looks a tasty division but they won’t be making up the numbers.
Last Season: 5th
Overseas Player(s): Matt Henry, Adam Milne (T20), Marcus Stoinis (T20)
Key Players: Joe Denly & Darren Stevens
One to Watch: Zak Crawley had a good time of it in the Caribbean in the winter. He’s a big talent who can be the one to step in and fill the shoes of Sam Northeast.
Best Odds: 7/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 5th
Leicestershire
The team who picked up the wooden spoon last year will be desperately looking to avoid a repeat this term and picking up club legend Paul Nixon as head coach will certainly do them no harm. He has a passion and an infectious enthusiasm that should serve his young squad well and while he doesn’t have a lot to work with his experience will be key.
Leicestershire do have some talent with the bat and if Nixon can build an attack that maintains pressure on the opposition then the Foxes can avoid finishing bottom again at the very least. Ultimately you would suggest their best chance of success lies in the limited overs formats of the game.
Last Season: 10th
Overseas Player(s): Mohammad Abbas, Varun Aaron, Mohammad Nabi (T20)
Key Players: Michael Carberry & Ben Raine
One to Watch: Harry Dearden is a youngster who has had people talking about him. The Leicestershire production line has generated a lot of good cricketers. He could be another.
Best Odds: 33/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 9th
Middlesex
The county champions of 2016 became the ultimate cropper in 2017 when they went from heroes to absolute zeroes. It was thought of unthinkable that Middlesex could get relegated the year after they won the title but that is exactly what happened and now they will be looking at an immediate return to the top division.
I would imagine much of their success will depend on how often England come calling. After the winter he’s had Dawid Malan is likely to be away a lot while Toby Roland-Jones and Steve Finn will both be on England’s radar. With Ireland having Test status now Paul Stirling and Tim Murtagh could be away too. Winning home matches is another concern.
Last Season: 7th in Division 1
Overseas Player(s): Hilton Cartwright, Ashton Agar (T20)
Key Players: Nick Gubbins & Tom Helm
One to Watch: Max Holden was loaned out to Northamptonshire last year to get the required experience and he is likely to be given a chance for Middlesex this season. He’s good enough to take it.
Best Odds: 2/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 3rd
Northamptonshire
Not for the first time last season Northamptonshire narrowly missed out on promotion to the top division despite not having the deepest squad. What they have they get the very best out of and there is no doubt there is the talent at Wantage Road to be a lot more than just competitive this term.
Northamptonshire always seem to find a set of bowlers to be extremely dangerous for them and they have that here. If there is a concern it probably comes in the form of the bat in the longer forms of the game. While their success may largely be short format stuff I expect Northamptonshire to go well enough in the Championship.
Last Season: 3rd
Overseas Player(s): Doug Bracewell, Rory Kleinveldt, Seekkuge Prasanna (T20)
Key Players: Ben Duckett & Richard Gleeson
One to Watch: Saif Zaib made a bit of an impact last season and when the chances come he may do so again this term. He could be one to watch especially in the limited overs formats.
Best Odds: 10/1 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 4th
Sussex
The one side who many are expecting a massive improvement from are Sussex. A lot of that is down to the fact that former title winning coach Jason Gillespie is at the helm but also over the winter everyone was able to appreciate how good Jofra Archer among others were. They won’t see much of him or Chris Jordan initially but if anyone can get an attack firing it is Gillespie.
You have to acknowledge that there is a light look to the Sussex batting. There was last year too but with Chris Nash moving to Nottinghamshire there is a real void that needs to be filled. If they can put up the required runs this season then there is absolutely no reason why the Sharks can’t win promotion but I don’t see them scoring enough for the title.
Last Season: 4th
Overseas Player(s): Ishant Sharma, Rashid Khan (T20)
Key Players: Luke Wright & Luke Wells
One to Watch: George Garton has been on the scene for a while but it will be interesting to see how Jason Gillespie develops the game of a bowler destined for England honours soon.
Best Odds: 11/2 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 2nd
Warwickshire
It was a disappointing season at Edgbaston last year which meant Ashley Giles returned to Warwickshire to lead the rescue mission. He has got Graeme Welch on board and an aging squad was pulled apart with some top quality youngsters signed in their place. Often sides have to do that work in the winter but to do it last term to have everyone bedded in for this season was a positive move.
Dominic Sibley, Adam Hose, Olly Stone and Will Rhodes have all been signed to mix in with the experience at Edgbaston while Sam Hain came through the ranks and is getting close to living up to his massive reputation. If the bowlers stay fit then Warwickshire are my idea of the champions with few weaknesses in their side.
Last Season: 8th in Division 1
Overseas Player(s): Jeetan Patel, Colin de Grandhomme (T20)
Key Players: Sam Hain & Olly Stone
One to Watch:
Dominic Sibley has been around the block a fair bit but he has never been short of a word or two since moving from Surrey. If he is going to be an England contender he needs to dominate this division.
Best Odds: 9/2 General
Predicted Finishing Position: 1st
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Betting
As with the top division there is a criminal shortage of markets to bet on in this league which leaves us with just the winners of it and as I have highlighted above it is Warwickshire who I see as my idea of the champions.
I love their batting line up while with the ball we know that Keith Barker, Jeetan Patel and when he is fit Chris Wright are guaranteed to take wickets. The former two will probably have 50 each in them. If Olly Stone stays fit and the likes of Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott fill their boots I fancy the Bears will return to the top division at the first time of asking with the trophy in their midst.
Tips
WON – Back Warwickshire to win Division 2 for a 4/10 stake at 5.50 with Unibet
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