We have reached the final week of the county season with the last round of matches in the Specsavers County Championship beginning on Monday. Most of the things to be determined have been but the second relegation spot and the Division Two title is on the line this week.
Given what is at stake it is a little bit of a surprise that the Sky cameras are going to be at The Oval where the new champions Surrey are in action. The majority of the interest will certainly lie elsewhere I would imagine.
Division One
Surrey face the side they took the title from on Monday in the form of Essex who will want to end their season as champions on a high. More important cricket will take place at the Ageas Bowl where Lancashire will go in search of the emphatic win they need to attempt to stay up. They face an already safe Hampshire side. Yorkshire need a few points to confirm their survival and send their rivals down and they will be expected to get them against already relegated Worcestershire. Nottinghamshire host Somerset in the other match.
Division Two
It is a straight shootout for the title in Division Two when Kent make the journey to Edgbaston. Both sides know they are promoted whatever happens here but they will each want to go up as champions. Kent have the edge in the table on games won but whoever gets the most points will be champions.
The success of Kent and Warwickshire means the other four matches are dead rubbers. Derbyshire host Gloucestershire at Derby, Durham take on Middlesex in the final match of Paul Collingwood’s career up at the Emirates Riverside while Glamorgan go up against Leicestershire at Cardiff. The other match sees Northamptonshire playing hosts to Vitality Blast finalists Sussex at Wantage Road.
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Betting
I’m not going to go too mad in the final week of the season. I’m already on Warwickshire to beat Kent as I’m on them for the title but whoever has priced them up at 5/6 to be ahead at the end of the first innings is doing things all wrong.
Warwickshire have 37 batting bonus points this season to just 16 of Kent. Kent made a big first innings total last week but that was against a pathetic Glamorgan outfit. Prior to that they have failed to go past 200 in four of their previous five first innings. I don’t expect them to fare much better against this classy Bears attack either. In contrast only once have Warwickshire been shot out for less than 200 in their first innings. Jonathan Trott bows out here and he’ll want to go with a big knock. The 5/6 on Warwickshire to secure a first innings lead looks a gift.
Tips
WON – Back Warwickshire First Inns Lead for a 6/10 stake at 1.83 with William Hill
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