The LV County Championship is bubbling up nicely in both divisions in the early stages of the season and it continues on Thursday when another round of matches get underway with each table starting to take shape.
Once again the IPL has the TV treatment so if you want to watch any of these matches then you will need to tune into the wonderful county streams which are available. They are right up there in terms of coverage though so we don’t miss out on anything.
Division One
Surrey maintained their lead at the top of the table with a ridiculously high scoring match with Gloucestershire last week and they will be looking to stay there when they host a Northamptonshire side who have been remarkably consistent so far with three draws from three outings. Hampshire were denied the chance to go to the top of the table by the rain last week but if they better the Surrey result when they host Gloucestershire at the Ageas Bowl they could get there. Lancashire remain in third place after that draw and they host the defending champions Warwickshire at Old Trafford. Warwickshire will be looking to bounce back from a huge loss to Somerset last week. The other match sees fourth placed Yorkshire heading to fifth placed Essex.
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Division Two
There are three matches in Division Two this week and with the top two not in action there is the chance for the chasing pack to stake their claim to move up the table. Middlesex sit in third place in the pile at the minute and they will make the short trip to a Sussex side who still haven’t won a game. That clash will see Shaheen Afridi taking on Mohammad Rizwan and Cheteshwar Pujara. Despite that, all eyes will be on New Road as Worcestershire play host to Durham who will have the new England captain Ben Stokes in their ranks for the first time this season. Glamorgan take on winless Leicestershire in the other match in this division.
Betting
Yorkshire have started the season with a win and two draws in their opening three matches but their unbeaten record could be placed under threat this week when they go to the former champions Essex in what might just be the pick of the matches in Division One. While Yorkshire have started the season well when you consider everything they had to endure and rectify through the winter, they have relied heavily on two batters in Harry Brook and Dawid Malan and while they are class acts they won’t be able to do it forever. Those two have 512 and 395 runs respectively but only George Hill has more than 200 runs apart from those and 151 of his 202 came in one innings. The other issue they have is leading wicket taker Haris Rauf has joined Matt Fisher in missing out with injury.
Essex also have an injury of their own in Dan Lawrence but they have been used to being without him in the past when he has been away with England squads. They get Adam Rossington back to bolster their batting here and that has been where they have let themselves down so far this season so his return will be welcome. Essex have a decent seam attack and in a week of hot weather Simon Harmer should get conditions to suit so the 2019 champions feel a little overpriced to me.
Tips
Back Essex to beat Yorkshire for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with William Hill
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