With the one day competitions having reached the knockout stages and their conclusions coming over the next week or so the attention is slowly turning back to the County Championship.
There are five weeks left in the holy grail of the county game and while the title looks to be won in the top flight the battle for survival and the race for promotion still have to be decided so we’re set for a hugely dramatic and exciting finale to the campaign.
There is a full set of fixtures in both Division One and Division Two starting on Friday as the season continues to progress at a very quick rate.
In the top flight Durham host Middlesex at the Riverside, Nottinghamshire take on Warwickshire at Trent Bridge, Sussex host the champions elect Yorkshire at Hove and there is a relegation battle between Somerset and Worcestershire at Taunton.
Division Two sees Derbyshire battling Kent at Derby, Gloucestershire taking on Surrey at Bristol, Lancashire host Glamorgan at Old Trafford and Northamptonshire warm up for T20 finals day with a home game against Leicestershire.
There are a number of short things in the second division and if I was going to be interested in anything it would be Kent to beat Derbyshire but the fact they have rested Matt Coles and Darren Stevens for their 50 over quarter final next week puts me off them. Alternatively I’m in no rush to back Derbyshire again having had my fingers burnt when they lost to Leicestershire recently. Nothing else stands out in the division.
I don’t really see much value in the Somerset vs Worcestershire and Sussex vs Yorkshire matches. I fancy both favourites to win but I’m not sure there is much value in doubling them up but the other two matches in Division One do offer betting potential.
Nottinghamshire aren’t really going anywhere in the Championship this season but they are at least making the right noises about finishing the season strongly and they’ve built up some good momentum in the one day competition and have actually won their last three in this competition so their confidence is high.
In fairness Warwickshire are going along alright too. They’re third in the Championship, preparing to defend their T20 title at finals day next week and were only denied a shot of the quarter finals in the One Day Cup by the weather on Wednesday so they’re in the middle of a good season but in the Championship scoring runs has been an issue and it is an issue which caught up with them last time out when they lost to Hampshire in a very surprising outcome.
Home advantage, momentum and a point to prove all make me sway with Nottinghamshire here. I don’t think Nottinghamshire’s attack is significantly worse than Warwickshire’s but their batting is in much better touch so I’m with the Outlaws there.
In terms of league placings the match of the week is the Durham vs Middlesex match. I’m on Durham outright but they’re not winning the title now. They might place with a flourishing finish but even that might be pushing it now as I suspect their attention will now move to defending their 50 over crown.
I get the feeling that is already the case as they have a couple of youngsters in their squad this week which isn’t ideal and the absence of the likes of Keaton Jennings and obviously Ben Stokes and Mark Wood does give them a little bit of a weaker look and having already taken a beating by Middlesex at Lord’s that isn’t ideal.
Middlesex’s season is now about finishing as high as possible and as such they have named a near full strength squad. England have asked for Eoin Morgan not to be included and Nick Gubbins is injured but Paul Stirling, Sam Robson and Dawid Malan are all in decent nick which is handy.
Whenever you go to Durham you have to carry a good seam attack with you and in James Harris, Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones, Middlesex do. I think they’re probably stronger with the bat at the minute and at the price I’m prepared to take them here knowing their sole attention is on this match unlike Durham whose eyes must look towards Tuesday’s 50 over quarter final the longer this match goes.
Back Nottinghamshire to beat Warwickshire for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Stan James
Back Middlesex to beat Durham for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with Stan James
Blog cricket YTD: -8.77pts
