With the imminent arrival of the World Twenty20, swiftly to be followed by the small matter of the Ashes, it's hard not to feel the marginalisation of county cricket more keenly than ever. The Twenty20 Cup - the very goose, lest one forget, that spawned the golden egg - has been shifted from it's habitual June fortnight; May will see just one full round of Championship matches. Should England regain the urn in August, domestic results will be relegated to the smallest print known to broadsheets. In the far more likely case of an Australian victory, the corpse of county cricket will be dragged out for its traditional public flogging. As those who paid to witness barely persistent rain ruin the season-opener at Lord's might have felt, it can be hard to win as a county supporter.
But with the attention of the mass media elsewhere, not inconsiderable change is afoot in the domestic arena. New coaches and directors have been brought in to reawaken sleeping giants. Big names, too: Peter Moores at Lancashire, Angus Fraser returning to Middlesex, Chris Adams making what appears - though Yorkshiremen will need convincing - a lasting move from Sussex to Surrey. Moores and Adams know county success, although the needs and wants of two regional heavyweights may press them harder than seaside Sussex, where they needed and were given years to bring about success. Meanwhile, the minnows of a decade ago, now temporary wearers of what was once Surrey's unchallenged crown - rarely Lancashire's, a 'big club' akin to Newcastle United - look to build their own dynasty. A surfeit of seam bowlers, mostly locally nurtured, should boost Durham's chances of retaining their title, while their young turk captain, Will Smith, will have the support of gnarled old-pros Benkenstein and Chanderpaul and perhaps an additional weapon in Steve Harmison, to whom that description can still apply in county cricket.
Past the defending champions, the competition looks tight-knit as has increasingly been the case in the two-divisional system. Nottinghamshire's seam attack is tasty, but they look short of runs, especially if Samit Patel is required by England. Somerset are at the other pole: Langer and Trescothick continue to underwrite any batting deficit, but an attack which has still to move on from 40-year old Andrew Caddick should keep them stronger contenders for relegation than the title. Sussex have shopped shrewdly - bringing in Yasir Arafat and Ed Joyce - but the reality of Mushtaq's lost wickets began to set in last season, and there is no clear impression that they have addressed the issue. Worcestershire look just covered on bowling, but short on batting; fellow promotees Wawrickshire will have to do it the dull way, as was the case five summers ago, but look too anodyne, as exemplified by the unprepossessing acquisition of New Zealand's Jeetan Patel. Yorkshire remain too long detained by the process of bringing through youth; they will not get far unless they can identify a hardy pair of openers, a glaring deficiency in recent seasons, but otherwise the team has a nice balance, and will benefit from a refreshed Matthew Hoggard, eager to jerk the attention of the national selectors, who want to move on.
If Surrey, Kent and Middlesex think turning up will see them out of the Second Division, they could struggle. All are reasonable bets for promotion, but will be pushed hard by the more ambitious of the lower tier's accustomed residents: Essex have a bright-looking squad, albeit slightly lacking the substance for four-day cricket, as opposed to limited overs formats, where they are kings. Derbyshire too are upwardly-mobile, albeit slightly lacking experience in the bowling ranks. The remaining teams look set for continued struggle: some would say that Leicestershire and Northants, pushing the overseas quota as far as it is willing to go, deserve little better. But if some degree of predictability would be a blessed relief to county followers - being able to work out starting times for games without the aid of star-gazing equipment would be a start - the complete uncertainty across all four competitions should keep supporters interested , and the chance to witness the next generation of aspiring hopefuls - in healthy abundance despite the much-trumpeted influx of Kolpaks et al - is sufficient reason to remain hopeful however the national team fares.
Showing posts with label County Cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label County Cricket. Show all posts
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Friday, 4 April 2008
County game basks in calm before the storm
Cricket may be entering an uncertain phase at the moment, with the Indian leagues and money threatening the stucture of the game as we now know it, but the portents of the English summer remain as reassuring and unmistakeable as ever. And whatever becomes of cricket in the next decade, which could be defining, one senses that nothing will ever change in the comforting sequence of the calendar flicking over to April, the clocks going forward, the new Wisden rolling off the press and the English county season beginning in the confounding mixture of brilliant sun and incessant showers that spring in the sceptred isle tends to provide.
For all that one county, Sussex, has taken the spoils three years out of the last five, the Championship remains anything but predictable. Nottinghamshire, 2005 winners, suffered relegation in 2006; Durham, who escaped the same fate that year by half a point, were Sussex's closest challengers last season. Yorkshire, miserable for much of 2006, title challengers in 07, both times finished 6th. The beauty of the competition was crystallised in its conclusion last year: Sussex won at a canter to set a clubhouse lead, only to see Lancashire make a serious attempt at the 489 they needed to steal the prize. VVS Laxman led the charge at The Oval, ever the ground of late summer, with a run-a-ball century, but Lancahsire fell agonisingly short, Dominic Cork the last man down. Another title for Sussex; another year of failure for Lanchasire; another year of glorious success for Mark Ramprakash, who plundered twin centuries in the same game to mark up a second consecutive 2000-run season.
Sussex, providing Mushtaq is permitted to play, will be contenders again, even if age and departures may stretch their well-used resources too thin. With the retirement of Richard Montgomerie, the weakness of their opening partnership is exacerbated, while Mihcael Yardy will have to take some of the strain from the ageing duo of Goodwin and Adams if they are to score enough runs for Mushtaq to play with, although the return of Matt Prior from England duty should help. Lancashire ought to compete again, with runs aplenty expected from Law, Hodge and Loye. If England are prudent, they will also have the services of Andrew Flintoff for a longer period than injury or Duncan Fletcher have allowed for much of this decade.
The relative strengths and weaknesses of the other teams make their prospects diffucult to predict. Nottinghamshire could struggle with Ryan Sidebottom and new signing Stuart Broad now in England's clutches, while Hampshire, who have tended to be strong in recent years, are without their top three wicket-takers from 2007 and much will rest on the rarely reliable shoulders of Shane Bond, whom injury has never yet permitted to fulfil a county contract.
The chancesof the top-flight teams broadly in the title mix can be plausibly talked up or down: Surrey and Somerset have the batting strength, with former internationals Langer, Trescothick, Ramprakash and Butcher likely to provide runs in bulk. Their fortunes will depend much on the bowling, which has let down Surrey, in particular, in the recent past. They have, however, recruited shrewdly, bringing in Pedro Collins and Saqlain Mushtaq to bolster an attack which has yet to recover from the loss of Martin Bicknell. As it has been for the past few seasons, the unenviable Taunton bowling duties will fall largely on the shoulders of Andrew Caddick and Charl Willoughbly. Indefatigable as Caddick, in his 40th year, remains, the support for the new ball duo looks too thin to sustain any serious title challenge, with the influence of the likes of Peter Trego and Steffan Jones likely to be dimished by the superior Division 1 batsmen.
Durham have lost Ottis Gibson, one of the stars of 2007, but should have Steve Harmison for the whole season to lead an attack which still reads like a tall English seamers production line, Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions featuring. They should hoover up wickets, while a hardy corps of international batmsen, led by Michael Di Venuto and Dale Benkenstein, with Neil McKenzie and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to feature alternately, means they should be near the top again. Yorkshire's team is built on similar foundations, with the common theme of an England bowler returning not necessarily just for April, although Hoggard's chance of a quick recall to the international fold is significantly greater than that of his old new ball partner. If Darren Gough's legs can carry him through another season, and Rana Naved comes through contractual and injury complications, the seam attack should be formidable, while Adil Rashid, who has survived the hype from his first flowering and circumnavigated the difficult second season, will have a telling influence either way. Yorkshire might be inspired in patches, as was the case last season, but a flimsy-looking middle order and general lack of batting class, Rudolph and McGrath excepted, makes a concerted title challenge unlikely. The same is probably true of Kent, who lack the sprinkling of star quality usually needed to pick up silverware, but whose strong all-round contingent and experience should make them a tricky proposition and as unlikely to descend from comfortable mid-table as they are to rise from it.
The picture is slightly clearer, although by no means defined, in the second division which, eight years on, is increasingly cast afloat from the top flight. Unusually, neither of the two teams relegated last season appear nailed on for an immediate return. Worcestershire have a reasonable chance if their younger batsmen can support the veteran brigade of Hick, Smith and Solanki, while the fitness of seamers Matt Mason and Simon Jones will be crucial. Wawrickshire, who sunk without trace in the second half of last season, have much convincing to do, and look short on class in both batting and bowling, a situation not helped by the loss of Tim Ambrose to England. Middlesex, their middle order a class above, the seam bowling a healthy mix of youth and experience in Steven Finn, Chris Silverwood and Alan Richardson, look favourites for promotion. Essex could join them and Jason Gallian looks a cute acquisition, to help guide the talented but inexperienced duo of Chopra and Pettini which went astray last season.
Glamorgan and Leicestershire might well scrap to avoid the wooden spoon, both lacking enough high class players to damage the better teams. Derbyshire are a slight wild card, their management having thrown a lot of money at some big names, with Mahela Jayawardene, Chris Rogers and Rikki Clarke all to feature. Two more Kolpak signings are also reportedly in the pipeline and, if not a good bet to challenge for promotion this season, they could be laying the foundation for the years to come. Gloucestershire, struggling in the Championship and a shadow of the supreme one-day unit of a few years ago, will require significant contributions from captain Jon Lewis and overseas duo Marcus North and Hamish Marshall to compete.
In addition to the usual array of high-class overseas players, the season also provides an intriuging glimpse of England past and future. Mark Ramprakash will be looking for a third stellar season in a row, and Graeme Hick, who will turn 42 during the campaign, remains omnipresent. While Marcus Trescothick's international retirement is grievous for England, it is a boon for Somerset and the county game, both of which should benefit from his runs and high-profile. Potential England opening batsmen and bowlers are also in plentiful supply, Joe Denly and Billy Godleman looking to add themselves to a congested queue for batting places, with their more experienced colleagues Rob Key and Owais Shah not out of contention either. On the bowling front, Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions should aim to advance from promising to consistent performing, with the younger James Harris and Steven Finn also on the march. Ultimately, with a souped-up Twenty20 competition in the pipeline to respond to the IPL and radical ideas being tabled, it is a season which should be enjoyed and savoured. It may never be the same again.
For all that one county, Sussex, has taken the spoils three years out of the last five, the Championship remains anything but predictable. Nottinghamshire, 2005 winners, suffered relegation in 2006; Durham, who escaped the same fate that year by half a point, were Sussex's closest challengers last season. Yorkshire, miserable for much of 2006, title challengers in 07, both times finished 6th. The beauty of the competition was crystallised in its conclusion last year: Sussex won at a canter to set a clubhouse lead, only to see Lancashire make a serious attempt at the 489 they needed to steal the prize. VVS Laxman led the charge at The Oval, ever the ground of late summer, with a run-a-ball century, but Lancahsire fell agonisingly short, Dominic Cork the last man down. Another title for Sussex; another year of failure for Lanchasire; another year of glorious success for Mark Ramprakash, who plundered twin centuries in the same game to mark up a second consecutive 2000-run season.
Sussex, providing Mushtaq is permitted to play, will be contenders again, even if age and departures may stretch their well-used resources too thin. With the retirement of Richard Montgomerie, the weakness of their opening partnership is exacerbated, while Mihcael Yardy will have to take some of the strain from the ageing duo of Goodwin and Adams if they are to score enough runs for Mushtaq to play with, although the return of Matt Prior from England duty should help. Lancashire ought to compete again, with runs aplenty expected from Law, Hodge and Loye. If England are prudent, they will also have the services of Andrew Flintoff for a longer period than injury or Duncan Fletcher have allowed for much of this decade.
The relative strengths and weaknesses of the other teams make their prospects diffucult to predict. Nottinghamshire could struggle with Ryan Sidebottom and new signing Stuart Broad now in England's clutches, while Hampshire, who have tended to be strong in recent years, are without their top three wicket-takers from 2007 and much will rest on the rarely reliable shoulders of Shane Bond, whom injury has never yet permitted to fulfil a county contract.
The chancesof the top-flight teams broadly in the title mix can be plausibly talked up or down: Surrey and Somerset have the batting strength, with former internationals Langer, Trescothick, Ramprakash and Butcher likely to provide runs in bulk. Their fortunes will depend much on the bowling, which has let down Surrey, in particular, in the recent past. They have, however, recruited shrewdly, bringing in Pedro Collins and Saqlain Mushtaq to bolster an attack which has yet to recover from the loss of Martin Bicknell. As it has been for the past few seasons, the unenviable Taunton bowling duties will fall largely on the shoulders of Andrew Caddick and Charl Willoughbly. Indefatigable as Caddick, in his 40th year, remains, the support for the new ball duo looks too thin to sustain any serious title challenge, with the influence of the likes of Peter Trego and Steffan Jones likely to be dimished by the superior Division 1 batsmen.
Durham have lost Ottis Gibson, one of the stars of 2007, but should have Steve Harmison for the whole season to lead an attack which still reads like a tall English seamers production line, Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions featuring. They should hoover up wickets, while a hardy corps of international batmsen, led by Michael Di Venuto and Dale Benkenstein, with Neil McKenzie and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to feature alternately, means they should be near the top again. Yorkshire's team is built on similar foundations, with the common theme of an England bowler returning not necessarily just for April, although Hoggard's chance of a quick recall to the international fold is significantly greater than that of his old new ball partner. If Darren Gough's legs can carry him through another season, and Rana Naved comes through contractual and injury complications, the seam attack should be formidable, while Adil Rashid, who has survived the hype from his first flowering and circumnavigated the difficult second season, will have a telling influence either way. Yorkshire might be inspired in patches, as was the case last season, but a flimsy-looking middle order and general lack of batting class, Rudolph and McGrath excepted, makes a concerted title challenge unlikely. The same is probably true of Kent, who lack the sprinkling of star quality usually needed to pick up silverware, but whose strong all-round contingent and experience should make them a tricky proposition and as unlikely to descend from comfortable mid-table as they are to rise from it.
The picture is slightly clearer, although by no means defined, in the second division which, eight years on, is increasingly cast afloat from the top flight. Unusually, neither of the two teams relegated last season appear nailed on for an immediate return. Worcestershire have a reasonable chance if their younger batsmen can support the veteran brigade of Hick, Smith and Solanki, while the fitness of seamers Matt Mason and Simon Jones will be crucial. Wawrickshire, who sunk without trace in the second half of last season, have much convincing to do, and look short on class in both batting and bowling, a situation not helped by the loss of Tim Ambrose to England. Middlesex, their middle order a class above, the seam bowling a healthy mix of youth and experience in Steven Finn, Chris Silverwood and Alan Richardson, look favourites for promotion. Essex could join them and Jason Gallian looks a cute acquisition, to help guide the talented but inexperienced duo of Chopra and Pettini which went astray last season.
Glamorgan and Leicestershire might well scrap to avoid the wooden spoon, both lacking enough high class players to damage the better teams. Derbyshire are a slight wild card, their management having thrown a lot of money at some big names, with Mahela Jayawardene, Chris Rogers and Rikki Clarke all to feature. Two more Kolpak signings are also reportedly in the pipeline and, if not a good bet to challenge for promotion this season, they could be laying the foundation for the years to come. Gloucestershire, struggling in the Championship and a shadow of the supreme one-day unit of a few years ago, will require significant contributions from captain Jon Lewis and overseas duo Marcus North and Hamish Marshall to compete.
In addition to the usual array of high-class overseas players, the season also provides an intriuging glimpse of England past and future. Mark Ramprakash will be looking for a third stellar season in a row, and Graeme Hick, who will turn 42 during the campaign, remains omnipresent. While Marcus Trescothick's international retirement is grievous for England, it is a boon for Somerset and the county game, both of which should benefit from his runs and high-profile. Potential England opening batsmen and bowlers are also in plentiful supply, Joe Denly and Billy Godleman looking to add themselves to a congested queue for batting places, with their more experienced colleagues Rob Key and Owais Shah not out of contention either. On the bowling front, Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions should aim to advance from promising to consistent performing, with the younger James Harris and Steven Finn also on the march. Ultimately, with a souped-up Twenty20 competition in the pipeline to respond to the IPL and radical ideas being tabled, it is a season which should be enjoyed and savoured. It may never be the same again.
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
All change please
It is unusual to accuse any sportsman under the age of 30 of being a resident of the last chance saloon. Yet for two former England players who both today left the county which reared them it seems fitting. The reasons for the continual absecne of Simon Jones and Rikki Clarke from the international scene are, of course, polar opposites; however, both find themselves in the same situation as regards their future - a hard road with only a small chance of reward at the end.
Clarke, announced today as the new Derbyshire captain, has been living in a comfort zone at The Oval for a few years now, not the first promising player from that club to fall into such a trap in recent times. Ever since his first taste of international cricket in 2003, he has failed to make a realistic claim for a regular spot with domestic runs and wickets, and his chances have generally come when the selectors have been raking up the dregs to make up numbers in the one-day side. With Andrew Flintoff now absent and possibly never to return, the need for a pace-bowling all-rounder is keenly felt; but the call comes at possibly Clarke's lowest ebb - last term his runs came at less than 25, the wickets at over 40. From stand-in captain in the opening game, he first slipped down the averages, and then out of the team, as old attitude problems began to flare up and a move away from Surrey has been forecasted since mid-season. He is still only 26, and the chance to both captain and act the role of star player is a wonderful opportunity for Clarke to realise his multi-faceted talent and make his pitch for a role in a future without Flintoff if that should arise. Peter Moores has shown his willingness to select those who impress at county level; Derbyshire have shown faith in his cricketing skill and a personality which has been questioned on more than one occasion. Now Clarke must fulfil his side of the bargain and bring home the bacon; he owes it to his new county, and in truth he owes it to himself and the potential which is a few wrong steps away from being perpetually unfulfilled.
When Simon Jones made his England debut five summers ago, in the same series as Steve Harmison, it seemed to herald a new era in English pace bowling. He picked up 4 wickets in his first Test, not before he had blasted a quickfire 40 as a warm-up. He was still, to use the technical term, "wild and wooly", but had all the attributes to be a top fast bowler, foremost the ability to bowl at a genuinely express pace. But that same winter, the world which had appeared to be at his feet came crashing down about his ears, as he snapped cruciate ligaments in Brisbane having just picked up his first Ashes wicket. It looked career threatening, but Jones pulled through, and was finally rehabilitated on the 2004 tour of the Caribbean, as England triumphed 3-0, and the fast bowling quartet which was to be the basis for a perfect year was born. Progress thereafter was somewhat stilted; he did not hold down a place in the return series that summer, and has a largely miserable tour of South Africa with Michael Vaughan seemingly unwilling to bowl him for extended periods. As the Ashes series loomed, he was definitely regarded as the weak link in England's attack. No-one, English or Australian, could have predicted the magnitude of that series or indeed Jones' significant contribution in it. He was the creator of so many great moments in a contest littered with them, the best perhaps a massive hooping reverse-swinger to which Michael Clarke shouldered arms to give those watching the best view of his off-stump being uprooted. Cruelly, in the middle of being architect for Australia's demise at Trent Bridge, and handed the new ball for the first time, his ankle gave way. He did not bowl again in that Test, although at the time it was hoped he would recover for the decider. 26 months later, and that is still his last match for England. His ankle problem mutated into a knee injury which kept him out until the beginning of 2007, with attempts to rush him back just leading to setbacks. The season just gone was supposed to be a renaissance one for Jones; as it turned out, he picked up just one wicket in Championship cricket in 89 overs of bowling. His knee would not let him alone to bowl; by all accounts, he did not look fit even when he turned out, and had none of the zip which knocked over 17 Australian wickets in 2005. Now he has turned his back on Glamorgan, and been offered refuge by Worcestershire. Perhaps a move away from the county which is his home in every sense is the best thing for Jones now, although his chances of a full recovery seem negligible. He will take comfort from the progress of Michael Vaughan, who recovered from a similarly low ebb in summer 2006 to play a full programme of Tests the next year. And while there is a long queue of prospective Test seamers, the positions are not nailed down; there is still a place for a fully fit Jones if he can recapture his best. But that is several galaxies away as we stand; hopefully he will be able to use the winter to work on the knee and at least get some overs behind him next season. For unlike Clarke, there is only so much that he can do.
Clarke, announced today as the new Derbyshire captain, has been living in a comfort zone at The Oval for a few years now, not the first promising player from that club to fall into such a trap in recent times. Ever since his first taste of international cricket in 2003, he has failed to make a realistic claim for a regular spot with domestic runs and wickets, and his chances have generally come when the selectors have been raking up the dregs to make up numbers in the one-day side. With Andrew Flintoff now absent and possibly never to return, the need for a pace-bowling all-rounder is keenly felt; but the call comes at possibly Clarke's lowest ebb - last term his runs came at less than 25, the wickets at over 40. From stand-in captain in the opening game, he first slipped down the averages, and then out of the team, as old attitude problems began to flare up and a move away from Surrey has been forecasted since mid-season. He is still only 26, and the chance to both captain and act the role of star player is a wonderful opportunity for Clarke to realise his multi-faceted talent and make his pitch for a role in a future without Flintoff if that should arise. Peter Moores has shown his willingness to select those who impress at county level; Derbyshire have shown faith in his cricketing skill and a personality which has been questioned on more than one occasion. Now Clarke must fulfil his side of the bargain and bring home the bacon; he owes it to his new county, and in truth he owes it to himself and the potential which is a few wrong steps away from being perpetually unfulfilled.
When Simon Jones made his England debut five summers ago, in the same series as Steve Harmison, it seemed to herald a new era in English pace bowling. He picked up 4 wickets in his first Test, not before he had blasted a quickfire 40 as a warm-up. He was still, to use the technical term, "wild and wooly", but had all the attributes to be a top fast bowler, foremost the ability to bowl at a genuinely express pace. But that same winter, the world which had appeared to be at his feet came crashing down about his ears, as he snapped cruciate ligaments in Brisbane having just picked up his first Ashes wicket. It looked career threatening, but Jones pulled through, and was finally rehabilitated on the 2004 tour of the Caribbean, as England triumphed 3-0, and the fast bowling quartet which was to be the basis for a perfect year was born. Progress thereafter was somewhat stilted; he did not hold down a place in the return series that summer, and has a largely miserable tour of South Africa with Michael Vaughan seemingly unwilling to bowl him for extended periods. As the Ashes series loomed, he was definitely regarded as the weak link in England's attack. No-one, English or Australian, could have predicted the magnitude of that series or indeed Jones' significant contribution in it. He was the creator of so many great moments in a contest littered with them, the best perhaps a massive hooping reverse-swinger to which Michael Clarke shouldered arms to give those watching the best view of his off-stump being uprooted. Cruelly, in the middle of being architect for Australia's demise at Trent Bridge, and handed the new ball for the first time, his ankle gave way. He did not bowl again in that Test, although at the time it was hoped he would recover for the decider. 26 months later, and that is still his last match for England. His ankle problem mutated into a knee injury which kept him out until the beginning of 2007, with attempts to rush him back just leading to setbacks. The season just gone was supposed to be a renaissance one for Jones; as it turned out, he picked up just one wicket in Championship cricket in 89 overs of bowling. His knee would not let him alone to bowl; by all accounts, he did not look fit even when he turned out, and had none of the zip which knocked over 17 Australian wickets in 2005. Now he has turned his back on Glamorgan, and been offered refuge by Worcestershire. Perhaps a move away from the county which is his home in every sense is the best thing for Jones now, although his chances of a full recovery seem negligible. He will take comfort from the progress of Michael Vaughan, who recovered from a similarly low ebb in summer 2006 to play a full programme of Tests the next year. And while there is a long queue of prospective Test seamers, the positions are not nailed down; there is still a place for a fully fit Jones if he can recapture his best. But that is several galaxies away as we stand; hopefully he will be able to use the winter to work on the knee and at least get some overs behind him next season. For unlike Clarke, there is only so much that he can do.
Sunday, 26 August 2007
Looking for a happy ending to hard times
County cricket can be a strange and capricious world, but the reality of a probable title-decider at Hove is remarkable even by such standards, considering the relative recent fortunes of the two counties. Sussex are the champions, and are seeking their third title in five season, so their presence would not be cause for any great surprise. However such an eventuality seemed unlikely back in April, as they crashed to successive innings defeats against Kent and Wawrickshire. Michael Yardy was unavailable, his finger broken in the curtain raiser against MCC; Matt Prior likewise, at the behest of the England selectors.
At that stage of the season, Yorkshire fans were in a state of delirium; Surrey, Durham and Worcestershire had all submitted to heavy defeats, while fancied Hampshire escaped with a draw. It had been a swift turnaround from the circumstances six months previously, when the club was in straits calamitous even when set against the frequent disasters which litter the club's history, ancient and modern. Darren Lehmann, who had literally preserved Yorkshire's Division 1 status off his own bat, scoring a triple century in the survive or die match against Durham, and a top-drawer overseas pro in every way, had lost the battle against ageing bones and was unable to commit to another full campaign. Joining him through the exit door was Michael Lumb, off to the greener grass of Hampshire's Rose Bowl, and, so it seemed Anthony McGrath. No-one had been more committed to the cause than McGrath, a loyal servant to the club for over a decade. But like so many Yorkshire greats of the past, the back-biting and inner machinations had tipped him over the edge and he resolved to cut his ties with the club. Craig White extended his contract, but terminated his leadership, so Yorkshire had no captain. David Byas, cause for some of the unrest, also departed, so they had no coach.
Where two had been, Yorkshire sought to fill the void with one man. Ironically enough, that was the then Sussex captain Chris Adams. Captaining the side, acting as head coach and shoring up a flimsy middle-order were the tasks assigned to him, the reciprocal being a four year contract and an enticing financial offer. Perhaps bearing in mind the job that faced him, one can understand while Adams took one look and fled back to homely Hove (stopping on the way to have his photo taken holding a Yorkshire shirt), which is why he is the still Sussex captain. But his departure left the club in a tricky situation; as ever, Geoffrey Boycott homed in on the nub of the issue - Yorkshire had spent the months where they could have found the players they now needed persuading Adams and that time had been wasted and Adams had not only left them up a creek but taken their paddle with him back to Sussex. The batting appeared to begin and end with Younus Khan; the bowling with Jason Gillespie - not an appealing prospect when his first season with the club was taken into account. Younus could not be captain, as he was going to be away the World Cup (as was the assumption), neither could McGrath as he was leaving.
But while the reaction of most Yorkshire fans to Chris Adams' U-turn ranged from anger to outright hostility, they might well now consider a pilgrimage to Hove to kiss his feet. Realising that the middle-order batting was set to resemble that of the previous year's Second XI, a mixture of hard-headed dealing from Chief Exec. Stuart Regan and Geoffrey Boycott's contacts in South Africa helped bring Jaques Rudolph to the club on a three year Kolpak deal. It was not popular, and fiercely contested by other counties, but at the end of it all, Yorkshire had secured the services of a Test-class batsman, who has proved over the course of the season to be their best. However, the captaincy options were still thin on the ground - the fact that Jason Gillespie was probably the second horse in the race is a fair illustration of the situation. Yet an amazing winter for the club had one more surprise left in it, and it concerned the nature of a two-year contract offered by Essex; it was unsigned, and the name on it was Darren Gough. With his old foe Byas out of the way, Gough did not need too much persuading to make the emotional return once the captaincy option was on the table. Gough alone would have been a significant capture, but when his signing reaped the immediate benefits of mollifying McGrath and provoking an extraordinary reconciliation as well as luring former coach Martyn Moxon back from Durham, no-one could quite believe the transformation that the club had undergone in a matter of months. And when Pakistan's dismal World Cup exit meant Younus would be available from the start of the season, optimism knew no bounds. It was cup runneth over stuff, especially when Surrey were knocked over on their own turf, leading to three wins in the first four championship games.
It couldn't last, could it? Well yes and no - despite having won just one more match since the initial spurt, Yorkshire find themselves at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more than nearest rivals Sussex and two more than Hampshire. After rain interrupted their mid-season, with none of their four matches after the 20-20 break going beyond a third innings, consecutive losses to Lancashire and Worcestershire looked to have scuppered their title chances. The latter result was a real body-blow - Worcestershire were (and still are) propping up the table, winless all season. However, enterprising captaincy from Vikram Solanki, declaring behind on first innings after the weather had taken time out of the game, gave his opposite number the chance to reciprocate, which he did a little too generously as Worcestershire chased down 337 with ease on the final afternoon.
However, just as Yorkshire looked to have played themselves out of contention, fate took a hand: as Sussex were sat in a dressing room at The Oval unable to get on the field for a single ball over four days, the Scarborough crowd were witnessing the utter destruction of Wawrickshire, who went down to a crushing innings defeat, twice bowled out cheaply and made to suffer in the field as Rudolph amassed a double-century and Bresnan his third ton of the season. Maximum points to Yorkshire; squat all to Sussex except the realisation that the title race was wide-open again.
The clash between the two teams in early September is the next Championship game for both sides, and should either one emerge as winner, the title is likely to go with them. Yorkshire have relied on their batsmen a lot this term, reflected by their mammoth amount of batting bonus points, the factor which is keeping them at the top of the table. And after the top order had begun to falter recently, they have been reinforced by the arrival of two Test captains - incumbent English leader Michael Vaughan and recently departed Pakistani skipper Inzamam-Ul-Haq, a replacement for compatriot Younus Khan. Anthony McGrath has returned to the form of last season after a shaky start, and Yorkshire will rely on him for solidity at the top, alongside Vaughan. Batsman of the season Rudolph is the fourth Test player in the top 5, and has combined well with a strong lower order, improved keeper-batsman Gerard Brophy and England future hopefuls Rashid and Bresnan, both in the runs of late. Sussex boast less international pedigree, but are nevertheless packed with experienced practitioners, Goodwin and Adams the best bets for heavy runs, backed up by Yardy and Montgomerie, enjoying his best season for years at the top of the order. The lower-order also shows up well, with Hodd deputising effectively for Prior, as well as all-rounders Martin-Jenkins and 20 over star Luke Wright.
Yorkshire's opening pair with the ball is an exciting mix of England past and present, captain Gough alongside Hoggard. Bresnan and Shahzad are the back-up seamers, while the trump card is spinning prodigy Adil Rashid. Although his season has tailed off with the ball after a turbo-charged start, he is still a serious threat. Should he be looking to learn, in his two opposite numbers there are no better examples as masters of their respective crafts. Mushtaq Ahmed has been top wicket-taker for Sussex in every season since he joined in 2003, and nothing has changed this term, 69 already having fallen victim. He is now joined by the other man who sustained Pakistani spin bowling in the 1990s, Saqlain Mushtaq: if Shane Warne saved the art of leg-spin, the same must be said of Saqlain as regards off-spin, with his invention of what is now known as the doosra, but to start off with was just Saqlain's mystery ball. The last three years have been a real struggle for him - dropped by Pakistan, he found himself abandoned by his home country, and has finally emerged with Sussex, alongside his old accomplice. With the Pakistani spin-twins, expect the Hove pitch to be conducive to turn (make that a raging bunsen), although Yorkshire can counter with not only Rashid but Imran Tahir, replacement for Jason Gillespie.
The two counties can find much in common over the last year, not least the man who could have been leading out either team. But for all that shared experience, only one team can lift the trophy, and the forthcoming match represents the best chance for one team to deliver a knockout blow. Yorkshire have the big-names, Sussex the men who know what it takes to win a Championship. Only after four days will Chris Adams know whether he made the right choice.
At that stage of the season, Yorkshire fans were in a state of delirium; Surrey, Durham and Worcestershire had all submitted to heavy defeats, while fancied Hampshire escaped with a draw. It had been a swift turnaround from the circumstances six months previously, when the club was in straits calamitous even when set against the frequent disasters which litter the club's history, ancient and modern. Darren Lehmann, who had literally preserved Yorkshire's Division 1 status off his own bat, scoring a triple century in the survive or die match against Durham, and a top-drawer overseas pro in every way, had lost the battle against ageing bones and was unable to commit to another full campaign. Joining him through the exit door was Michael Lumb, off to the greener grass of Hampshire's Rose Bowl, and, so it seemed Anthony McGrath. No-one had been more committed to the cause than McGrath, a loyal servant to the club for over a decade. But like so many Yorkshire greats of the past, the back-biting and inner machinations had tipped him over the edge and he resolved to cut his ties with the club. Craig White extended his contract, but terminated his leadership, so Yorkshire had no captain. David Byas, cause for some of the unrest, also departed, so they had no coach.
Where two had been, Yorkshire sought to fill the void with one man. Ironically enough, that was the then Sussex captain Chris Adams. Captaining the side, acting as head coach and shoring up a flimsy middle-order were the tasks assigned to him, the reciprocal being a four year contract and an enticing financial offer. Perhaps bearing in mind the job that faced him, one can understand while Adams took one look and fled back to homely Hove (stopping on the way to have his photo taken holding a Yorkshire shirt), which is why he is the still Sussex captain. But his departure left the club in a tricky situation; as ever, Geoffrey Boycott homed in on the nub of the issue - Yorkshire had spent the months where they could have found the players they now needed persuading Adams and that time had been wasted and Adams had not only left them up a creek but taken their paddle with him back to Sussex. The batting appeared to begin and end with Younus Khan; the bowling with Jason Gillespie - not an appealing prospect when his first season with the club was taken into account. Younus could not be captain, as he was going to be away the World Cup (as was the assumption), neither could McGrath as he was leaving.
But while the reaction of most Yorkshire fans to Chris Adams' U-turn ranged from anger to outright hostility, they might well now consider a pilgrimage to Hove to kiss his feet. Realising that the middle-order batting was set to resemble that of the previous year's Second XI, a mixture of hard-headed dealing from Chief Exec. Stuart Regan and Geoffrey Boycott's contacts in South Africa helped bring Jaques Rudolph to the club on a three year Kolpak deal. It was not popular, and fiercely contested by other counties, but at the end of it all, Yorkshire had secured the services of a Test-class batsman, who has proved over the course of the season to be their best. However, the captaincy options were still thin on the ground - the fact that Jason Gillespie was probably the second horse in the race is a fair illustration of the situation. Yet an amazing winter for the club had one more surprise left in it, and it concerned the nature of a two-year contract offered by Essex; it was unsigned, and the name on it was Darren Gough. With his old foe Byas out of the way, Gough did not need too much persuading to make the emotional return once the captaincy option was on the table. Gough alone would have been a significant capture, but when his signing reaped the immediate benefits of mollifying McGrath and provoking an extraordinary reconciliation as well as luring former coach Martyn Moxon back from Durham, no-one could quite believe the transformation that the club had undergone in a matter of months. And when Pakistan's dismal World Cup exit meant Younus would be available from the start of the season, optimism knew no bounds. It was cup runneth over stuff, especially when Surrey were knocked over on their own turf, leading to three wins in the first four championship games.
It couldn't last, could it? Well yes and no - despite having won just one more match since the initial spurt, Yorkshire find themselves at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more than nearest rivals Sussex and two more than Hampshire. After rain interrupted their mid-season, with none of their four matches after the 20-20 break going beyond a third innings, consecutive losses to Lancashire and Worcestershire looked to have scuppered their title chances. The latter result was a real body-blow - Worcestershire were (and still are) propping up the table, winless all season. However, enterprising captaincy from Vikram Solanki, declaring behind on first innings after the weather had taken time out of the game, gave his opposite number the chance to reciprocate, which he did a little too generously as Worcestershire chased down 337 with ease on the final afternoon.
However, just as Yorkshire looked to have played themselves out of contention, fate took a hand: as Sussex were sat in a dressing room at The Oval unable to get on the field for a single ball over four days, the Scarborough crowd were witnessing the utter destruction of Wawrickshire, who went down to a crushing innings defeat, twice bowled out cheaply and made to suffer in the field as Rudolph amassed a double-century and Bresnan his third ton of the season. Maximum points to Yorkshire; squat all to Sussex except the realisation that the title race was wide-open again.
The clash between the two teams in early September is the next Championship game for both sides, and should either one emerge as winner, the title is likely to go with them. Yorkshire have relied on their batsmen a lot this term, reflected by their mammoth amount of batting bonus points, the factor which is keeping them at the top of the table. And after the top order had begun to falter recently, they have been reinforced by the arrival of two Test captains - incumbent English leader Michael Vaughan and recently departed Pakistani skipper Inzamam-Ul-Haq, a replacement for compatriot Younus Khan. Anthony McGrath has returned to the form of last season after a shaky start, and Yorkshire will rely on him for solidity at the top, alongside Vaughan. Batsman of the season Rudolph is the fourth Test player in the top 5, and has combined well with a strong lower order, improved keeper-batsman Gerard Brophy and England future hopefuls Rashid and Bresnan, both in the runs of late. Sussex boast less international pedigree, but are nevertheless packed with experienced practitioners, Goodwin and Adams the best bets for heavy runs, backed up by Yardy and Montgomerie, enjoying his best season for years at the top of the order. The lower-order also shows up well, with Hodd deputising effectively for Prior, as well as all-rounders Martin-Jenkins and 20 over star Luke Wright.
Yorkshire's opening pair with the ball is an exciting mix of England past and present, captain Gough alongside Hoggard. Bresnan and Shahzad are the back-up seamers, while the trump card is spinning prodigy Adil Rashid. Although his season has tailed off with the ball after a turbo-charged start, he is still a serious threat. Should he be looking to learn, in his two opposite numbers there are no better examples as masters of their respective crafts. Mushtaq Ahmed has been top wicket-taker for Sussex in every season since he joined in 2003, and nothing has changed this term, 69 already having fallen victim. He is now joined by the other man who sustained Pakistani spin bowling in the 1990s, Saqlain Mushtaq: if Shane Warne saved the art of leg-spin, the same must be said of Saqlain as regards off-spin, with his invention of what is now known as the doosra, but to start off with was just Saqlain's mystery ball. The last three years have been a real struggle for him - dropped by Pakistan, he found himself abandoned by his home country, and has finally emerged with Sussex, alongside his old accomplice. With the Pakistani spin-twins, expect the Hove pitch to be conducive to turn (make that a raging bunsen), although Yorkshire can counter with not only Rashid but Imran Tahir, replacement for Jason Gillespie.
The two counties can find much in common over the last year, not least the man who could have been leading out either team. But for all that shared experience, only one team can lift the trophy, and the forthcoming match represents the best chance for one team to deliver a knockout blow. Yorkshire have the big-names, Sussex the men who know what it takes to win a Championship. Only after four days will Chris Adams know whether he made the right choice.
Friday, 17 August 2007
Worth the wait?
Not many could have foreseen back in April when the county season begun in unnaturally hot conditions that 2007 would be a summer in which rain would be a menace more persistent than even English cricket followers are accustomed to. But it appears that the rain deities managed to confuse June and July for January, in the process almost completely snuffing out the Twenty20 spark which county cricket has become almost entirely dependent on for publicity and popular presence. With this failing, the old standby of the domestic one-day final has been looked to, and, glory-be, there is a story.
Just as Gloucestershire became known by the name of their talisman Mike Procter in the 1970s, Shane Warne now has such influence over his dominion of Hampshire that a similar acknowledgement would not be remiss. And while he may in time join his four fellow Wisden cricketers of the century as a knight of the realm, the peership that only Learie Constantine from the cricketing fraternity has risen to is unlikely to ever be awarded to him, meaning that he can be Lord Warne of the Rose Bowl in the mind's eye only. And he, as ever, is a significant part of that story in what could well be his last Lord's final, 8 years after he made the best team of the tournament, Pakistan, look like impostors in the World Cup final.
15 years ago, the appearance of Shane Warne on any cricketing stage would have failed to produce much more than a passing interest. For it was back then that he was making his first steps in international cricket; around the same time, dominant minor county Durham were also starting out in first-class cricket, wet nursed through infancy by a number of fading star names in Wayne Larkins, Ian Botham and Simon Hughes, alongside combative Aussie Dean Jones and the homegrown crop. The two roads have diverged greatly since the shared point of departure: while Warne has, not without mishap, forged a path as the supreme bowler of his generation, and perhaps any, Durham have mostly been hacking through the rough, propping up the championship table and acting as cannon fodder for Brian Lara as he amassed, rather blasted, his record 501*. But as Warne's playing days reach a dignified end, and Durham taste sustained success for the first time in their history as a first-class county, the two paths cross again; it is Durham's first domestic Lord's final, as it is Warne's, and it is also conceivably the great man's last.
But just as Warne is now a totally different beast from that which managed just one expensive wicket on Test debut, Durham are no longer a team to be taken lightly, especially in this form of the game. Michael Di Venuto, whom only Mark Ramprakash has surpassed in run getting this championship season, opens up alongside wicket-keeper Phil Mustard, whose surname gives a fair impression of how he sets about opening bowlers. An international middle-order follows; Paul Collingwood, followed by batsman of the summer Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dale Benkenstein, the South African who bucks the general Kolpak trend by being a player of the highest class and commitment. Even without the injured Steve Harmison, the bowling is far from inert; Ottis Gibson is a year older than Warne and is already on the ECB payroll as an Academy coach, although he is playing almost well enough to be representing the national team, in the form of his life after achieving the rare feat of all ten wickets in an innings last month. He is backed up in the seam department by England present and future: Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions, as well as Neil Killeen, a war-horse who has survived through the dark days to represent his home county in their finest hour. Gareth Breese provides the spin option and sustains the West Indian connection as well as supplementing a strong lower order, alongside Gibson and Plunkett. With Collingwood and Benkenstein also good value for their medium-pacers, Durham will not be short of options as they seek to restrict Pietersen and co.
On a rare jaunt for his second county, England's kingpin will be the prized wicket, although he is by no means the be all and end all for the Hampshire batting. Despite not quite being in the imperious form of the past few seasons, John Crawley is still a force to be reckoned with at the top of the order, while a lot could depend on the contribution of the two Southern African left-handers, the hard hitting duo of Lumb and Ervine, whose belligerence will be complemented by the pragmatism of Nic Pothas, quietly enjoying another excellent season while the wicket-keeping debate rages elsewhere. Stuart Clark has gone, but in his place Daren Powell has blossomed after a mixed tour with his country in early summer, and leads the seam attack alongside Chris Tremlett, buoyed by his impressive Test performances and looking to lay down a marker for selection in the forthcoming one-day marathon against India. Likewise Dimitri Mascarenhas, who will aim to restrict with ball and explode with the bat and whose position as fourth seamer is indicative of his team's bowling depth, with James Bruce an understated performer as first change. And then there is Warne; like all others, he has only 10 overs to bowl, but for the Durham batsmen, experienced as the majority are, his spell will seem that much longer - while there is always a certain formulaic nature to one-day cricket, you cannot account for a singular genius like Warne. And not just with ball in hand; the chatter will not cease from his domain of first-slip, especially when Collingwood comes to the crease. And there are few other No.8 batsmen you would rather have coming in to guide a tight run-chase; while others might hesitate, or be seized by nerves, you know that Warne will never divert from his primary setting, which is attack, and attack again until the enemy has been defeated.
Warne 15 years in the making; Durham 15 years in the waiting. It is easy to overestimate the one, and underrate the other. Hampshire, with their unbeaten record in Lord's finals, will start as favourites, although Durham's inexperience in big-game situations is as a team only, with the majority of their team well versed in the cut and thrust of the winner-takes-all scenario. It is far easier in the mind's eye to picture Warne with the trophy held aloft, but on balance the solidity of the Durham line-up is a good bet to deny him. But probability and odds only interest Warne when he is laying bets, rather than deciding their outcome, and he is one major hurdle Durham will have to surmount if they are to mark the biggest day out in their history with their greatest achievement.
Just as Gloucestershire became known by the name of their talisman Mike Procter in the 1970s, Shane Warne now has such influence over his dominion of Hampshire that a similar acknowledgement would not be remiss. And while he may in time join his four fellow Wisden cricketers of the century as a knight of the realm, the peership that only Learie Constantine from the cricketing fraternity has risen to is unlikely to ever be awarded to him, meaning that he can be Lord Warne of the Rose Bowl in the mind's eye only. And he, as ever, is a significant part of that story in what could well be his last Lord's final, 8 years after he made the best team of the tournament, Pakistan, look like impostors in the World Cup final.
15 years ago, the appearance of Shane Warne on any cricketing stage would have failed to produce much more than a passing interest. For it was back then that he was making his first steps in international cricket; around the same time, dominant minor county Durham were also starting out in first-class cricket, wet nursed through infancy by a number of fading star names in Wayne Larkins, Ian Botham and Simon Hughes, alongside combative Aussie Dean Jones and the homegrown crop. The two roads have diverged greatly since the shared point of departure: while Warne has, not without mishap, forged a path as the supreme bowler of his generation, and perhaps any, Durham have mostly been hacking through the rough, propping up the championship table and acting as cannon fodder for Brian Lara as he amassed, rather blasted, his record 501*. But as Warne's playing days reach a dignified end, and Durham taste sustained success for the first time in their history as a first-class county, the two paths cross again; it is Durham's first domestic Lord's final, as it is Warne's, and it is also conceivably the great man's last.
But just as Warne is now a totally different beast from that which managed just one expensive wicket on Test debut, Durham are no longer a team to be taken lightly, especially in this form of the game. Michael Di Venuto, whom only Mark Ramprakash has surpassed in run getting this championship season, opens up alongside wicket-keeper Phil Mustard, whose surname gives a fair impression of how he sets about opening bowlers. An international middle-order follows; Paul Collingwood, followed by batsman of the summer Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dale Benkenstein, the South African who bucks the general Kolpak trend by being a player of the highest class and commitment. Even without the injured Steve Harmison, the bowling is far from inert; Ottis Gibson is a year older than Warne and is already on the ECB payroll as an Academy coach, although he is playing almost well enough to be representing the national team, in the form of his life after achieving the rare feat of all ten wickets in an innings last month. He is backed up in the seam department by England present and future: Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions, as well as Neil Killeen, a war-horse who has survived through the dark days to represent his home county in their finest hour. Gareth Breese provides the spin option and sustains the West Indian connection as well as supplementing a strong lower order, alongside Gibson and Plunkett. With Collingwood and Benkenstein also good value for their medium-pacers, Durham will not be short of options as they seek to restrict Pietersen and co.
On a rare jaunt for his second county, England's kingpin will be the prized wicket, although he is by no means the be all and end all for the Hampshire batting. Despite not quite being in the imperious form of the past few seasons, John Crawley is still a force to be reckoned with at the top of the order, while a lot could depend on the contribution of the two Southern African left-handers, the hard hitting duo of Lumb and Ervine, whose belligerence will be complemented by the pragmatism of Nic Pothas, quietly enjoying another excellent season while the wicket-keeping debate rages elsewhere. Stuart Clark has gone, but in his place Daren Powell has blossomed after a mixed tour with his country in early summer, and leads the seam attack alongside Chris Tremlett, buoyed by his impressive Test performances and looking to lay down a marker for selection in the forthcoming one-day marathon against India. Likewise Dimitri Mascarenhas, who will aim to restrict with ball and explode with the bat and whose position as fourth seamer is indicative of his team's bowling depth, with James Bruce an understated performer as first change. And then there is Warne; like all others, he has only 10 overs to bowl, but for the Durham batsmen, experienced as the majority are, his spell will seem that much longer - while there is always a certain formulaic nature to one-day cricket, you cannot account for a singular genius like Warne. And not just with ball in hand; the chatter will not cease from his domain of first-slip, especially when Collingwood comes to the crease. And there are few other No.8 batsmen you would rather have coming in to guide a tight run-chase; while others might hesitate, or be seized by nerves, you know that Warne will never divert from his primary setting, which is attack, and attack again until the enemy has been defeated.
Warne 15 years in the making; Durham 15 years in the waiting. It is easy to overestimate the one, and underrate the other. Hampshire, with their unbeaten record in Lord's finals, will start as favourites, although Durham's inexperience in big-game situations is as a team only, with the majority of their team well versed in the cut and thrust of the winner-takes-all scenario. It is far easier in the mind's eye to picture Warne with the trophy held aloft, but on balance the solidity of the Durham line-up is a good bet to deny him. But probability and odds only interest Warne when he is laying bets, rather than deciding their outcome, and he is one major hurdle Durham will have to surmount if they are to mark the biggest day out in their history with their greatest achievement.
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Yorkshire grateful for R and R
Having endured a winter during which England plumbed the depths and kept on digging, it made a pleasant change to actually go and see some cricket, as I did today at The Oval. (that's the Brit Oval to you and me, the one in Kennington where Surrey and Yorkshire contested their first match of the LV=County Championship the day after England bowed out of ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 in Kensington.)
Jimmy Ormond, even more corpulent now than in his England days when his girth far exceeded his wicket tally, bowled the first ball to another old England lag Craig White in front of the ubiquitous "smattering", nevertheless a few hundred more than will be expending any interest in England's game against the West Indies on Saturday.
Had you half closed your eyes, and put out of your mind that the players were dressed in white, you might have begun to imagine that England was taking itself on in a one-day game. The batting was slow to begin with, and wickets fell just as the batsmen who had got in attempted to raise the tempo. The bowling was fairly laboured, with the return of 4 wickets in the morning session probably twice what they deserved.
While the openers scratched around, Anthony McGrath started to show why Yorkshire fought so hard to keep him, as he peppered the cover boundary with a few delightful drives before falling to Mahmood, the second of three wickets picked up by the Surrey medium pace duo of Mahmood and Clarke just before lunch. His predecessor Sayers was responsible for his own downfall, slashing at a wide offering from Clarke, which brought in the billed star turn, Younus Khan. Like many who single-handedly wear the crowd's expectations, he flattered to deceive, guiding his first delivery to the boundary before playing around a straight one three balls later.
With two of their three main batsmen having fallen on 73, Yorkshire were facing a repeat of the opening of the 2002 season against the same opposition and dismissal for a total of less than 150 on a pitch whose only concession to the bowlers was healthy carry through to the 'keeper. As he made his frequent wanderings towards square leg between deliveries, Jacques Rudolph's thoughts could have been forgiven for drifting away from the Kennington Oval to its near namesake in Barbados, where he might have been celebrating a crushing victory rather than scrapping to prevent suffering the reverse.
But if his concentration ever wavered, it did not show, as he safely saw Yorkshire through to the interval precariosuly placed at 87-4. After lunch, he and Gerard Brophy were responsible for the first period of bat dominating ball, with Brophy driving Ormond to the boundary three times in one over and forcing him out of the attack. Rudolph himself began to open up, revealing a pleasant array of off-side strokes to go with the natural left-handers' proficiency on the leg-side. Steve Magoffin, who bears some resemblance to his fellow Australian Shaun Tait in countenance if not bowling action (his arm is high and vertical) trapped Brophy on 127, bringing the great white hope of English leg-spin, Adil Rashid, to the crease.
Rikki Clarke, buoyed by a few wickets in the first session, brought himself back a tad prematurely, and decided to concentrate on a short-pitched line to the correspondingly sized Rashid. Maybe no-one has told him that small men tend to play short-pitched balls better than most, and, after Rashid had warmed up with a few wild and woolly fresh air shots, he was soon tucking into the Surrey captain, launching a hooked six into the crowd, followed up by a more delicate cut for another boundary. With Rudolph allowing no respite from the other end, Clarke soon elected to take the pace off the ball with spinners Doshi and Schofield.
The portents were not good, Rudolph greeting Doshi with three boundaries, all launched back over his head to the rope at long-off. To be fair, this was not reflective of the left-armer's overall performance, which was tight, if a bit lacking in bite. Chris Schofield, himself once the supposed future of English leg-spin, found himself bowling to his successor. One can only hope that Rashid ignored what he saw, as he was served up an entire repertoire of tripe all delivered at a pace too quick to allow the ball to grip on the surface. Both batsmen accepted the easy pickings, and it was Schofield who was made to look like the teenager.
As the game slipped away from Surrey, the two batsmen increasingly settled into the comfort zone, happy to wait for the bad balls, and scoring the majority of the runs in boundaries. Rudolph, in particular, accelerated once his half-century was registered off 84 balls, only braking once the second landmark was looming. Yet as he consolidated, Rashid pounced, a mixture of sweetly timed drives and savage leg-side hoicks rushing him past fifty and within sight of a maiden first-class century.
Sadly for him, he continued in this vein even when the new ball had been taken, and he was its first victim two overs in when he attempted to cut a ball too close to him and chopped on. Rudolph followed in quick succession, chipping to cover, before Surrey again lost the plot with the end of the road in sight. New captain Darren Gough strode to the wicket at 9, ahead of a man with a Test double-century to his name; maybe Magoffin stopped taking him seriously after a few almighty slogs (fresh-air, of course), but he made the mistake of dropping short and was clubbed for a meaty maximum over midwicket. Gough departed not long after, but Surrey could still not clean out the tail, with Bresnan and Gillespie ensuring that they will have finish the job tomorrow.
Jimmy Ormond, even more corpulent now than in his England days when his girth far exceeded his wicket tally, bowled the first ball to another old England lag Craig White in front of the ubiquitous "smattering", nevertheless a few hundred more than will be expending any interest in England's game against the West Indies on Saturday.
Had you half closed your eyes, and put out of your mind that the players were dressed in white, you might have begun to imagine that England was taking itself on in a one-day game. The batting was slow to begin with, and wickets fell just as the batsmen who had got in attempted to raise the tempo. The bowling was fairly laboured, with the return of 4 wickets in the morning session probably twice what they deserved.
While the openers scratched around, Anthony McGrath started to show why Yorkshire fought so hard to keep him, as he peppered the cover boundary with a few delightful drives before falling to Mahmood, the second of three wickets picked up by the Surrey medium pace duo of Mahmood and Clarke just before lunch. His predecessor Sayers was responsible for his own downfall, slashing at a wide offering from Clarke, which brought in the billed star turn, Younus Khan. Like many who single-handedly wear the crowd's expectations, he flattered to deceive, guiding his first delivery to the boundary before playing around a straight one three balls later.
With two of their three main batsmen having fallen on 73, Yorkshire were facing a repeat of the opening of the 2002 season against the same opposition and dismissal for a total of less than 150 on a pitch whose only concession to the bowlers was healthy carry through to the 'keeper. As he made his frequent wanderings towards square leg between deliveries, Jacques Rudolph's thoughts could have been forgiven for drifting away from the Kennington Oval to its near namesake in Barbados, where he might have been celebrating a crushing victory rather than scrapping to prevent suffering the reverse.
But if his concentration ever wavered, it did not show, as he safely saw Yorkshire through to the interval precariosuly placed at 87-4. After lunch, he and Gerard Brophy were responsible for the first period of bat dominating ball, with Brophy driving Ormond to the boundary three times in one over and forcing him out of the attack. Rudolph himself began to open up, revealing a pleasant array of off-side strokes to go with the natural left-handers' proficiency on the leg-side. Steve Magoffin, who bears some resemblance to his fellow Australian Shaun Tait in countenance if not bowling action (his arm is high and vertical) trapped Brophy on 127, bringing the great white hope of English leg-spin, Adil Rashid, to the crease.
Rikki Clarke, buoyed by a few wickets in the first session, brought himself back a tad prematurely, and decided to concentrate on a short-pitched line to the correspondingly sized Rashid. Maybe no-one has told him that small men tend to play short-pitched balls better than most, and, after Rashid had warmed up with a few wild and woolly fresh air shots, he was soon tucking into the Surrey captain, launching a hooked six into the crowd, followed up by a more delicate cut for another boundary. With Rudolph allowing no respite from the other end, Clarke soon elected to take the pace off the ball with spinners Doshi and Schofield.
The portents were not good, Rudolph greeting Doshi with three boundaries, all launched back over his head to the rope at long-off. To be fair, this was not reflective of the left-armer's overall performance, which was tight, if a bit lacking in bite. Chris Schofield, himself once the supposed future of English leg-spin, found himself bowling to his successor. One can only hope that Rashid ignored what he saw, as he was served up an entire repertoire of tripe all delivered at a pace too quick to allow the ball to grip on the surface. Both batsmen accepted the easy pickings, and it was Schofield who was made to look like the teenager.
As the game slipped away from Surrey, the two batsmen increasingly settled into the comfort zone, happy to wait for the bad balls, and scoring the majority of the runs in boundaries. Rudolph, in particular, accelerated once his half-century was registered off 84 balls, only braking once the second landmark was looming. Yet as he consolidated, Rashid pounced, a mixture of sweetly timed drives and savage leg-side hoicks rushing him past fifty and within sight of a maiden first-class century.
Sadly for him, he continued in this vein even when the new ball had been taken, and he was its first victim two overs in when he attempted to cut a ball too close to him and chopped on. Rudolph followed in quick succession, chipping to cover, before Surrey again lost the plot with the end of the road in sight. New captain Darren Gough strode to the wicket at 9, ahead of a man with a Test double-century to his name; maybe Magoffin stopped taking him seriously after a few almighty slogs (fresh-air, of course), but he made the mistake of dropping short and was clubbed for a meaty maximum over midwicket. Gough departed not long after, but Surrey could still not clean out the tail, with Bresnan and Gillespie ensuring that they will have finish the job tomorrow.
Saturday, 14 April 2007
Climate right for White Rose to bloom
In view of England's miserable winter, an Ashes thumping followed by what looks an increasingly forlorn World Cup campaign, the attention of those who support England first and their county second has begun to turn towards the start of the county season, with the first round of Championship matches beginning on Wednesday. Not least for those who follow my own preferred county Yorkshire. For White Rose fans over the last five years, the 2001 Championship has seemed but a distant memory, with many senior players deserting the ranks and being replaced by distinctly inferior talent. After another dismal season in 2006, salvaged only by the emergence of Adil Rashid and the triumphant farewell of Darren Lehmann, the trend looked set to continue. By October, both Lehmann and Michael Lumb had left the club, with Anthony McGrath set to follow them out of the exit door. Effectively they had lost the entire middle order. To compound matters, the man who had been lined up to both fill one of those holes and to take over the running of the first XI, Chris Adams, took one look and hot-footed it straight back to Sussex, who were more than happy to welcome him back. The only ray of light was the signing of Younus Khan; yet even that did not run smoothly, with Younus announcing himself as captain, while Yorkshire insisted they wanted someone who could be there from the beginning of the season. A side that had only just maintained its first division status in 2006 was left without a captain, coach, and its two most important batsmen.
Remarkably, when Yorkshire take to the field against Surrey on Wednesday, they will be almost indisputably stronger than last season. Jacques Rudolph was a major coup, and although there are misgivings about his contract and indeed his motives in agreeing to sacrifice international cricket, he is a far superior player to the man he replaces, Michael Lumb. After Jason Gillespie was confirmed for a second season, the general consensus was that the club had signed all the players it wanted, with the emphasis turning to finding a new coach and captain.
The only rumbling was about Darren Gough, yet to sign the contract Essex had offered him. Gough certainly made noises about Yorkshire, but to take seriously a man who was still convinced he could lead England's attack in the Caribbean, was a bit much to ask. So it was a major surprise when everything fell into place, and the club lured him back. The influence of his signing did not stop merely when the ink had dried on his two year contract; it answered the captaincy question, as well as bringing back into the fold both Martyn Moxon, as coach, and Anthony McGrath, reconciled and mollified by the presence of those he knows and trusts.
The change has been so sweeping that it is hard to gauge quite where Yorkshire stand. Their team to face Surrey will contain 8 internationals and there is a reassuring feeling to the whole team, with class performers in all areas. Much will depend on the starts they get at the top of the order, with the man to partner Craig White as yet undecided. Joe Sayers is likely to be selected, although Matthew Wood has a chance, and could be galvanised by the return of the coach under whose charge he did well enough to be an international prospect around the turn of the century.
There is also a decision to be made in the middle order, and they have to decide whether they want to play Adil Rashid in April, or jettison his leg spin in favour of an extra batsman, probably Andrew Gale. With Hoggard available early season, in addition to Gough, Gillespie and Bresnan, Yorkshire may decide that 4 pacemen will be enough to do the job on helpful early season pitches. Nevertheless, it is very much in the balance, and the decision may come down to how they read the Oval Pitch. The final dilemma is over who should keep wicket, a perennial bugbear since Richard Blakey's retirement. Both Guy and Brophy have shown good form in the pre-season, and either could get the nod, although the smart money is on the latter.
Yorkshire certainly have the talent and experience to challenge for the championship. That would, of course, be the best case scenario, with everything gelling perfectly under the management of Gough and Moxon. Even so, as party-pooping as it may sound before the season has even begun, it is worth sounding a note of caution: Khan and Rudolph have limited experience of English conditions, while the ageing pace attack could suffer if Gough cannot last the course and Gillespie repeats a disappointing debut season. Much expectation is also being heaped on Adil Rashid, and it is hard to banish the thought that producing a successful second season may be beyond him. Who knows? Gough could be the dream ticket or a recipe for disaster. Whichever it is, it will not happen quietly, and the result could be a season historic even in the rich heritage of a great club like Yorkshire.
Remarkably, when Yorkshire take to the field against Surrey on Wednesday, they will be almost indisputably stronger than last season. Jacques Rudolph was a major coup, and although there are misgivings about his contract and indeed his motives in agreeing to sacrifice international cricket, he is a far superior player to the man he replaces, Michael Lumb. After Jason Gillespie was confirmed for a second season, the general consensus was that the club had signed all the players it wanted, with the emphasis turning to finding a new coach and captain.
The only rumbling was about Darren Gough, yet to sign the contract Essex had offered him. Gough certainly made noises about Yorkshire, but to take seriously a man who was still convinced he could lead England's attack in the Caribbean, was a bit much to ask. So it was a major surprise when everything fell into place, and the club lured him back. The influence of his signing did not stop merely when the ink had dried on his two year contract; it answered the captaincy question, as well as bringing back into the fold both Martyn Moxon, as coach, and Anthony McGrath, reconciled and mollified by the presence of those he knows and trusts.
The change has been so sweeping that it is hard to gauge quite where Yorkshire stand. Their team to face Surrey will contain 8 internationals and there is a reassuring feeling to the whole team, with class performers in all areas. Much will depend on the starts they get at the top of the order, with the man to partner Craig White as yet undecided. Joe Sayers is likely to be selected, although Matthew Wood has a chance, and could be galvanised by the return of the coach under whose charge he did well enough to be an international prospect around the turn of the century.
There is also a decision to be made in the middle order, and they have to decide whether they want to play Adil Rashid in April, or jettison his leg spin in favour of an extra batsman, probably Andrew Gale. With Hoggard available early season, in addition to Gough, Gillespie and Bresnan, Yorkshire may decide that 4 pacemen will be enough to do the job on helpful early season pitches. Nevertheless, it is very much in the balance, and the decision may come down to how they read the Oval Pitch. The final dilemma is over who should keep wicket, a perennial bugbear since Richard Blakey's retirement. Both Guy and Brophy have shown good form in the pre-season, and either could get the nod, although the smart money is on the latter.
Yorkshire certainly have the talent and experience to challenge for the championship. That would, of course, be the best case scenario, with everything gelling perfectly under the management of Gough and Moxon. Even so, as party-pooping as it may sound before the season has even begun, it is worth sounding a note of caution: Khan and Rudolph have limited experience of English conditions, while the ageing pace attack could suffer if Gough cannot last the course and Gillespie repeats a disappointing debut season. Much expectation is also being heaped on Adil Rashid, and it is hard to banish the thought that producing a successful second season may be beyond him. Who knows? Gough could be the dream ticket or a recipe for disaster. Whichever it is, it will not happen quietly, and the result could be a season historic even in the rich heritage of a great club like Yorkshire.
Friday, 13 April 2007
The Super Six?
Although international cricket has now become a year round affair, the English season still runs April-September and the county game creaked back into action today when 2006 champions Sussex took on MCC in the traditional curtain-raiser. I have already previewed the prospects of each team, noting players to watch out for. Those were exclusively young, up and coming players, and here is an alternate list of 6 to watch, comprising old, young, overseas and homegrown.
Ali Brown (Surrey): 15 years on from his first-class bow, "Lordy" may be entering his final season at The Oval, where Surrey have long benefited from his extraordinary strokemaking ability in view of his limited opportunities at international level. He still opens for them in one-day cricket, now accompanied by James Benning, something of a protege in the big hitting department, and one to whom England may turn in their search for an attacking opener. Hidden in the middle order behind fellow old lags Butcher and Ramprakash in the longer format, on his day Brown has it in him to shine even brighter, and it will be a sad day for fans of the county game when he is no longer around to entertain them.
Varun Chopra (Essex): Following in the footsteps of Alistair Cook as an early-blooming Essex opener, he made a century on his first-class debut last year while still in his teens. He is still not yet 20, and a further four half-centuries in his nine games last year showed that it was no flash in the pan. His chances of a consistent first XI place depend to an extent on whether Cook is selected by England, but it seems that he is not the type to waste an opportunity. A former England under-19 captain, he has one of the best mentors available in Graham Gooch, and in a few years when Strauss, Vaughan and Trescothick are finding the lure of the commentary box hard to resist, England could well have a ready-made replacement and a opening partnership for some time to come.
Saqlain Mushtaq (Sussex): The forgotten man of spin bowling, he was as influential as either of his two more illustrious partners in crime during his pomp in the late 1990s. It was him, not Muralitharan who brought the doosra to the game (although back then, it was just Saqlain's "mystery ball") and this brought him success at Test level, although it was in ODI cricket where he always prospered the most, often bowling at the death. Unfortunately for Saqlain, injuries, loss of form and the rise of Kaneira have all seen his international prospects decline, and he was finally discarded after a mauling at the hands of India in early 2004. In theory, the country he would now represent is England, with his British passport pending. Of course this will not happen; the England selectors may be prepared to accommodate an import like Pietersen, but there is no question of them considering someone who has already had a long international career for another country. Nevertheless, re-united with Mushtaq at Sussex, he could still have a major impact as he once did for Surrey, and a decade after the two twirled away in tandem for Pakistan, the prospect of them revisiting past glories will be more than appealing to Sussex fans eager for a third Championship pennant.
Graham Onions (Durham): Pacy and capable of extracting useful lift, he earned a call-up to replace the injured Darren Gough in England's one-day series against Pakistan at the end of last summer. He should see plenty of bowling, as Harmison and Plunkett will likely be summoned by England, and will want to build on his 50 wicket haul in 2006. With England looking to mould a new ODI side in the aftermath of the World Cup, there is a place or two up for grabs, although he will have to fight off the likes of Stuart Broad, as well as the more established Plunkett and Mahmood. However, if the men in possession continue to founder while he carries on supplying catching practice for Durham's appropriately named keeper Phil Mustard, there is a chance that they will turn to him; the fact he has started to be included of squads certainly indicates he is not far from the selector's thoughts.
R.P.Singh (Leicestershire): The latest in a long-line of Indian left-armers, he was one of the young players Greg Chappell attempted to bring into the Indian team, before the youth policy was discarded and with it the World Cup. Tall, quickish and capable of swinging the ball both ways, he would hope to have the same sort of impact as Zaheer Khan last year for Worcestershire. It is rare enough for county batsmen to have to face left-arm fast bowlers, and the better ones tend to prosper, as evidenced by the healthy returns of Khan, Ryan Sidebottom and Jason Lewry. The prospect of him opening the bowling with England hopeful Stuart Broad is an exciting one for the Grace Road faithful, and those two may need to be the key performers if the team is to do well. A county spell was the springboard for Khan to make a successful international return, and Singh will want to emulate him, his chances improved by the wind of change already uprooting trees on Indian cricket scene.
Adil Rashid: (Yorkshire): Something of a cliche for a list like this, but I'll include him anyway. Surely Yorkshire would not have known last season when they drafted him in for the injured Darren Lehmann to bat in the middle order and bowl a few overs of spin that they were in fact unearthing the great new hope of English spin bowling. Six wickets on debut created a predictable frisson, especially with the knowledge that he had been scoring centuries in almost equal measure for the 2nds. The batting never really materialised, despite one half-century, but he did carry on his bowling form, picking up 25 wickets at about that average. The worry about him being overbowled came to the fore when he suffered a stress fracture at the end of the season, which has led to a remodelling of his action. As rare as it is to bowl leg-spin on the English domestic scene, it is even more unusual to have another to bowl in tandem with. Yet this is a luxury Rashid enjoys, the performances of Mark Lawson being as crucial as his own in ensuring Yorkshire's survival last season. What sets Rashid aside from Lawson is his control and good economy rate (3.41 in first-class cricket); he is not the archetypal young leg spinner, magic balls buried beneath a mountain of long-hops and full tosses. What is paramount is that he must be given time. All talks of England are ridiculous as we stand; what he needs is a few full seasons in county cricket, learning his trade, and, equally importantly, working on his batting. After all, English spin is in the good, very large hands of Monty Panesar and there is no pressing need to rush Rashid. Possibly the best young talent in the English game, definitely the most hyped, all Rashid can do is perform for Yorkshire and a good second season, which tends to escape many promising players, will stand him in good stead.
Ali Brown (Surrey): 15 years on from his first-class bow, "Lordy" may be entering his final season at The Oval, where Surrey have long benefited from his extraordinary strokemaking ability in view of his limited opportunities at international level. He still opens for them in one-day cricket, now accompanied by James Benning, something of a protege in the big hitting department, and one to whom England may turn in their search for an attacking opener. Hidden in the middle order behind fellow old lags Butcher and Ramprakash in the longer format, on his day Brown has it in him to shine even brighter, and it will be a sad day for fans of the county game when he is no longer around to entertain them.
Varun Chopra (Essex): Following in the footsteps of Alistair Cook as an early-blooming Essex opener, he made a century on his first-class debut last year while still in his teens. He is still not yet 20, and a further four half-centuries in his nine games last year showed that it was no flash in the pan. His chances of a consistent first XI place depend to an extent on whether Cook is selected by England, but it seems that he is not the type to waste an opportunity. A former England under-19 captain, he has one of the best mentors available in Graham Gooch, and in a few years when Strauss, Vaughan and Trescothick are finding the lure of the commentary box hard to resist, England could well have a ready-made replacement and a opening partnership for some time to come.
Saqlain Mushtaq (Sussex): The forgotten man of spin bowling, he was as influential as either of his two more illustrious partners in crime during his pomp in the late 1990s. It was him, not Muralitharan who brought the doosra to the game (although back then, it was just Saqlain's "mystery ball") and this brought him success at Test level, although it was in ODI cricket where he always prospered the most, often bowling at the death. Unfortunately for Saqlain, injuries, loss of form and the rise of Kaneira have all seen his international prospects decline, and he was finally discarded after a mauling at the hands of India in early 2004. In theory, the country he would now represent is England, with his British passport pending. Of course this will not happen; the England selectors may be prepared to accommodate an import like Pietersen, but there is no question of them considering someone who has already had a long international career for another country. Nevertheless, re-united with Mushtaq at Sussex, he could still have a major impact as he once did for Surrey, and a decade after the two twirled away in tandem for Pakistan, the prospect of them revisiting past glories will be more than appealing to Sussex fans eager for a third Championship pennant.
Graham Onions (Durham): Pacy and capable of extracting useful lift, he earned a call-up to replace the injured Darren Gough in England's one-day series against Pakistan at the end of last summer. He should see plenty of bowling, as Harmison and Plunkett will likely be summoned by England, and will want to build on his 50 wicket haul in 2006. With England looking to mould a new ODI side in the aftermath of the World Cup, there is a place or two up for grabs, although he will have to fight off the likes of Stuart Broad, as well as the more established Plunkett and Mahmood. However, if the men in possession continue to founder while he carries on supplying catching practice for Durham's appropriately named keeper Phil Mustard, there is a chance that they will turn to him; the fact he has started to be included of squads certainly indicates he is not far from the selector's thoughts.
R.P.Singh (Leicestershire): The latest in a long-line of Indian left-armers, he was one of the young players Greg Chappell attempted to bring into the Indian team, before the youth policy was discarded and with it the World Cup. Tall, quickish and capable of swinging the ball both ways, he would hope to have the same sort of impact as Zaheer Khan last year for Worcestershire. It is rare enough for county batsmen to have to face left-arm fast bowlers, and the better ones tend to prosper, as evidenced by the healthy returns of Khan, Ryan Sidebottom and Jason Lewry. The prospect of him opening the bowling with England hopeful Stuart Broad is an exciting one for the Grace Road faithful, and those two may need to be the key performers if the team is to do well. A county spell was the springboard for Khan to make a successful international return, and Singh will want to emulate him, his chances improved by the wind of change already uprooting trees on Indian cricket scene.
Adil Rashid: (Yorkshire): Something of a cliche for a list like this, but I'll include him anyway. Surely Yorkshire would not have known last season when they drafted him in for the injured Darren Lehmann to bat in the middle order and bowl a few overs of spin that they were in fact unearthing the great new hope of English spin bowling. Six wickets on debut created a predictable frisson, especially with the knowledge that he had been scoring centuries in almost equal measure for the 2nds. The batting never really materialised, despite one half-century, but he did carry on his bowling form, picking up 25 wickets at about that average. The worry about him being overbowled came to the fore when he suffered a stress fracture at the end of the season, which has led to a remodelling of his action. As rare as it is to bowl leg-spin on the English domestic scene, it is even more unusual to have another to bowl in tandem with. Yet this is a luxury Rashid enjoys, the performances of Mark Lawson being as crucial as his own in ensuring Yorkshire's survival last season. What sets Rashid aside from Lawson is his control and good economy rate (3.41 in first-class cricket); he is not the archetypal young leg spinner, magic balls buried beneath a mountain of long-hops and full tosses. What is paramount is that he must be given time. All talks of England are ridiculous as we stand; what he needs is a few full seasons in county cricket, learning his trade, and, equally importantly, working on his batting. After all, English spin is in the good, very large hands of Monty Panesar and there is no pressing need to rush Rashid. Possibly the best young talent in the English game, definitely the most hyped, all Rashid can do is perform for Yorkshire and a good second season, which tends to escape many promising players, will stand him in good stead.
Tuesday, 3 April 2007
County Preview Part 2
Here is the follow-up on the first divison teams:
Sussex: Champions last year for the second time in 4 years, and once again they will be strong title challengers. The core of the batting remains the same; with the middle order trio of Goodwin, Yardy and Adams expected to provide the main bulk of the runs. Possibly the openers are a weak point, but Richard Montgomerie has years of experience behind him, although his partner, ususally Carl Hopkinson, needs to improve. Down the order Matt Prior will look to build on his 3 centuries last season, although Sussex could be deprived of him, should England find him as the solution to their wicket-keeping woes. The bowling has an even stronger Pakistani tinge to it than usual, with the addition of Saqlain Mushtaq to the returning duo of Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana-Naved, only adding to Sussex's growing reputation as a retirement home for Pakistan's spinners. Should Saqlain display anything like the form he is capable of, the deadly spin twins could wreak havoc. Homegrown seamers James Kirtley and Jason Lewry will augment the seam attack, with both having experienced renaissances of a different kind last year.
Key Man: Goodwin - his heavy run-scoring was integral to both recent championship titles, and Sussex will need the same again if they are to challenge once more. With quality throughout the bowling attack, the slighlty fragile batting is the only real concern, and Goodwin will be the key to allaying those fears.
One to Watch: Luke Wright - A lively seamer who can also hold a bat, he has been knocking around the fringes for a few years now, and will have relatively few chances in view of the very strong frontline bowling. Still, he has enough promise to have been summoned to the England Academy.
How will they fare: If the key trio make the requisite amount of runs, then there is easily enough bowling to blow teams away. Realsitically though, they are at least one good opener away from being a really strong team, and the batting will not stand up in all 16 games.
Lancahire: The squad appears to have depth in all areas, but then this has been the case for a few years now. Chilton and Sutcliffe are not the best opening pair, but they are reliable enough, while the real power lies in the middle order. Lancashire are happy to aknowledge Mal Loye's abiltiy, even if England are not, and veteran Aussie Stuart Law, still amongst the best the county game has to offer, is joined by fellow countryman Brad Hodge, another one the Australian selectors look to have erred in passing over. Luke Sutton is one of the better batsman-keepers around, and the lower order batting is strong, with Glen Chapple and Dominic Cork both capable of first class centuries. Emerging seamer Tom Smith can bat too, and those three will form the basis of the seam attack, although James Anderson and Sajid Mahmood are unlikely to be with England for the whole summer. On its own, the pace bowling would make a good attack, but the trump card will be Muralitharan, in his third spell at the club. Most international batsmen have little idea of how to play him, let alone county ones, and, although he will arrive late, 100 wickets is not beyond him.
Key Man: The rain - easy to call it an excuse, but it is the perennial block on Lancashire's title ambitions. For red rose fans, global warming cannot come fast enough.
One to Watch: Tom Smith - Made his breakthrough last season, keeping hold of the place he earned early season. A seam up medium pacer, he is nevertheless effective, and is a useful lower order hitter. It will be interesting to see which way Lancashire lean should England render Mahmood surplus to requirements.
How will they fare: If this current squad is going to win it, then it had better be soon. Stuart Law and Mal Loye may be performing at near their best now, but they cannot go on forever. With quality performers all the way through the team, they will be one of the hardest teams to beat, and the cutting edge added by Muralithran could be what is needed to unlock the long sought- for prize.
Hampshire: Competitive for the last few seasons, they will be looking to kick on this season and win some silverware. John Crawley should provide a good slug of runs, as he has for the last couple of years, and he will be backed up by Michael Carberry and Michael Lumb, an underachiever at Yorkshire who will be hoping that a change of scenery can help him convert his potential into performance. It is also an important season for Sean Ervine, who had a stinker last year after a great 2005; without an overseas batsman, he will need to step into the role and make some runs. Nic Pothas is Hampshire's Mr.Reliable with both bat and gloves, and should be the core of a strong lower order. Shane Warne will lead the team with his customary vim and agressiveness, and has brought in Stuart Clark, Australia's top performer with the ball in the Ashes, to spearhead the attack. He should find the Rose Bowl pitches to his liking, as will Chris Tremlett if he can stay off the treatment table. Tremlett is seen by some as England's forgotten man, and he bowled like it when given a chance in the CB series; nevertheless, he will remain a threat at county level, even though the rise of Stuart Broad mean that he is not England's only skyscraping bowling option, and his lack of an aggressive fast-bowling temperament to supplement his natural attributes may mean he never makes it for England. James Bruce, who filled in so well last season, will vie with tree surgeon Billy Taylor for the third seamer's slot, whilst Warne takes care of the spin bowling, although Shaun Udal remains as useful back up.
Key Man: Warne - Who else? Few cricketers, having hung up their international boots in a blaze of glory, would be prepared to bring themselves back down to domestic level and slug it out for an entire season, but it shows Warne's love of the game and of Hampshire that he is prepared to fulfil his obligation. It will be no half-hearted effort either; wickets and runs should abound, and if anyone can inspire a team and bring in the crowds, it is Warne.
One to Watch: Chris Benham- young and aggressive, he made an impression last season, contributing some blistering knocks and, with Hampshire's batting by no means a closed shop, he could get a look in.
How will they fare; The bowling has the necessary fire to bowl sides out twice, especially on what remains a slightly suspect home wicket. It will then be down to the batsmen to earn their keep, and put them in positions to win games. They will be contenders, Warne alone will make sure of that, but a title is a lot to ask considering the competition. They might be a good bet in one-day cricket though, especially if Ervine and Mascarenhas fire.
Wawrickshire: Runs were the problem last season, and they will need Jim Troughton and Ian Trott to score heavily if they are to have any chance. They have, however, nabbed a real class act in Kumar Sangakkara as an overseas player. The Sri Lankan batsman-keeper (he may play as a specialist bat) has been a consistent performer for his country over the last few years and, with the decline of Adam Gilchrist, is now arguably the world's best in his field. A considerable contribution from him with the bat will be crucial. The loss of Nick Knight may or may not be compensated for by the acquisition of Darren Maddy. It remains to be seen whether he is still a viable option in the Championship, but he will play a big part in one-day cricket. Heath Streak remains as captain, albeit with his best bowling days behind him, and, for the first time in a long time, Wawrickshire will have Ashley Giles, the new vice-captain, available. The likeable Giles may have become some sort of antichrist in the eyes of England fans, after he delayed Panesar's entry into the Ashes, but his county will be happy to see him back, with the memory of his 27 wickets in April two seasons ago still fresh. The pace bowling back up appears thin, although there is definitely potential; Lee Daggett made some waves last year, and Naqaash Tahir and left-arm swing bowler Adam Shantry are also prospects. South African tearaway Dale Steyn will play for some of the season, although wild and wooly overseas bowlers have not proved that successful in recent years. Just ask Durham about Shaun Tait.
Key Man - Sangakkara: easily the best player in a slightly weak batting order. They will need his runs and hyena-like encouragement in the field.
One to Watch - Navdeep Poonia: An opening batsman, he could get a look in at some point, and has already tasted international cricket with Scotland.
How will they fare - A slightly old team, with the like of Streak, Giles and Dougie Brown (surely in his last season) they do not really have the quality for a title challenge, and relgation is the more likely outcome, although there is reason to worry quite yet. What will weigh them down in the Championship could be to their advantage in one-day cricket, with the collective experience of Maddy, Sangakkara, Streak, Brown and Giles making them a good bet to be successful in the shorter form.
Kent: Mid table last year, with wickets hard to come by, Amjad Khan's 34 the best haul in the championship. His season ending injury on the England A tour will hurt them, although the presence of two bowling all rounders in Andrew Hall and Yasir Arafat should compensate. Old stagers Martin Saggers and Min Patel, a handful of England caps between them, will complete a solid if unspectacular attack. Martin van Jaarsveld, as a Kolpak player, will form the core of the batting, along with Matt Walker who enjoyed a stellar 2006, and Robert Key, who was much less successful last year and appears to have slipped out of England contention. Geraint Jones, discarded by the national side, will be useful if he can get back into form, while Darren Stevens will be looking to go past 1000 runs, as well as chipping with his medium pace.
Key Man - Hall: in the absence of a strike bowler, he will likely open the bowling, and will need to be a constant source of wickets, as well as a useful contributor of runs in the lower-middle order, with his muscular hitting power.
One to Watch - Joe Denly: Following David Fulton's retirement, Kent are short of openers, and 21 year old Denly will be looking to stake his claim. Has represented England at under-19 level, and a bright future could await him.
How will they fare: A slightly workmanlike attack could struggle against the stronger batting line-ups, deprived of its spearhead in Amjad Khan. Nevertheless, the side has a nice balance, with batting all the way down the order, although the key contributions will need to come at the top, especially from the trio of Walker, Van Jaarsveld and Key.
Yorkshire: plunged into the depths of darkness in the winter, after Chris Adams snubbed them, a lot of hard work and wheeling and dealing has meant that they have ended up with a better side than they could have hoped for. Younus Khan, who will be there for the beginning of the season, will be a key cog in the batting, although the responsiblity will not rest exclusively on his shoulders, with the acquisition of South African Jacques Rudolph and the late decision by Anthony McGrath to stay with the club after he had seemed sure to depart. Craig White, probably in his last season, could open, as he did last year, or add solidity to the lower order. If he does open, he will need to dig in, alongside Joe Sayers or Matthew Wood, with the sort of solid starts that were absent last season essential if the strong middle order is to dominate. Wicket-Keeping could be a problem; Gerard Brophy and Simon Guy have both had chances, neither being particularly convincing, although the long term solution is apparent in England under-19 captain Greg Wood. The signings of Khan and Rudolph had already started to imbue fans with confidence, but it was the return of talisman Darren Gough as captain, bringing with him Martyn Moxon and ensuring McGrath's reconcilitation that has created the greatest sense of anticipation. His bowling may be a shadow if its former glory, but he will be an effective one-day performer, and should make up for a possible tactical naivety with his boundless enthusiaism and bottomless self-belief. He will by no means play a lone hand; Jason Gillespie returns to spearhead the attack, looking to build on a somewhat disappointing first season, while Gideon Kruis and Tim Bresnan will complete the pace attack, with Matthew Hoggard also available early doors. The emergence of leg spin duo Adil Rashid and Mark Lawson means that they have the slow bowling covered, although Rashid must guard against second-season blues.
Key Man: Gillespie - The bowling is well stocked, but needs a focal point, which the Australian paceman is best placed to provide. The strength of his back-up means that he can be used in shorter, more attacking bursts, and he should be effective.
One to Watch: The two young leggies of course, but there are also a couple of up and coming batsmen, foremost Adam Lyth, who has scored runs in the second XI, but who may struggle to break into the side with the batting so dense.
How will they do: Strong batting, and good seam and spin options ought to make Yorkshire a team who can do some damage. Some big opening stands from the lesser names could be crucial in setting a platform for the much vaunted middle order to make hay. Gillespie will lead the attack, and Gough (even though he will not play every game) should provide good support, alongside Kruis and Bresnan, with the leg-spinners to come into the picture later on in the season.
Durham: Survived last season by the skin of their teeth, with only captain Dale Benkenstein providing 1000 runs in the Championship. They will again look to him for him to play a strong hand, as well as marshalling the troops well in the field, and contributing the odd wicket with his medium pace. Their poaching of the experienced Michael Di Venuto from Derbyshire should fortify the top order, as a replacement for Glamorgan-bound Jimmy Maher. Gary Scott will hope to establish himself alongside Di Venuto as a successor to long-time servant Jon Lewis, a former captain who retired at the end of last season. Past Benkentein, the middle-order batting is lightweight, (assuming Paul Collingwood's absence on international duty) although Ben Harmison, younger brother of Steve, will hope to win a place, alongside Gordon Muchall, whose excellent start to 2006 rather petered out. Their ability to make big scores could be heavily dependant on how the lower order batting fares, with the foreign legion of Callum Thorp, Ottis Gibson, Gareth Breese and Paul Wiseman all needing to chip in. The bowling is much better provided for, with Harmison leading the attack early season, and for the duration should England not seek his services. Liam Plunkett, likely to be involved in the England ODI setup, and Graham Onions, the next cab off the Riverside fast bowling rank, should provide support when available alongside Thorp and Gibson. Mark Davies, a star in 2005, is also on the comeback trail after an injury wrecked season last year. Wiseman and Breese will provide the spin options, and should have plenty to work with if the pacemen do their job.
Key Man: The Harmison brothers - Steve will need to get back to somewhere near his best and provide a springboard for early season success, while brother Ben must prove his worth in the middle order, and build on a promising debut season.
One to Watch: plenty of young talent, both batsmen and bowlers; keep an eye out for Gary Park, an emerging batsman who can also keep wicket. He may earn an early season berth on the back of a century and half-century which helped keep them up in the crucial showdown with Yorkshire at the climax of last season.
How will they fare; they have enough bowling options to knock over even the strongest batting line-ups, although they will struggle if England deprives them of their strike bowlers. The repsonsibility of making runs largely lies with the captain and overseas opener, although it will be the contribution of the young middle order which will be the key in their Division One survival. It also remains to be seen how much the loss of influential coach Martyn Moxon to Yorkshire will hurt them.
Surrey: The batting is strong, with an experienced core of Butcher, Ramprakash and Brown looking to provide the bulk of the runs. Scott Newman is improving as an opener alongside Jon Batty, one of the best county batsman-keepers, although rarely mentioned in terms of England. The fast bowling is less impressive, despite the overseas trio of Azhar Mahmood, Matt Nicholson and Mohammed Akram and the retirement of Martin Bicknell could hurt them. Nevertheless, the spin back up is strong, with Ian Salisbury having had one of his better seasons last year, alongside Nayan Doshi, arguably the best bowler in 20-20, who chalked up 50 championship wickets in 2006. Waiting in the wings is the forgotten man of English leg-spin Chris Schofield, although the rise of the Yorkshire duo and also Somerset's Michael Munday and Lancashire's Simon Marshall mean that the cupboard is not as bare as it was when he was first on the scene. Rikki Clarke should balance the team, as a batting all-rounder, and the likes of James Benning, a possible future England ODI opener and Stuart Walters will ensure that the first choice XI are kept on their toes.
Key Man: Nicholson - He will not start the season (compatriot Steve Magoffin will cover) but Surrey will be looking for their overseas bowler to spearhead the attack and bring back a return of at least 50 wickets. Bags of experience in the Australian domestic game and a lone Test appearance the best part of a decade ago mean that he has it in him.
One to watch: Rory Hamilton-Brown - a middle order batsman who also bowls off spin, he was due to captain the England under-19 side before injury intervened, and he could get opportunities in the one-day game.
How will they fare: After the embarssment of relegation two years ago, they bounced back in style last season, Mark Ramprakash enjoying an Indian summer to his unfulfilled career. Expect more of the same, along with Butcher and Ali Brown, also in the winter of his playing days. The fast bowling will need to make inroads and give the well-stocked spin attack a foothold.
Worcestershire: Having pipped Essex at the post for promotion last year, 40 year old Graeme Hick, who committed to another year at New Road after flirting with an offer from Derbyshire, has one more chance for glory, 17 years after he last guided them to the Chamionship. It would require Hick to have a season from his 1989 vintage for Woercestershire to have a chance, although he will be well supported by Philip Jaques, by some distance the best overseas batsman over the last couple of years, as well as Vikram Solanki, still good for runs at county level. Elsewhere, Stephen Moore and Ben Smith will be looking to improve on solid but unspectacular efforts in 2006. They have endeavoured to replace Zaheer Khan, who did so well last year, with like for like in the form of Australian left-atm paceman Doug Bollinger, and he will lead the attack along with fellow Aussie Matt Mason and England discard Kabir Ali. Gareth Batty and Ray Price, ineffective last year, will want to have more of an impact and back up the pace trio. Stephen Davies, long since earmarked as the solution to the England wicket-keeping problem, could force the issue with another 1000 run season, if neither Prior or Foster nail down the spot.
Key Man: Jaques - probably first in line to succeed Justin Langer at the top of the Australian order, a chance to impress his national selectors should be the added incenctive needed to propel him to the sort of productive season which Worcs. will need if they are to stay away from the relegation dogfight.
One to Watch: Daryl Mitchell - Deputised effectively when Hick was injured last year, and could find himself in the side if the middle order do not succeed. In what is surely Hick's last year, a successor will need to be found, with Mitchell at the head of the queue.
How will they fare: Some star players, but the back up may let them down, and realistically, they will do well to avoid relegation. Jaques and Hick will be the keys with the bat, while the three seamers will need to bend their backs to get through what are some very strong opposition batting line ups.
Very hard to predict a winner, in what is a strong division. Looking at it now, before a ball has been bowled in anger, you would think that the title is likely to be contested between only three teams - namely Sussex, Lancashire, Hampshire, just as in 2006. However, in practice, it will not all run that smoothly. Surrey and Yorkshire are the jokers in the pack; it is hard to predict how Surrey will go, after they tanked in 2005, and were never really tested last year. Likewise, Yorkshire are packed with international pedigree and experience, alongside some excellent young prospects, but it is impossible to predict how the team, totally remodelled from last season, will gel under the new management.
Lancashire for me; they have the sort of quality from 1-11 to both launch and sustain a title challenge. Should the well-stocked batting make the expected big totals, they have the real ace up the sleeve in Muralitharan to back up an efficient seam attack. The fact that it is probably the last chance for this team might be the added incentive to spur them on; they have waited 70 years to bring the title to Old Trafford. Mess it up this year, and another long wait could be the result.
Sussex: Champions last year for the second time in 4 years, and once again they will be strong title challengers. The core of the batting remains the same; with the middle order trio of Goodwin, Yardy and Adams expected to provide the main bulk of the runs. Possibly the openers are a weak point, but Richard Montgomerie has years of experience behind him, although his partner, ususally Carl Hopkinson, needs to improve. Down the order Matt Prior will look to build on his 3 centuries last season, although Sussex could be deprived of him, should England find him as the solution to their wicket-keeping woes. The bowling has an even stronger Pakistani tinge to it than usual, with the addition of Saqlain Mushtaq to the returning duo of Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana-Naved, only adding to Sussex's growing reputation as a retirement home for Pakistan's spinners. Should Saqlain display anything like the form he is capable of, the deadly spin twins could wreak havoc. Homegrown seamers James Kirtley and Jason Lewry will augment the seam attack, with both having experienced renaissances of a different kind last year.
Key Man: Goodwin - his heavy run-scoring was integral to both recent championship titles, and Sussex will need the same again if they are to challenge once more. With quality throughout the bowling attack, the slighlty fragile batting is the only real concern, and Goodwin will be the key to allaying those fears.
One to Watch: Luke Wright - A lively seamer who can also hold a bat, he has been knocking around the fringes for a few years now, and will have relatively few chances in view of the very strong frontline bowling. Still, he has enough promise to have been summoned to the England Academy.
How will they fare: If the key trio make the requisite amount of runs, then there is easily enough bowling to blow teams away. Realsitically though, they are at least one good opener away from being a really strong team, and the batting will not stand up in all 16 games.
Lancahire: The squad appears to have depth in all areas, but then this has been the case for a few years now. Chilton and Sutcliffe are not the best opening pair, but they are reliable enough, while the real power lies in the middle order. Lancashire are happy to aknowledge Mal Loye's abiltiy, even if England are not, and veteran Aussie Stuart Law, still amongst the best the county game has to offer, is joined by fellow countryman Brad Hodge, another one the Australian selectors look to have erred in passing over. Luke Sutton is one of the better batsman-keepers around, and the lower order batting is strong, with Glen Chapple and Dominic Cork both capable of first class centuries. Emerging seamer Tom Smith can bat too, and those three will form the basis of the seam attack, although James Anderson and Sajid Mahmood are unlikely to be with England for the whole summer. On its own, the pace bowling would make a good attack, but the trump card will be Muralitharan, in his third spell at the club. Most international batsmen have little idea of how to play him, let alone county ones, and, although he will arrive late, 100 wickets is not beyond him.
Key Man: The rain - easy to call it an excuse, but it is the perennial block on Lancashire's title ambitions. For red rose fans, global warming cannot come fast enough.
One to Watch: Tom Smith - Made his breakthrough last season, keeping hold of the place he earned early season. A seam up medium pacer, he is nevertheless effective, and is a useful lower order hitter. It will be interesting to see which way Lancashire lean should England render Mahmood surplus to requirements.
How will they fare: If this current squad is going to win it, then it had better be soon. Stuart Law and Mal Loye may be performing at near their best now, but they cannot go on forever. With quality performers all the way through the team, they will be one of the hardest teams to beat, and the cutting edge added by Muralithran could be what is needed to unlock the long sought- for prize.
Hampshire: Competitive for the last few seasons, they will be looking to kick on this season and win some silverware. John Crawley should provide a good slug of runs, as he has for the last couple of years, and he will be backed up by Michael Carberry and Michael Lumb, an underachiever at Yorkshire who will be hoping that a change of scenery can help him convert his potential into performance. It is also an important season for Sean Ervine, who had a stinker last year after a great 2005; without an overseas batsman, he will need to step into the role and make some runs. Nic Pothas is Hampshire's Mr.Reliable with both bat and gloves, and should be the core of a strong lower order. Shane Warne will lead the team with his customary vim and agressiveness, and has brought in Stuart Clark, Australia's top performer with the ball in the Ashes, to spearhead the attack. He should find the Rose Bowl pitches to his liking, as will Chris Tremlett if he can stay off the treatment table. Tremlett is seen by some as England's forgotten man, and he bowled like it when given a chance in the CB series; nevertheless, he will remain a threat at county level, even though the rise of Stuart Broad mean that he is not England's only skyscraping bowling option, and his lack of an aggressive fast-bowling temperament to supplement his natural attributes may mean he never makes it for England. James Bruce, who filled in so well last season, will vie with tree surgeon Billy Taylor for the third seamer's slot, whilst Warne takes care of the spin bowling, although Shaun Udal remains as useful back up.
Key Man: Warne - Who else? Few cricketers, having hung up their international boots in a blaze of glory, would be prepared to bring themselves back down to domestic level and slug it out for an entire season, but it shows Warne's love of the game and of Hampshire that he is prepared to fulfil his obligation. It will be no half-hearted effort either; wickets and runs should abound, and if anyone can inspire a team and bring in the crowds, it is Warne.
One to Watch: Chris Benham- young and aggressive, he made an impression last season, contributing some blistering knocks and, with Hampshire's batting by no means a closed shop, he could get a look in.
How will they fare; The bowling has the necessary fire to bowl sides out twice, especially on what remains a slightly suspect home wicket. It will then be down to the batsmen to earn their keep, and put them in positions to win games. They will be contenders, Warne alone will make sure of that, but a title is a lot to ask considering the competition. They might be a good bet in one-day cricket though, especially if Ervine and Mascarenhas fire.
Wawrickshire: Runs were the problem last season, and they will need Jim Troughton and Ian Trott to score heavily if they are to have any chance. They have, however, nabbed a real class act in Kumar Sangakkara as an overseas player. The Sri Lankan batsman-keeper (he may play as a specialist bat) has been a consistent performer for his country over the last few years and, with the decline of Adam Gilchrist, is now arguably the world's best in his field. A considerable contribution from him with the bat will be crucial. The loss of Nick Knight may or may not be compensated for by the acquisition of Darren Maddy. It remains to be seen whether he is still a viable option in the Championship, but he will play a big part in one-day cricket. Heath Streak remains as captain, albeit with his best bowling days behind him, and, for the first time in a long time, Wawrickshire will have Ashley Giles, the new vice-captain, available. The likeable Giles may have become some sort of antichrist in the eyes of England fans, after he delayed Panesar's entry into the Ashes, but his county will be happy to see him back, with the memory of his 27 wickets in April two seasons ago still fresh. The pace bowling back up appears thin, although there is definitely potential; Lee Daggett made some waves last year, and Naqaash Tahir and left-arm swing bowler Adam Shantry are also prospects. South African tearaway Dale Steyn will play for some of the season, although wild and wooly overseas bowlers have not proved that successful in recent years. Just ask Durham about Shaun Tait.
Key Man - Sangakkara: easily the best player in a slightly weak batting order. They will need his runs and hyena-like encouragement in the field.
One to Watch - Navdeep Poonia: An opening batsman, he could get a look in at some point, and has already tasted international cricket with Scotland.
How will they fare - A slightly old team, with the like of Streak, Giles and Dougie Brown (surely in his last season) they do not really have the quality for a title challenge, and relgation is the more likely outcome, although there is reason to worry quite yet. What will weigh them down in the Championship could be to their advantage in one-day cricket, with the collective experience of Maddy, Sangakkara, Streak, Brown and Giles making them a good bet to be successful in the shorter form.
Kent: Mid table last year, with wickets hard to come by, Amjad Khan's 34 the best haul in the championship. His season ending injury on the England A tour will hurt them, although the presence of two bowling all rounders in Andrew Hall and Yasir Arafat should compensate. Old stagers Martin Saggers and Min Patel, a handful of England caps between them, will complete a solid if unspectacular attack. Martin van Jaarsveld, as a Kolpak player, will form the core of the batting, along with Matt Walker who enjoyed a stellar 2006, and Robert Key, who was much less successful last year and appears to have slipped out of England contention. Geraint Jones, discarded by the national side, will be useful if he can get back into form, while Darren Stevens will be looking to go past 1000 runs, as well as chipping with his medium pace.
Key Man - Hall: in the absence of a strike bowler, he will likely open the bowling, and will need to be a constant source of wickets, as well as a useful contributor of runs in the lower-middle order, with his muscular hitting power.
One to Watch - Joe Denly: Following David Fulton's retirement, Kent are short of openers, and 21 year old Denly will be looking to stake his claim. Has represented England at under-19 level, and a bright future could await him.
How will they fare: A slightly workmanlike attack could struggle against the stronger batting line-ups, deprived of its spearhead in Amjad Khan. Nevertheless, the side has a nice balance, with batting all the way down the order, although the key contributions will need to come at the top, especially from the trio of Walker, Van Jaarsveld and Key.
Yorkshire: plunged into the depths of darkness in the winter, after Chris Adams snubbed them, a lot of hard work and wheeling and dealing has meant that they have ended up with a better side than they could have hoped for. Younus Khan, who will be there for the beginning of the season, will be a key cog in the batting, although the responsiblity will not rest exclusively on his shoulders, with the acquisition of South African Jacques Rudolph and the late decision by Anthony McGrath to stay with the club after he had seemed sure to depart. Craig White, probably in his last season, could open, as he did last year, or add solidity to the lower order. If he does open, he will need to dig in, alongside Joe Sayers or Matthew Wood, with the sort of solid starts that were absent last season essential if the strong middle order is to dominate. Wicket-Keeping could be a problem; Gerard Brophy and Simon Guy have both had chances, neither being particularly convincing, although the long term solution is apparent in England under-19 captain Greg Wood. The signings of Khan and Rudolph had already started to imbue fans with confidence, but it was the return of talisman Darren Gough as captain, bringing with him Martyn Moxon and ensuring McGrath's reconcilitation that has created the greatest sense of anticipation. His bowling may be a shadow if its former glory, but he will be an effective one-day performer, and should make up for a possible tactical naivety with his boundless enthusiaism and bottomless self-belief. He will by no means play a lone hand; Jason Gillespie returns to spearhead the attack, looking to build on a somewhat disappointing first season, while Gideon Kruis and Tim Bresnan will complete the pace attack, with Matthew Hoggard also available early doors. The emergence of leg spin duo Adil Rashid and Mark Lawson means that they have the slow bowling covered, although Rashid must guard against second-season blues.
Key Man: Gillespie - The bowling is well stocked, but needs a focal point, which the Australian paceman is best placed to provide. The strength of his back-up means that he can be used in shorter, more attacking bursts, and he should be effective.
One to Watch: The two young leggies of course, but there are also a couple of up and coming batsmen, foremost Adam Lyth, who has scored runs in the second XI, but who may struggle to break into the side with the batting so dense.
How will they do: Strong batting, and good seam and spin options ought to make Yorkshire a team who can do some damage. Some big opening stands from the lesser names could be crucial in setting a platform for the much vaunted middle order to make hay. Gillespie will lead the attack, and Gough (even though he will not play every game) should provide good support, alongside Kruis and Bresnan, with the leg-spinners to come into the picture later on in the season.
Durham: Survived last season by the skin of their teeth, with only captain Dale Benkenstein providing 1000 runs in the Championship. They will again look to him for him to play a strong hand, as well as marshalling the troops well in the field, and contributing the odd wicket with his medium pace. Their poaching of the experienced Michael Di Venuto from Derbyshire should fortify the top order, as a replacement for Glamorgan-bound Jimmy Maher. Gary Scott will hope to establish himself alongside Di Venuto as a successor to long-time servant Jon Lewis, a former captain who retired at the end of last season. Past Benkentein, the middle-order batting is lightweight, (assuming Paul Collingwood's absence on international duty) although Ben Harmison, younger brother of Steve, will hope to win a place, alongside Gordon Muchall, whose excellent start to 2006 rather petered out. Their ability to make big scores could be heavily dependant on how the lower order batting fares, with the foreign legion of Callum Thorp, Ottis Gibson, Gareth Breese and Paul Wiseman all needing to chip in. The bowling is much better provided for, with Harmison leading the attack early season, and for the duration should England not seek his services. Liam Plunkett, likely to be involved in the England ODI setup, and Graham Onions, the next cab off the Riverside fast bowling rank, should provide support when available alongside Thorp and Gibson. Mark Davies, a star in 2005, is also on the comeback trail after an injury wrecked season last year. Wiseman and Breese will provide the spin options, and should have plenty to work with if the pacemen do their job.
Key Man: The Harmison brothers - Steve will need to get back to somewhere near his best and provide a springboard for early season success, while brother Ben must prove his worth in the middle order, and build on a promising debut season.
One to Watch: plenty of young talent, both batsmen and bowlers; keep an eye out for Gary Park, an emerging batsman who can also keep wicket. He may earn an early season berth on the back of a century and half-century which helped keep them up in the crucial showdown with Yorkshire at the climax of last season.
How will they fare; they have enough bowling options to knock over even the strongest batting line-ups, although they will struggle if England deprives them of their strike bowlers. The repsonsibility of making runs largely lies with the captain and overseas opener, although it will be the contribution of the young middle order which will be the key in their Division One survival. It also remains to be seen how much the loss of influential coach Martyn Moxon to Yorkshire will hurt them.
Surrey: The batting is strong, with an experienced core of Butcher, Ramprakash and Brown looking to provide the bulk of the runs. Scott Newman is improving as an opener alongside Jon Batty, one of the best county batsman-keepers, although rarely mentioned in terms of England. The fast bowling is less impressive, despite the overseas trio of Azhar Mahmood, Matt Nicholson and Mohammed Akram and the retirement of Martin Bicknell could hurt them. Nevertheless, the spin back up is strong, with Ian Salisbury having had one of his better seasons last year, alongside Nayan Doshi, arguably the best bowler in 20-20, who chalked up 50 championship wickets in 2006. Waiting in the wings is the forgotten man of English leg-spin Chris Schofield, although the rise of the Yorkshire duo and also Somerset's Michael Munday and Lancashire's Simon Marshall mean that the cupboard is not as bare as it was when he was first on the scene. Rikki Clarke should balance the team, as a batting all-rounder, and the likes of James Benning, a possible future England ODI opener and Stuart Walters will ensure that the first choice XI are kept on their toes.
Key Man: Nicholson - He will not start the season (compatriot Steve Magoffin will cover) but Surrey will be looking for their overseas bowler to spearhead the attack and bring back a return of at least 50 wickets. Bags of experience in the Australian domestic game and a lone Test appearance the best part of a decade ago mean that he has it in him.
One to watch: Rory Hamilton-Brown - a middle order batsman who also bowls off spin, he was due to captain the England under-19 side before injury intervened, and he could get opportunities in the one-day game.
How will they fare: After the embarssment of relegation two years ago, they bounced back in style last season, Mark Ramprakash enjoying an Indian summer to his unfulfilled career. Expect more of the same, along with Butcher and Ali Brown, also in the winter of his playing days. The fast bowling will need to make inroads and give the well-stocked spin attack a foothold.
Worcestershire: Having pipped Essex at the post for promotion last year, 40 year old Graeme Hick, who committed to another year at New Road after flirting with an offer from Derbyshire, has one more chance for glory, 17 years after he last guided them to the Chamionship. It would require Hick to have a season from his 1989 vintage for Woercestershire to have a chance, although he will be well supported by Philip Jaques, by some distance the best overseas batsman over the last couple of years, as well as Vikram Solanki, still good for runs at county level. Elsewhere, Stephen Moore and Ben Smith will be looking to improve on solid but unspectacular efforts in 2006. They have endeavoured to replace Zaheer Khan, who did so well last year, with like for like in the form of Australian left-atm paceman Doug Bollinger, and he will lead the attack along with fellow Aussie Matt Mason and England discard Kabir Ali. Gareth Batty and Ray Price, ineffective last year, will want to have more of an impact and back up the pace trio. Stephen Davies, long since earmarked as the solution to the England wicket-keeping problem, could force the issue with another 1000 run season, if neither Prior or Foster nail down the spot.
Key Man: Jaques - probably first in line to succeed Justin Langer at the top of the Australian order, a chance to impress his national selectors should be the added incenctive needed to propel him to the sort of productive season which Worcs. will need if they are to stay away from the relegation dogfight.
One to Watch: Daryl Mitchell - Deputised effectively when Hick was injured last year, and could find himself in the side if the middle order do not succeed. In what is surely Hick's last year, a successor will need to be found, with Mitchell at the head of the queue.
How will they fare: Some star players, but the back up may let them down, and realistically, they will do well to avoid relegation. Jaques and Hick will be the keys with the bat, while the three seamers will need to bend their backs to get through what are some very strong opposition batting line ups.
Very hard to predict a winner, in what is a strong division. Looking at it now, before a ball has been bowled in anger, you would think that the title is likely to be contested between only three teams - namely Sussex, Lancashire, Hampshire, just as in 2006. However, in practice, it will not all run that smoothly. Surrey and Yorkshire are the jokers in the pack; it is hard to predict how Surrey will go, after they tanked in 2005, and were never really tested last year. Likewise, Yorkshire are packed with international pedigree and experience, alongside some excellent young prospects, but it is impossible to predict how the team, totally remodelled from last season, will gel under the new management.
Lancashire for me; they have the sort of quality from 1-11 to both launch and sustain a title challenge. Should the well-stocked batting make the expected big totals, they have the real ace up the sleeve in Muralitharan to back up an efficient seam attack. The fact that it is probably the last chance for this team might be the added incentive to spur them on; they have waited 70 years to bring the title to Old Trafford. Mess it up this year, and another long wait could be the result.
Monday, 2 April 2007
County Preview
Moving into April, and with the county season fast approaching, it is time to do a preview of the runners and riders and see who might be in line for silverware this season. Here is my appraisal of the teams. Starting with division 2 -
Nottinghamshire: The experienced brigade which triumphed in 2005 began to feel their age last year, although thry only have themselves to blame for relegation, managing just a single point from their deciding match. The batting, whose base is provided by the overseas duo of Fleming and Hussey (younger brother David), will remain strong, and was augmented by the arrival of England A tourist Will Jefferson from Essex, who will likely open with Fleming, and the once England touted Mark Wagh, who fell out of favour at Wawrickshire. Also returning after a two year hiatus is Bilal Shafayat. Ryan Sidebottom will lead the bowling, and he will prosper if he shows anything like the form that has made him arguably the best England qualified seam bowler in the county game over the last two years (excluding the test players, who never play). He will be backed up by Cornishman Charlie Shreck, who wil be effective if he stays off the treatment table. Mark Ealham, even in his 38th year, adds a good balance to the side and continues to be a wicket taking threat.
Key man: Hussey - runs will be the key currency, and he is the man best positioned to provide them. If he cuts loose he could have the sort of big season which he owes the club, after he just scraped 1000 runs last year.
One to watch: Mark Footit - left armer, and by all reports very rapid indeed. He has been around for a few seasons without ever really breaking into the first team, and this could be an important season for him.
Prediction: Promotion will be their aim, and they should achieve it, although they will face stiff competition, especially from Essex and Middlesex.
Middlesex: Also relegated last season after a campaign in which nothing went right for them. The batting, led by one of the stars of the England A tour, Nick Compton, and new captain Ed Smith, will be strong, and stronger if England do not come calling for Ed Joyce. Owais Shah should provide a good share of the runs, whilst the possible absence of Joyce may open the door for fellow Irishman Morgan. He has failed to shine at the World Cup thus far, but there is time yet, and he looks a talent. Chris Silverwood, reborn after his move from Yorkshire, will hope for another good return. Thankfully for him, he will no longer have to stand alone; Chaminda Vaas will share the new ball, and should really boost them in one-day cricket, while Richard Johnson returns from exile in Somerset. Still waiting in the wings are Alan Richardson, he of the excellent 2005, and Chad Keegan, on whom fortune has not shone. Completing the mix is a quality spinner, India's Murali Kartik, who should provide wickets with the old ball, which Middlesex struggled for last year.
Key Man: Shah - His successful England debut was backed up by a relatively fallow county season. Gone, if not quite forgotten in England's mind, but a big season could both propel Middlesex back into the top division and catapult him back into the selector's minds.
One to Watch: Billy Godleman - Still only 18, he has scored shedloads of runs below first-class level, and will be looking to make the step up. Unlikely to get to many chances to begin with, but the one-day games could be a springboard for him.
Prediction: They have the players to go straight back up again, but they will need to create a harmonious atmosphere, which could prove a problem for Ed Smith, who put noses out of joint in his time at Kent. Should England calls not ravage the batting, they look a good bet nevertheless.
Essex: An emerging young side, with a core of hardy, experienced pros, like the Flower brothers and Ronnie Irani. Elder brother Andy should be the mainstay of the batting, with youngsters Chopra, who had an excellent breakthrough season last year, and the explosvie Pettini ahead of him (assuming Cook is away with England). Irani, playing now as a specilaist batsman, has provided lots of runs over the last couple of years and Bopara, althoguh likely to be selected for England's one-day squads, will give the team balance, alongside Dutchman Ryan Ten Doeschate, fresh from a successful World Cup, in personal terms. Andre Nel will lead the bowlers with his customary churlishness and fire, and Essex will hope for a resurgence in Alex Tudor, now that talisman Gough has quick-stepped it back home to Yorkshire. Danish Kaneira takes back his berth after missing last year on tour with Pakistan, and his leg-spin, slighlty toothelss at the top level, is good enough for plenty of wickets here. On drier surfaces, Tim Phillips' let-arm spin could be utilised in tandem.
Key Man: Nel -the fast bowling is threadbare, but he has the heart and endurance to carry it. It will be hisjob to burst open batting teams with the new ball, and expose the middle and lower order to the whiles of Kaneira.
One to Watch: Take your pick from any number of Gooch proteges. Varun Chopra and Mark Pettini are already in and about the first team, and both will harbour England ambitions further down the line, with Pettini the sort of attacking one-day opener England have their eye on. Otherwise you have paceman Mervyn Westfield, who made an encouraging debut last year, and cannot be too far away, with Essex's fast bowling ranks not exactly plush with resources.
Prediction:They will challenge for promotion, as they did so fiercely last year. If Nel and Kaneira can provide the wickets expected, the batting is strong enough to see them contenders.
Leicestershire: The batting, in the absence of an overseas pro, looks thin, especially after the departure of stalwart Darren Maddy. Only Hylton Ackerman made over 1000 runs last year, but to expect a repeat of his 1800 would be unfair. Other than him, the top half possesses few star names, and it will be down to county pros such as Darren Robinson and John Maunders to grind out totals. The bowling is a little more healthy, with Indian left-armer R.P.Singh looking to achieve similar results to his national colleague Zaheer Khan last year at Worcestershire. If Stuart Broad is left alone by England, then that will be an excellent opening partnership. Mansoor Ajmad, a young Pakistani leg-spinning all rounder will provide the slow bowling option, although he did not shine in the limited opportunities given last year. Paul Nixon, unlikely to be persevered with by England after the World Cup, will need to be at his forthright best, and provide runs and encouragement in eqaully heavy measure.
Key Man: Tim Boon (Head Coach) - with few star names on the field, a lot will depend on the man England were very sorry to lose squeezing every last drop of potential out of each and every one.
One to Watch: David Stiff - Tall and fast, he was tipped for the top a few years ago, but moved away from his home county Yorkshire, and got nowhere in a spell at Kent. At 23, there is still time for him to make it, and Leicestershire will be hoping they have unearthed another Broad.
Prediction: The nature of their squad suggests that it will be a struggle, although a 4th place last year means they have something to build on. One day cricket tends to be their forte, although the loss of Maddy will damage their hopes, especially in Twenty20, at which there is arguably no-one better. A lot depends on Broad; if he is there, and takes wickets they should do well. If not, it could be hard times at Grace Road.
Derbyshire: The perennial problem of lack of runs looks to have been addressed by the signing of Australain Simon Katich, combined with the return of fellow countryman Travis Birt for a second year. Katich, although his internatinal days are probably behind him, is still a consistent performer for NSW in Australian domestic cricket, and has done well on his previous county assignments. Hassan Adnan, as a non-overseas player will add depth to the batting, whilst the signing of Phil Weston will add solidity to the top order alongside Steve Stubbings who enjoyed his best year in 2006. Bowling will be more of a problem; they lack both a genuine paceman and a good spinner, and will be heavily reliant on medium pace. Ian Harvey, yet another of the foreign legion, should be useful, but it is the one-day game he will concentrate on. Once again Graeme Welch will have to shoulder a heavy burden, although a strong showing from Kevin Dean, long overdue, could help. Boyd Rankin, after ruffling a few feathers at the World Cup, may be their only hope of some variety, propelling the ball from such a tall frame.
Key Man: Katich - there is some batting depth for a change, but his contribution will nevertheless be key. In addition, he will have to be resourceful as captain, in marshalling failry meagre bowling resources, and his left-arm chinamen could be the most viable spin option.
One to watch: Graham Wagg - Rehabilitated last year, after a drugs ban, he begun to show some returns on the faith invested in him, and could be a key cog in the all-rounders berth. Also keep an eye out for Gary Ballance, nephew of coach David Houghton, in whom the same batting gene seems to have taken root. Made an 80 on debut in a one-day game last year, and, although his opportunities will be limited he is one for the future, andhas an eye on qualifying for England down the line (he is Zimbabwean by birth).
Prediction: Their Kingdom for a top class bowler; the batting should score heavily, but where are the wickets coming from? Ultimately they lack the penetration to bowl sides out twice, and are only an outside bet for promotion. Their strong batting and battery of medium pacers makes them a decent one-day unit though.
Northamptonshire: Freed from the near tyranny of Kepler Wessels' reign, they started to produce results at the back end of last season. Chris Rogers, talked about in Australian circles as a potential replacement for Justin Langer, will be the mainstay of the batting, alongside David Sales and Usman Afzaal, two who never quite made it for England. Lance Klusener, returning as a Kolpakker, will do a good job at 6, although his bowling is not what it was. Apart from Johannes Van der Wath, signed to bolster the bowling, there are few wicket-takers, especially with Monty Panesar now integral to both England's Test and ODI teams. With Ben Phillips and Matt Nicholson gone, there is not much to partner Van der Wath, with David Lucas not making an impression at Yorkshire and Charl Pietersen unproven. Inevitably, much will be down to the spinners, with Jason Brown backed up by the signing of Richard Dawson, looking to resurrect a once promising career, which has hit the rocks. The signing of Niall O'Brien has looked better as the World Cup has gone on, with half-centuries against Pakistan and England proving his talent and fighting qualities.
Key Man: Van Der Wath: If he doesn't take wickets with the new ball, then who will? His aggressive lower order batting could come in handy as well.
One to watch: No-one screaming out to be noted; O'Brien, i guess, should be worth keeping an eye on - England still need a wicket-keeper, and he must be close to qualifying through residency.
How will they fare: A bit lightweight in all areas, and do not really have the squad depth to challenge should even one big name go down injured. Will hope that spin can see them to respectability on the good old bunsens at home, but then need to peel their eyes for a fast bowler over the winter.
Gloucestershire: As a contrast to many of the competition, this is a team which majors on high quality seam bowling. If Jon Lewis is treated with a bit more respect by England (if considered at all) then he will spearhead the attack, still the best county bowler for the last few years. Alongside him, Umar Gul, an excellent signing, should benefit from his experience with Pakistan last summer. The back up, with Steve Kirby, is also strong, although they lack a spinner following Martyn Ball's retirement. Maybe Ian Fisher can step up. The batting is much weaker; Craig Spearman will have to have one of his good seasons, and Kadeer Ali needs to take some responsibility in Phil Weston's absence. Otherwise, it will be largely down to the overseas pro, Marcus North in lieu of Hamish Marshall. Alex Gidman will want to do well, and throw his hat into the ring for and England ODI place, whilst Chris Taylor needs a good season.
Key Man: Lewis - They need his wickets, and also his captaincy must be astute, as he may not have the biggest totals to defend. Should see plenty of him, as there are better options in Test cricket, and England will be looking to the future in the ODIs.
One to watch: Vikram Banerjee - Made his debut last season, and, although he did not pull up trees, they need a good spinner, with the Bradford born left-armer the best bet.
How will they fare: Wickets should not be a problem, but they need big efforts from Spearman and the two overseas players sharing the batting slot. A good start on early season pitches could put them in a useful position, although their advantage will decrease as the season progresses.
Glamorgan: It all looked very grim at the end of last season, with no money for an overseas player, and another dismal season ending with Robert Croft resigning the captaincy. A local millionaire dentist bankrolled them to the tune of Jimmy Maher, while Younus Khan's early arrival at Yorkshire pushed Matt Elliott their way. The opening dilemma solved, they could still struggle for runs, although Hemp and Michael Powell should do well. A lot may depend on the lower order contributions of the likes of Watkins, Croft and Wharf. Simon Jones will spearhead the bowling early doors, although it remains to be seen whether he can get back to his best; if he can then unfortunately for Glamorgan, England will come calling. Alongside him, David Harrison will do a lot of donkey work, and much will be down to the spin duo of Croft and Cosker.
Key Man: Powell - He had a great 2006, with the highlight his 299. The class act of the homegrown players, his contributions backing up the two Australians will be key, not least in the one-day game.
One to watch: Huw Waters - An emerging seam bowler, he has just started to make an impression, and this could be an important season in his development.
How will they fare: If the Aussie batsmen go nuts, and Jones gets them off to a flier with the ball, then they are not looking so bad. Realistically, top half of the table would be acceptable, and the worthy homegrown policy, with not a Kolpakker in sight, may just be on the upward curve, although it is a slow process.
Somerset: Too good to prop up the table, you might think; not so last year, where they proved that 3 players do not a winning team make. The three notables; White, Caddick and Willoughby all remain; the latter two still spearhead the bowling, with Caddick probably in his twilight season. The batting has been heavily reinforced, with Justin Langer returning as captain for the whole season, on the back of his triple century last year. That gives an unmatched opening partnership of Langer and Trescothick, should the latter fail to resurrect his England career. Ian Blackwell, injured for almost the enite 2006 season, returns to the ranks, and both his muscular hitting and tidy left-arm spin were missed. Steffan Jones is back after a good term with Derby, to give some support to Caddick and Willoughby, and James Hildreth's talent began belatedly to blossom at the fag end of last season, with a few centuries in both forms of the game.
Key Man: Lots of them really. The success of Trescothick is of course conditional; whilst Somerset will be over the moon to see one of their favourite sons back on song, England will be eqaully so, and he could be whisked away. The two batting all-rounders who bowl spin, Blackwell and White, could hold the key; both are lusty big hitters in the middle order, and they could help turn good totals into match-winning ones. Their spinners, efficient if a bit ineffective, need to work well in tandem on the traditional Taunton shirtfronts.
So, there they are. But who will win? There is a good case for both last year's relegated Division One sides, and Essex will fancy their chances. However, writing the Somerset review, they seem to have the best depth from 1-11; if they all keep fit and key players do not lose form, there is more than just a good chance that they could swap the wooden spoon for the promotion ticket.
Nottinghamshire: The experienced brigade which triumphed in 2005 began to feel their age last year, although thry only have themselves to blame for relegation, managing just a single point from their deciding match. The batting, whose base is provided by the overseas duo of Fleming and Hussey (younger brother David), will remain strong, and was augmented by the arrival of England A tourist Will Jefferson from Essex, who will likely open with Fleming, and the once England touted Mark Wagh, who fell out of favour at Wawrickshire. Also returning after a two year hiatus is Bilal Shafayat. Ryan Sidebottom will lead the bowling, and he will prosper if he shows anything like the form that has made him arguably the best England qualified seam bowler in the county game over the last two years (excluding the test players, who never play). He will be backed up by Cornishman Charlie Shreck, who wil be effective if he stays off the treatment table. Mark Ealham, even in his 38th year, adds a good balance to the side and continues to be a wicket taking threat.
Key man: Hussey - runs will be the key currency, and he is the man best positioned to provide them. If he cuts loose he could have the sort of big season which he owes the club, after he just scraped 1000 runs last year.
One to watch: Mark Footit - left armer, and by all reports very rapid indeed. He has been around for a few seasons without ever really breaking into the first team, and this could be an important season for him.
Prediction: Promotion will be their aim, and they should achieve it, although they will face stiff competition, especially from Essex and Middlesex.
Middlesex: Also relegated last season after a campaign in which nothing went right for them. The batting, led by one of the stars of the England A tour, Nick Compton, and new captain Ed Smith, will be strong, and stronger if England do not come calling for Ed Joyce. Owais Shah should provide a good share of the runs, whilst the possible absence of Joyce may open the door for fellow Irishman Morgan. He has failed to shine at the World Cup thus far, but there is time yet, and he looks a talent. Chris Silverwood, reborn after his move from Yorkshire, will hope for another good return. Thankfully for him, he will no longer have to stand alone; Chaminda Vaas will share the new ball, and should really boost them in one-day cricket, while Richard Johnson returns from exile in Somerset. Still waiting in the wings are Alan Richardson, he of the excellent 2005, and Chad Keegan, on whom fortune has not shone. Completing the mix is a quality spinner, India's Murali Kartik, who should provide wickets with the old ball, which Middlesex struggled for last year.
Key Man: Shah - His successful England debut was backed up by a relatively fallow county season. Gone, if not quite forgotten in England's mind, but a big season could both propel Middlesex back into the top division and catapult him back into the selector's minds.
One to Watch: Billy Godleman - Still only 18, he has scored shedloads of runs below first-class level, and will be looking to make the step up. Unlikely to get to many chances to begin with, but the one-day games could be a springboard for him.
Prediction: They have the players to go straight back up again, but they will need to create a harmonious atmosphere, which could prove a problem for Ed Smith, who put noses out of joint in his time at Kent. Should England calls not ravage the batting, they look a good bet nevertheless.
Essex: An emerging young side, with a core of hardy, experienced pros, like the Flower brothers and Ronnie Irani. Elder brother Andy should be the mainstay of the batting, with youngsters Chopra, who had an excellent breakthrough season last year, and the explosvie Pettini ahead of him (assuming Cook is away with England). Irani, playing now as a specilaist batsman, has provided lots of runs over the last couple of years and Bopara, althoguh likely to be selected for England's one-day squads, will give the team balance, alongside Dutchman Ryan Ten Doeschate, fresh from a successful World Cup, in personal terms. Andre Nel will lead the bowlers with his customary churlishness and fire, and Essex will hope for a resurgence in Alex Tudor, now that talisman Gough has quick-stepped it back home to Yorkshire. Danish Kaneira takes back his berth after missing last year on tour with Pakistan, and his leg-spin, slighlty toothelss at the top level, is good enough for plenty of wickets here. On drier surfaces, Tim Phillips' let-arm spin could be utilised in tandem.
Key Man: Nel -the fast bowling is threadbare, but he has the heart and endurance to carry it. It will be hisjob to burst open batting teams with the new ball, and expose the middle and lower order to the whiles of Kaneira.
One to Watch: Take your pick from any number of Gooch proteges. Varun Chopra and Mark Pettini are already in and about the first team, and both will harbour England ambitions further down the line, with Pettini the sort of attacking one-day opener England have their eye on. Otherwise you have paceman Mervyn Westfield, who made an encouraging debut last year, and cannot be too far away, with Essex's fast bowling ranks not exactly plush with resources.
Prediction:They will challenge for promotion, as they did so fiercely last year. If Nel and Kaneira can provide the wickets expected, the batting is strong enough to see them contenders.
Leicestershire: The batting, in the absence of an overseas pro, looks thin, especially after the departure of stalwart Darren Maddy. Only Hylton Ackerman made over 1000 runs last year, but to expect a repeat of his 1800 would be unfair. Other than him, the top half possesses few star names, and it will be down to county pros such as Darren Robinson and John Maunders to grind out totals. The bowling is a little more healthy, with Indian left-armer R.P.Singh looking to achieve similar results to his national colleague Zaheer Khan last year at Worcestershire. If Stuart Broad is left alone by England, then that will be an excellent opening partnership. Mansoor Ajmad, a young Pakistani leg-spinning all rounder will provide the slow bowling option, although he did not shine in the limited opportunities given last year. Paul Nixon, unlikely to be persevered with by England after the World Cup, will need to be at his forthright best, and provide runs and encouragement in eqaully heavy measure.
Key Man: Tim Boon (Head Coach) - with few star names on the field, a lot will depend on the man England were very sorry to lose squeezing every last drop of potential out of each and every one.
One to Watch: David Stiff - Tall and fast, he was tipped for the top a few years ago, but moved away from his home county Yorkshire, and got nowhere in a spell at Kent. At 23, there is still time for him to make it, and Leicestershire will be hoping they have unearthed another Broad.
Prediction: The nature of their squad suggests that it will be a struggle, although a 4th place last year means they have something to build on. One day cricket tends to be their forte, although the loss of Maddy will damage their hopes, especially in Twenty20, at which there is arguably no-one better. A lot depends on Broad; if he is there, and takes wickets they should do well. If not, it could be hard times at Grace Road.
Derbyshire: The perennial problem of lack of runs looks to have been addressed by the signing of Australain Simon Katich, combined with the return of fellow countryman Travis Birt for a second year. Katich, although his internatinal days are probably behind him, is still a consistent performer for NSW in Australian domestic cricket, and has done well on his previous county assignments. Hassan Adnan, as a non-overseas player will add depth to the batting, whilst the signing of Phil Weston will add solidity to the top order alongside Steve Stubbings who enjoyed his best year in 2006. Bowling will be more of a problem; they lack both a genuine paceman and a good spinner, and will be heavily reliant on medium pace. Ian Harvey, yet another of the foreign legion, should be useful, but it is the one-day game he will concentrate on. Once again Graeme Welch will have to shoulder a heavy burden, although a strong showing from Kevin Dean, long overdue, could help. Boyd Rankin, after ruffling a few feathers at the World Cup, may be their only hope of some variety, propelling the ball from such a tall frame.
Key Man: Katich - there is some batting depth for a change, but his contribution will nevertheless be key. In addition, he will have to be resourceful as captain, in marshalling failry meagre bowling resources, and his left-arm chinamen could be the most viable spin option.
One to watch: Graham Wagg - Rehabilitated last year, after a drugs ban, he begun to show some returns on the faith invested in him, and could be a key cog in the all-rounders berth. Also keep an eye out for Gary Ballance, nephew of coach David Houghton, in whom the same batting gene seems to have taken root. Made an 80 on debut in a one-day game last year, and, although his opportunities will be limited he is one for the future, andhas an eye on qualifying for England down the line (he is Zimbabwean by birth).
Prediction: Their Kingdom for a top class bowler; the batting should score heavily, but where are the wickets coming from? Ultimately they lack the penetration to bowl sides out twice, and are only an outside bet for promotion. Their strong batting and battery of medium pacers makes them a decent one-day unit though.
Northamptonshire: Freed from the near tyranny of Kepler Wessels' reign, they started to produce results at the back end of last season. Chris Rogers, talked about in Australian circles as a potential replacement for Justin Langer, will be the mainstay of the batting, alongside David Sales and Usman Afzaal, two who never quite made it for England. Lance Klusener, returning as a Kolpakker, will do a good job at 6, although his bowling is not what it was. Apart from Johannes Van der Wath, signed to bolster the bowling, there are few wicket-takers, especially with Monty Panesar now integral to both England's Test and ODI teams. With Ben Phillips and Matt Nicholson gone, there is not much to partner Van der Wath, with David Lucas not making an impression at Yorkshire and Charl Pietersen unproven. Inevitably, much will be down to the spinners, with Jason Brown backed up by the signing of Richard Dawson, looking to resurrect a once promising career, which has hit the rocks. The signing of Niall O'Brien has looked better as the World Cup has gone on, with half-centuries against Pakistan and England proving his talent and fighting qualities.
Key Man: Van Der Wath: If he doesn't take wickets with the new ball, then who will? His aggressive lower order batting could come in handy as well.
One to watch: No-one screaming out to be noted; O'Brien, i guess, should be worth keeping an eye on - England still need a wicket-keeper, and he must be close to qualifying through residency.
How will they fare: A bit lightweight in all areas, and do not really have the squad depth to challenge should even one big name go down injured. Will hope that spin can see them to respectability on the good old bunsens at home, but then need to peel their eyes for a fast bowler over the winter.
Gloucestershire: As a contrast to many of the competition, this is a team which majors on high quality seam bowling. If Jon Lewis is treated with a bit more respect by England (if considered at all) then he will spearhead the attack, still the best county bowler for the last few years. Alongside him, Umar Gul, an excellent signing, should benefit from his experience with Pakistan last summer. The back up, with Steve Kirby, is also strong, although they lack a spinner following Martyn Ball's retirement. Maybe Ian Fisher can step up. The batting is much weaker; Craig Spearman will have to have one of his good seasons, and Kadeer Ali needs to take some responsibility in Phil Weston's absence. Otherwise, it will be largely down to the overseas pro, Marcus North in lieu of Hamish Marshall. Alex Gidman will want to do well, and throw his hat into the ring for and England ODI place, whilst Chris Taylor needs a good season.
Key Man: Lewis - They need his wickets, and also his captaincy must be astute, as he may not have the biggest totals to defend. Should see plenty of him, as there are better options in Test cricket, and England will be looking to the future in the ODIs.
One to watch: Vikram Banerjee - Made his debut last season, and, although he did not pull up trees, they need a good spinner, with the Bradford born left-armer the best bet.
How will they fare: Wickets should not be a problem, but they need big efforts from Spearman and the two overseas players sharing the batting slot. A good start on early season pitches could put them in a useful position, although their advantage will decrease as the season progresses.
Glamorgan: It all looked very grim at the end of last season, with no money for an overseas player, and another dismal season ending with Robert Croft resigning the captaincy. A local millionaire dentist bankrolled them to the tune of Jimmy Maher, while Younus Khan's early arrival at Yorkshire pushed Matt Elliott their way. The opening dilemma solved, they could still struggle for runs, although Hemp and Michael Powell should do well. A lot may depend on the lower order contributions of the likes of Watkins, Croft and Wharf. Simon Jones will spearhead the bowling early doors, although it remains to be seen whether he can get back to his best; if he can then unfortunately for Glamorgan, England will come calling. Alongside him, David Harrison will do a lot of donkey work, and much will be down to the spin duo of Croft and Cosker.
Key Man: Powell - He had a great 2006, with the highlight his 299. The class act of the homegrown players, his contributions backing up the two Australians will be key, not least in the one-day game.
One to watch: Huw Waters - An emerging seam bowler, he has just started to make an impression, and this could be an important season in his development.
How will they fare: If the Aussie batsmen go nuts, and Jones gets them off to a flier with the ball, then they are not looking so bad. Realistically, top half of the table would be acceptable, and the worthy homegrown policy, with not a Kolpakker in sight, may just be on the upward curve, although it is a slow process.
Somerset: Too good to prop up the table, you might think; not so last year, where they proved that 3 players do not a winning team make. The three notables; White, Caddick and Willoughby all remain; the latter two still spearhead the bowling, with Caddick probably in his twilight season. The batting has been heavily reinforced, with Justin Langer returning as captain for the whole season, on the back of his triple century last year. That gives an unmatched opening partnership of Langer and Trescothick, should the latter fail to resurrect his England career. Ian Blackwell, injured for almost the enite 2006 season, returns to the ranks, and both his muscular hitting and tidy left-arm spin were missed. Steffan Jones is back after a good term with Derby, to give some support to Caddick and Willoughby, and James Hildreth's talent began belatedly to blossom at the fag end of last season, with a few centuries in both forms of the game.
Key Man: Lots of them really. The success of Trescothick is of course conditional; whilst Somerset will be over the moon to see one of their favourite sons back on song, England will be eqaully so, and he could be whisked away. The two batting all-rounders who bowl spin, Blackwell and White, could hold the key; both are lusty big hitters in the middle order, and they could help turn good totals into match-winning ones. Their spinners, efficient if a bit ineffective, need to work well in tandem on the traditional Taunton shirtfronts.
So, there they are. But who will win? There is a good case for both last year's relegated Division One sides, and Essex will fancy their chances. However, writing the Somerset review, they seem to have the best depth from 1-11; if they all keep fit and key players do not lose form, there is more than just a good chance that they could swap the wooden spoon for the promotion ticket.
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