Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention? I've just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. And I need all of you to stop your what you’re doing and listen. Cannonball!
The announcement of a second Anchorman film may have been the biggest announcement of the last seven days, but equally exciting is the start of the new county cricket season which is upon us.
Championship attendances actually increased by 9% last year to 531,000, highlighting that demand for first-class cricket is still going strong. So where better to prepare yourself for this year’s competitions than the most brilliant preview ever (with details taken mostly from cricinfo of course).
In this edition, I look over all the teams, document the changes in their squads, let you know how they did last season and assess their chances for success this time around. Added to all this are players to look out for both from abroad and domestically as well as a predictions competition and a special treat at the end to do with Chris Gayle and without doubt the most incredible T20 stats ever witnessed in its short history.
So what are you waiting for…
County Championship Division 1
Durham
IN: Mark Wood
OUT: Kyle Coetzer (Northamptonshire), Ben Harmison (Kent), Mark Davies (Kent)
OVERSEAS: Herschelle Gibbs (T20) Mitchell Johnson (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 3rd
CB40 – semi-final
T20 – 4th in North Group
This Season:
Durham have now gone two years without lifting the Championship after their back-to-back victories but should once again be in the thick of the title race. Steve Harmison should be fit and firing despite having to overcome his battle with depression and, more recently, a dislocated finger. But if he begins the season in good form, alongside the likes of Graham Onions and leg-spinner Scott Borthwick who continues to improve every season, there will be plenty of firepower to bowl sides out twice.
Batting wise, veterans Michael Di Venuto and Dale Benkenstein will be charged with scoring big first-innings runs, but there are plenty of batsmen who can take charge with six of them averaging 40 last season, a number which doesn’t include Di Venuto or former England batsman Paul Collingwood who may still harbour hopes of returning to the national fold in a limited overs role.
Durham should challenge in all competitions this season. They have the raw talent of Ben Stokes who shone in 2011 and the unpredictable talents of Herschelle Gibbs and Mitchell Johnson for the T20 format. If they come off then there is a really good balance to the Durham side
Predictions:
County Championship – 1st
CB40 – Semi-finals
T20 – Final
Most likely to:
Field a fearsome seam bowling attack
Lancashire
IN: Jordan Clark (youth), Naqaash Tahir (Warwickshire)
OUT: Mark Chilton (retired), Steven Cheetham (released)
OVERSEAS: Ashwell Prince
Last Season:
County Championship – 1st
CB40 – 4th in Group C
T20 – Semi-final
This Season:
A first title for 77 years on the back of 10 wins out of 16 in the Championship, nobody expected the Red Rose to triumph having come so close so often, but triumph they did. The image of captain Glen Chapple bowling off one leg epitomised the spirit within the Lancashire camp – he took a career best season haul of 57 wickets at an average of 19.75. And to cap it all off their great rivals Yorkshire, who had been tipped to challenge at the start of the season, ended up relegated.
Few changes have been made to the side but it’s hard to imagine them pulling off another title win again against the odds. Having achieved such success they will be disappointed to return once again to Old Trafford which has seen the pitch turned 90 degrees, but it has apparently become slow and low, not a recipe for winning cricket.
However, a trio of good left-arm spinners in Gary Keedy, Simon Kerrigan (who took nine for 51 against Hampshire and five for seven against Warwickshire) and Stephen Parry mean they will have a chance in the shorter form of the game where they too have underachieved of late.
Predictions:
County Championship – 3rd
CB40 – Group Stage
T20 – Group Stage
Most likely to:
Ask to play more of their matches away from home
Middlesex
IN: Joe Denly (Kent), Ollie Rayner (Sussex), Gurjit Sandhu, Ollie Wilkin
OUT: Ben Scott (Worcestershire), Dan Housego (Gloucestershire), Jamie Dalrymple
OVERSEAS: Chris Rogers
Last Season:
County Championship – 1st (Division 2)
CB40 – 2nd in Group A
T20 – 8th in Southern Group
This Season:
Under the stewardship of Angus Fraser, Middlesex return to the first division where they will look to consolidate their status. Much of their form this season will depend on how much they see of their England players. Andrew Strauss will prepare for Test series against West Indies and South Afric awith his county but should his lean trot continue he may be spending more time on the county circuit than anybody could have envisaged a few months ago.
Eoin Morgan will spend some time at the IPL but will come back looking to regain his Test place and Steven Finn will also be keen to shine early season with such strong competition for places in England’s bowling line-up. The difference between Middlesex staying above danger and possibly making a title challenge will depend on how much these three feature.
The Londoners may benefit from having Joe Denly join the county. Having lost some form at Kentit is to be hoped a change in scenery will kick-start his career which deteriorated after failing to cement his place in England’s limited overs teams.
Middlesex’s batting has not succeeded as well at it should have on the inviting pitches of Lord’s, but their bowlers have shone with three averaging under 21 last season (including Finn) and another two averaging 26. The step-up will be a big one, especially with a different ball to get used to, and it may just prove too much of an ask. Don’t expect too much in the other formats of the game.
Predictions:
County Championship – 8th
CB40 – Group Stage
T20 – Group Stage
Most likely to:
Have their players put on a lot of weight due to the brilliance of Lord’s lunches
Nottingham
IN: James Taylor (Leicestershire), Harry Gurney (Leicestershire), Michael Lumb (Hampshire), Karl Turner, Sam Kelsall, Sam Wood, Brett Hutton
OUT: Akhil Patel (released), Ali Brown (retired), Charlie Shreck (Kent), Mark Wagh (retired)
OVERSEAS: Adam Voges
Last Season:
County Championship – 6th
CB40– 2nd in Group C
T20– Semi-final
This Season:
The 2010 champions looked set to defend their crown after a storming start to last season, winning their opening three matches. But they only won twice more as a repeat of their 2006 relegation (following a Championship win the season before) looked possible once again. Once again they have been hit by a number of players playing for England and the potential loss of Samit Patel will hurt as well, with Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann likely to be unavailable for most of the campaign.
Losing the likes of Ali Brown and Charlie Shreck, as well as Darren Pattinson to injury, has made the squad look a bit threadbare, but the arrivals of Michael Lumb and James Taylor has strengthened a batting line-up which has continually failed to deliver despite having a great pedigree. Only three players averaged 40 last season in the Championship, one of whom was Alex Hales who, alongside Taylor, featured for England at the back-end of 2011 and might get another chance should he excel in the limited overs format again. Like with Middlesex, how much Notts have all their best players available will be crucial to their fortunes.
In the bowling department, Notts have recruited Harry Gurney (who like Taylor and Broad before him came from Leicestershire) and will once again have the services of New Zealander Andre Adams who has been a revelation at the club.
In the CB40 and T20 competitions, the Outlaws have so been close to winning for so long, and they will hope to get to a final so that they can play all their international stars, a prospect which would scare any opposition.
Predictions:
County Championship – 4th
CB40 – Semi-final
T20 – Semi-final
Most likely to:
Sign somebody from Leicestershire and lose him to England
Somerset
IN: None
OUT: Murali Kartik (Surrey), Charl Willoughby (Essex)
OVERSEAS: Vernon Philander (April-May), Chris Gayle (T20), Albie Morkel (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 4th
CB40 – Final
T20 – Final
This Season:
The bridesmaids of county cricket were so close once again last season, but they still failed to win any silverware after two excruciating years where they challenged for all trophies but never bagged any. Their charge will once again be led by skipper Marcus Trescothick, a man who would still walk into every England side if not for illness. He destroyed county attacks (again) last season, hitting the most runs in Division 1 and 2500 across all formats. In the best piece of news to hit the county game this year, he will partner Chris Gayle in the T20 tournament this season, assuming the biggest hitter in the game doesn’t sort out his dispute with the West Indian Cricket Board any time soon (let’s hope not).
A potential batting line-up of Trescothick, Gayle, Kieswetter, Trego, Hildreth, Buttler and Albie Morkel will leave fans having wet dreams for many nights, even if their bowling is not in the same league. Surely, they will be the team to beat in the T20 and CB40 competitions.
Having made no new signings and lost seamer Charl Willoughby to Essex, they will struggle to win enough matches at the batting paradise that is Taunton. This shouldn’t be a problem with South African Vernon Philander joining the Sabres for the first two months of the season, just weeks after he became the second fastest bowler in international history to take 50 wickets. Once he leaves though, not even Trescothick’s heroics will be enough to see them lift the Championship.
Predictions:
County Championship – 5th
CB40 – Winners
T20 – Winners
Most likely to:
Chase down 240 in a T20 match and still have overs to spare
Surrey
IN: Jon Lewis (Gloucestershire), George Edwards (youth), Freddie van den Bergh (youth)
OUT: Michael Brown (retired), Chris Schofield (released), Simon King (released)
OVERSEAS: Jacques Rudolph (April-May), Murali Kartik (May-September), Dirk Nannes (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 2nd (Division Two)
CB40 – Winners
T20 – 5th in South Group
This Season:
Dominant in the 1990s, Surrey are once again on the rise after the narrowest of promotions back to Division One and a trophy last season. The duo of Chris Adams and Rory Hamilton-Brown has worked well and now their challenge will be to continue Surrey’s recent improvements.
Batting wise there is much more to come with the run machine that is Mark Ramprakash struggling last season to match his efforts of years gone by which saw suggestions of a return to the England side. The 42-year-old will still be a prized wicket for opposition bowling attacks but more needs to come from the likes of Steven Davies, Tom Maynard and Jason Roy who should enjoy batting at the Oval.
Tim Linley bagged 73 first-class wickets last season, but with a possible bowling line-up including Stuart Meaker, Chris Tremlett, Jade Dernbach, Chris Jordan, Jon Lewis and Gareth Batty, Surrey are my surprise tip to challenge in all forms of the game.
Predictions:
County Championship – 2nd
CB40 – Final
T20 – Quarter-finals
Most likely to:
Field an entire bowling line-up made up of England internationals
Sussex
IN: Matt Machan
OUT: Lou Vincent (released), Ollie Rayner (Middlesex)
OVERSEAS: Scott Styris (T20), Steve Magoffin
Last Season:
County Championship – 5th
CB40 – Final
T20 – Quarter-final
This Season:
Solid but not spectacular would be the best way to sum up Sussex last season. They were ok in the Championship and a bit better in the limited overs formats, but they will need to up their game a bit more this season with the standard increasing. A lack of fresh faces means experienced players such as Murray Goodwin, Ed Joyce, Michael Yardy and Luke Wright will need to deliver once again. The bowlers did well last year, including a rejuvenated Monty Panesar, but my worry is that too many matches might be drawn. I expect them to just about survive once again, with a push for more glory in the CB40 and T20 competitions.
Predictions:
County Championship – 7th
CB40 – Group Stage
T20 – Semi-final
Most likely to:
Recruit a Pakistani overseas player
Warwickshire
IN: Chris Wright (Essex), Recordo Gordon
OUT: Maurice Holmes (released), Ant Botha (retired), Naqaash Tahir (released)
OVERSEAS: Jeetan Patel
Last Season:
County Championship – 2nd
CB40 – 5th in Group B
T20 – 8th in Northern Group
This Season:
After narrowly missing out last season on the Championship, the Bears’ title ambitions for this season have been badly hit after promising all-rounder Chris Woakes was ruled out for up to two months after damaging ankle ligaments on the club’s pre-season tour to Barbados. Last season, Woakes was on fire and eventually averaged 48.25 with the bat and 21.78 with the ball. In particular, his exploitation of early season conditions could have been key for another quick start to the campaign, but his absence will leave a massive hole in the Warwickshire side.
Batting wise, Varun Chopra hit two double hundreds but he could only average 44 which was only bettered by overseas player Shivnarine Chanderpaul as well as bowlers Woakes and Keith Barker. This problem was not just one to hit last season and there was great reliance on the bowlers to compete in matches. It’s possible that they could have another tilt at the Championship this season, but such is the beauty of this division that they could equally find themselves struggling to stay in the division. Improvements need to be made in limited overs cricket as well.
Predictions:
County Championship – 6th
CB40 – Group Stage
T20 – Group Stage
Most likely to:
Feature in a number of three day matches
Worcestershire
IN: Ben Scott (Middlesex) David Lucas (Northamptonshire)
OUT: Matt Mason (retired), Chris Whelan (released), David Wheeldon (released)
OVERSEAS: Saeed Ajmal (T20), Phil Hughes, Michael Klinger
Last Season:
County Championship – 7th
CB40 – 7th in Group A
T20 – 5th in North Group
This Season:
Despite losing 11 of their 16 matches in the Championship, Worcestershire somehow avoided the drop back to Division 2 as once again teams were awarded for not drawing too many times. That they stayed up has much to do with the bowling prowess of 36-year-old Alan Richardson who finished as the top wicket taker in the division with 73 at 24 runs apiece. Expecting him to do that again would be asking a lot. The batting department will rely a lot on Phil Hughes, Moeen Ali and Vikram Solanki who will need to score big runs. Somehow, though, I cannot see how they will avoid relegation this time around.
In one-day cricket, the Royals failed to make a mark and a lot will rest on Saeed Ajmal, a man who enjoys bowling to English batsmen, if they are to make it to finals day this time around. However, it’s asking a lot for any bowler to make such an impact with just four overs to use in any innings.
Predictions:
County Championship – 9th
CB40 – Group Stage
T20 – Group Stage
Most likely to:
See their ground go underwater if there is heavy rainfall
Division 2
Derbyshire
IN: David Wainwright (Yorkshire)
OUT: Greg Smith (Essex), Steffan Jones (retired), Luke Sutton (retired)
OVERSEAS: Martin Guptill (April-June 12), Usman Khawaja (June 14-September), Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 5th
CB40 – 3rd in Group A
T20 – 7th in North Group
This Season:
The departure of director of cricket John Morris and captain Luke Sutton during the 2011 season left the club in the lurch but they have stabilised under the combined stewardship of Karl Krikken and Wayne Madsen. Their squad has been boosted with the signing of David Wainwright and two good overseas batsmen throughout the season. That should ensure a similar performance to last season in all forms of the game.
Predictions:
County Championship - 6th
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Group Stage
Most likely to:
Go off the pitch because the sun is too bright
Essex
IN: Greg Smith (Derbyshire), Ben Foakes, Charl Willoughby (Somerset)
OUT: Chris Wright (Warwickshire), Max Osborne (released)
OVERSEAS: Alviro Petersen (April-June 10), Peter Siddle (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 7th
CB40 – 3rd in Group C
T20 – 6th in South Group
This Season:
A team boasting Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara, Graham Napier, James Foster, Ryan Ten Doeschate and last year’s top wicket taker in the division, David Masters (with 93 victims), alongside many other good players, should have done much better than 7th in the Championship. The signing of Charl Willoughby alongside Masters will lead to one of the tightest new-ball partnerships in the game and with Greg Smith and Alviro Petersen coming in there is a very talented squad at Chelmsford who should fancy pushing for promotion. The demolition of Cambridge university will give them early season confidence. Keep an eye out for Reece Topley as well, the left-hander who took 34 wickets as a 17-year-old last season.
The recriminations of the Mervyn Westfield spot-fixing trial are still being felt and the club had to deny suggestions that they were aware of former overseas player Danish Kaneria trying to encourage the practice. A bid to share the Olympic stadium as well might make things worse. Still, they have a formidable limited overs squad and they should target success in at least one of the two trophies.
Predictions:
County Championship - 2nd
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Quarter-final
Most likely to:
Make money on the bowling of one over
Glamorgan
IN: Simon Jones (Hampshire) Michael Hogan
OUT: Mike Powell (Kent), Alviro Petersen, Adam Shantry (retired), David Brown
(retired), David Harrison (retired)
OVERSEAS: Marcus North, Moises Henriques
Last Season:
County Championship – 6th
CB40 – 5th in Group C
T20 – 7th in South Group
This Season:
A really poor 2011 does not look like getting any better this year with players leaving, in particular Alviro Petersen who did well for the Welsh county. Few batsmen scored big runs last season and only two bowlers managed to make 40 wickets. The form of James Harris could be key as he is the spark in the Glamorgan side who could ignite and win matches single-handedly with his all round talent.
Unfortunately though, their poor performances in the CB40 and T20 are unlikely to improve this season either, even with the spin twins of Robert Croft and Dean Cosker still plying their trade.
Predictions:
County Championship - 7th
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Group Stage
Most likely to:
Have the oldest pair of spinners bowling in tandem
Gloucestershire
IN: Dan Housego (Middlesex)
OUT: Jon Lewis (Surrey), Vikram Banerjee (released), Chris Taylor (released)
OVERSEAS: Muttiah Muralitharan (T20), Kane Williamson
Last Season:
County Championship – 4th
CB40 – 6th in Group C
T20 – 8th in South Group
This Season:
Having said goodbye to stalwart opening bowler John Lewis and top scorer from last season Chris Taylor, it is difficult to see them matching or improving on last season’s 4th place finish. The signing of Kane Williamson is a good one after his match saving hundred against South Africa and having Muttiah Muralitharan for the T20 tournament will prove to be exciting.
Gloucestershire’s star play last season was Will Gidman who took 50 wickets and 1,000 runs in first-class cricket, the first person to do so since West Indian Phil Simmons in 1996 for Leicestershire. All this was in the 26-year-old’s first full season having joined from Durham where he had played just one four-day match. It will be interesting to see if Gidman, who’s achievements went somewhat under the radar, suffers from what is commonly referred to as "second season syndrome."
Predictions:
County Championship - 8th
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Group Stage
Most likely to:
Live in the past over former glories in the one-day format
Hampshire
IN: None
OUT: Dominic Cork (retired), Nic Pothas (released), Johan Myburgh (released), Friedel de Wet (released), Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire), Simon Jones (Glamorgan), Jamie Miller (released)
OVERSEAS: Simon Katich, Shahid Afridi (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 9th (Division 1)
CB40 – 4th in Group B
T20 – Semi-final
This Season:
Having been title contenders under the stewardship of Shane Warne, Hampshire suffered last year, winning only three matches and none at the Rose Bowl. Their batsmen failed to deliver, with only Michael Carberry and Neil McKenzie averaging above 40. Carberry’s presence will be a big boost for the Southerners. Seen as the back-up to England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, he was diagnosed with a blood clot on his lungs which threatened his long-term health.
Fortunately, he was able to recover and in the nine matches he played last year he averaged over 56 with two centuries and even an unbeaten 300 against Yorkshire. However, it is time for players such as captain Jimmy Adams and youngster James Vince (likened to former England captain Michael Vaughan) to deliver in a side which will be missing the experienced Dominic Cork and Nic Pothas. Simon Katich will be a good replacement for the departed Michael Lumb.
A bowling attack in T20 which features Shahid Afridi (who returns this year), Imran Tahir, Danny Briggs, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Cork nearly went all the way this year. That attack doesn’t look quite as strong this year but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t challenge once again for a trophy.
Predictions:
County Championship - 4th
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Semi-final
Most likely to:
Try and buy international cricket at the Rose Bowl
Kent
IN: Charlie Shreck (Nottinghamshire), Michael Powell (Glamorgan), Ben Harmison (Durham), Scott Newman (Middlesex, loan), Mark Davies (Durham), Ivan Thomas, Fabian Cowdrey, Benedict Kemp
OUT: Joe Denly (Middlesex), Martin van Jaarsveld (retired), James Goodman (released), Robbie Joseph (released)
OVERSEAS: Brendan Nash
Last Season:
County Championship – 8th
CB40 – 4th in Group A
T20 – Quarter-finals
This Season:
It’s all change at Kent with West Indian Jimmy Adams taking over the realms. He has made wholesale changes with established county players such as Charlie Shreck, Scott Newman and Michael Powell all joining. However, it is the signing of Mark Davies from Durham which is the most interesting. The 31-year-old has played just 83 first-class matches due to injuries but he averages a fantastic 22.63 with the ball, highlighting a talent which has largely been wasted due to failures with his body. His signing could be the inspiration needed to improve a poor performance in the Championship last time around.
The departures of Joe Denly and Martin van Jaarsveld will be keenly felt, particularly in the one-day formats, so the form of Rob Key, Azhar Mahmood and last year’s sensation Darren Stevens could be key. There will be further chances for the likes of Sam Northeast, Adam Ball and Adam Riley to impress, but with James Tredwell and Geraint Jones still there, there is no reason why they cannot have an impressive season in all three competitions.
Predictions:
County Championship - 3rd
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Group Stage
Most likely to:
Rely on the old guard to steer them to victories
Leicestershire
IN: Rob Taylor (youth), Robbie Joseph (Kent)
OUT: Paul Nixon (retired), Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), Tom New (released)
OVERSEAS: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Abdul Razzaq (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 9th in Division 2
CB40 – 6th in Group B
T20 – Winners
This Season:
Poor in the CB40, shambolic in the Championship where they won just one match all year, Leicestershire somehow triumphed against the odds to win the T20 for the third time. It was a stunning win and proved to be the perfect send off for the now-retired Paul Nixon. Unfortunately for the struggling county though, they have lost Harry Gurney and James Taylor to Nottinghamshire, meaning any improvements in the Championship are unlikely to take place.
Having Matthew Hoggard still at the club is one bonus and the explosive talents of Will Jefferson, Jacques Du Toit and Abdul Razzaq mean they will still be a threat in the limited overs formats. The signing of Ramnaresh Sarwan could be the catalyst to improvement if he finds some of the form which made him one of the best Test batsmen in the world.
Predictions:
County Championship - 9th
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Quarter-final
Most likely to:
Make more runs in the CB40 than the Championship
Northamptonshire:
IN: Kyle Coetzer (Durham), Con de Lange
OUT: Mal Loye (released), David Lucas (Worcestershire), Tom Brett (released), Gavin Baker (released)
OVERSEAS: Chaminda Vaas, Cameron White (T20)
Last Season:
County Championship – 3rd
CB40 – 3rd in Group B
T20 – 9th in North Group
This Season:
A brilliant start to last season saw them win their first five CB40 matches and five of their opening eight Championship matches. What followed was that they missed out on promotion by one point. A lack of funds has hampered the squad, meaning that there have been few changes this time around. Led by Andrew Hall once again, it will be asking a lot to go one better this time around.
The signings of Chaminda Vaas and Cameron White mean that they should be a threat in the one-day competitions where they have threatened in recent years but never quite managed to get over the line.
Predictions:
County Championship - 5th
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Quarter-final
Most likely to:
Field a side predominantly made up of South Africans
Yorkshire
IN: Phil Jaques, Alex Lees, James Wainman, Callum Geldart, Alex Lilley, Dan Hodgson
OUT: David Wainwright (Derbyshire), Lee Hodgson (released), Ben Sanderson (released)
OVERSEAS: TBC
Last Season:
County Championship – 8th (Division 1)
CB40 – 6th in Group A
T20 – 6th in North Group
This Season:
Can things really get any worse for Yorkshire? Relegated, poor in all competitions and to rub it all in, Lancashire went and won the Championship on the final day of the season.
Chairman Colin Graves’ rant epitomised the feeling within the club, but there have been changes with former Australian fast-bowler Jason Gillespie the new Director of Cricket and proud Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott elected President of the county. Boycott has already said that in the club’s 150th anniversary in 2013 they should be challenging for the title.
If there are lofty expectations then it is to be expected with such a strong squad still around. Players such as Andrew Gale, Adil Rashid, Ryan Sidebottom and Ajmal Shazad are all Division 1 players and there is plenty of other quality around, meaning that promotion is likely to follow. Shazad is one with a point to prove after being sent to the wilderness of international cricket following a poor season which saw him take 25 Championship wickets at 41 runs apiece and be fined for scuffing up the Edgbaston pitch when playing Warwickshire.
An improvement in the CB40 and T20 should be expected after winning a pre-season T20 tournament in Barbados, but it is in the Championship where they will be concentrating the most.
Predictions:
County Championship - 1st
CB40 - Group Stage
T20 - Group Stage
Most likely to:
Have their President open the batting
5 golden oldies
1. Mark Rampakash (42) (Surrey)
2. Andre Adams (36) (Nottinghamshire)
3. Glen Chapple (38) (Lancashire)
4. Robert Croft (41) (Glamorgan)
5. Vikram Solanki (36) (Worcestershire)
5 overseas stars
1. Chris Gayle (Somerset)
2. Muttiah Muralitharan (Gloucestershire)
3. Saeed Ajmal (Worcestershire)
4. Vernon Philander (Somerset)
5. Herschelle Gibbs (Durham)
5 youngsters to watch
1. James Taylor (Nottinghamshire)
2. Ben Stokes (Durham)
3. Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
4. Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire)
5. Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)
Predictions:
As always with sporting leagues, it is prediction time. Up against each other this time are myself, Richard Ayling, Simon Berry, Frankie Conway, Fraser Kesteven, Luke Robinson and Sam Travell. Let the leather see the willow:
Division 1
Top run scorer:
JL: James Hildreth
RA: Marcus Trescothick
SB: Marcus Trescothick
FC: Marcus Trescothick
FK: Michael Di Venuto
LR: Marcus Trescothick
ST: Karl Turner
Top wicket taker:
JL: Steven Finn
RA: Monty Panesar
SB: Andre Adams
FC: Graham Onions
FK: Steve Harmison
LR: Monty Panesar
ST: Stuart Meaker
Champions:
JL: Durham
RA: Durham
SB: Somerset
FC: Lancashire
FK: Durham
LR: Durham
ST: Durham
Relegated teams:
JL: Middlesex, Worcestershire
RA: Middlesex, Worcestershire
SB: Sussex, Worcestershire
FC: Middlesex, Worcestershire
FK: Worcestershire, Sussex
LR: Middlesex, Worcestershire
ST: Lancashire, Warwickshire
Division 2
Top run scorer:
JL: Owais Shah
RA: Michael Carberry
SB: Michael Carberry
FC: Michael Carberry
FK: Anthony McGrath
LR: Simon Katich
ST: Phil Jaques
Top wicket taker:
JL: Ryan Sidebottom
RA: Ajmal Shazad
SB: Ryan Sidebottom
FC: David Masters
FK: Ajmal Shazad
LR: Charlie Shreck
ST: Tim Bresnan
Champions:
JL: Yorkshire
RA: Yorkshire
SB: Yorkshire
FC: Hampshire
FK: Hampshire
LR: Yorkshire
ST: Northamptonshire
Bottom-place team:
JL: Leicestershire
RA: Gloucestershire
SB: Leicestershire
FC: Leicestershire
FK: Gloucestershire
LR: Leicestershire
ST: Leicestershire
T20 winners:
JL: Somerset
RA: Somerset
SB: Durham
FC: Somerset
FK: Somerset
LR: Somerset
ST: Nottinghamshire
CB40 winners:
JL: Somerset
RA: Surrey
SB: Nottinghamshire
FC: Somerset
FK: Surrey
LR: Nottinghamshire
ST: Durham
Series results
West Indies (Test, ODI, T20):
JL: Win, Win, Lose
RA: Win, Win, Win
SB: Win, Win, Lose
FC: Win, Win, Win
FK: Win, Win, Win
LR: Win, Win, Win
ST: Win, Lose, Win
South Africa (Test, ODI, T20):
JL: Lose, Win, Lose
RA: Win, Lose, Win
SB: Win, Lose, Win
FC: Win, Win, Lose
FK: Draw, Lose, Lose
LR: Win, Lose, Win
ST: Win, Win, Win
Australia (ODI)
JL: Lose
RA: Win
SB: Win
FC: Win
FK: Lose
LR: Lose
ST: Lose
First player who didn't tour Sri Lanka to make the Test side this summer
JL: James Taylor
RA: James Taylor
SB: Jonny Bairstow
FC: Chris Tremlett
FK: Joe Root
LR: James Taylor
ST: Luke Robinson
Bonus (no points attached) Your one to watch?
JL: Chris Gayle – see below
RA: Reece Topley
SB: Alex Hales – Could this be the year he burst into the Test arena?
FC: Kyle Hogg – Took 50 wickets at an average of 18.8 + handy with the bat
FK: - Chris Gayle
LR: Herschelle Gibbs – "Smashes it."
ST: Muttiah Muralitharan
"Watch him, silky with the bat, eye for the ball, could catch!!"
King of Spain
Want to read my brief interviews with Warwickshire director of cricket Ashley Giles and captain Jim Troughton? Of course you do!
http://www.redbrickpaper.co.uk/2012/04/warwickshire-duo-seek-home-comforts-in-pursuit-of-championship-glory/
And finally... beware the Gayle-force
Between January 2011 – January 8 2012, Chris Gayle averaged 55.35 in T20 cricket with a strike rate of 172.99. In 33 innings, he hit 1550 runs with four hundreds and 11 fifties. He hit 121 sixes which is not far off four a match. Full details of his incredible statistics can be found here. It is well worth a read
http://www.espncricinfo.com/big-bash-league-2011/content/story/548566.html
Since then, he has played in the Bangladeshi Premier League where in five matches he hit 288 runs at an average of 96 including two more hundreds. The first came off 44 balls and the second, off a lengthy 61 deliveries, included 11 sixes.
This is the same man who has hit two triple-hundreds in his career – against Sri Lanka and South Africa – despite a Test match average of under 42. Just to put that in perspective, Sachin Tendulkar’s highest score in all forms of first-class cricket is 248*, Steve Waugh’s is 216* and Jacques Kallis’ is 224.
Gayle will be in England this summer playing for Somerset unless he makes a truce with the West Indian cricket boards and rejoins the side. Whatever form he may be in, catch him while you can.
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