Hampshire to bounce back Many will be putting their money this year on Hampshire, and here's why. Despite their poor form last year Hampshire have a cracking side, and will be smarting from the shame of relegation in September, after all, many were tipping Hampshire as title contenders before the season started! They loose some experienced heads with Dominic Cork retiring and Michael Lumb moving to Notts, but the signing of Simon Katich will more than make up for the loss of Lumb from the batting line up. Hampshire may struggle for bowling experience, and the Hampshire pirate, Dimi Mascarenhas is liekely to suffer similar injury problems to last year. The young left arm tweaker Danny Briggs is one to watch out for, his first class average of 31 is nothing to write home about yet, but he has impressed in lions colours and could kick on this year.
White Roses to bloom If Hampshire were smarting from relegation last year, Yorkshire members were apoplectic with rage, and those guys don't hold back, just listen to Boycott in full flow!! And to add insult to injury, their arch rivals took the crown to boot. The pressure will be on the Yorkies to bounce back and bounce back quick. Their dire form last term belies the fact that there are some exciting youngsters coming through the ranks at Headingley. Johnny Bairstow was the cricket writers young player of the year last year, will play regularly for England, and the list of talented younsters doesn't stop there. Joe Root, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shazad have all attracted attention from the national selecters, although I'm yet to be convinced they will cut it as internationals. Add to this the experience of true Yorkshiremen like Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Gale and Rich Pyrah and there is certainly enough firepower to ensure a quick bounce back to the top Division. However, this is not an easy league to get out of, only Leicestershire can be looked upon as true whipping boys, so with many teams competing for only 2 slots there is a big challenge ahead.
Northants to go one better Northant went out on the bubble last year, being narrowly pipped to third on the last day of the season by Surrey, despite having been in the top 2 places all year. Their strength lies in the hands of Chaminda Vaas, who is surely still the best seam bowler in Sri Lanka, even if his speed is now little more than medium pace. They still have good experience in Mal Loye (and lets face it, this guy's a legend how many people can say they've slog swept Brett Lee for 6?)
Perhaps the most interesting propect at Notts is David Willey who looks solid with both ball and bat and could hold the key to a promotion challenge this year.
The outside tip My outsiders tip this year is Gloucestershire. They have a determined captain in Alex Gidman and have a squad of team player. If they can keep the financial difficulties seperate from the playing side then they may well be the dark horse of Div 2
Its March, we're barely out of winter, the clocks don't go forward for a few weeks, yet there is already cricket being played. Am I going crazy?!
Apparently not... Somerset got the ball rolling on Monday with a 2 day warm up game against Glamorgan and Surrey and Essex started a 3 day warm up today. As you might expect both games started with ball dominating the bat on two very green wickets, but you might argue that this preparation beats touring the the Emirates of the Caribbean when it comes to preparing for conditions at the start of the county season. It will be interesting to see how the preparation of these team compares to those who have opted for sunnier climbs when the season starts in April.
On Day 2 of the Taunton game, in rather ominous fashion, Marcus Trescothick was in majestic form and chalked up his first ton of the season before retiring 104 not out, Nick Compton followed suit shortly after reaching his century off just 151 balls.
On the first day at Chelmsford, Essex opening bowler David Masters picked up where he left off last season taking three early wickets, with only Rory Burns, the young Surrey Keeper, and Stuart Meaker, fresh from his Lions exploits, the only two troubling the scorers. It will be interesting to see if Burns can leapfrog Gary Wilson in the pecking order to fill the gloveman slot behind Steve Davies this year. Stuart Meaker is a very interesting prospect for 2012, the Cranleigh school educated quick is largely regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in England, tipping the speedo at mid-90s. He is in the Darren Gough mould of quicks, short and skiddy. If he can improve his batting and transition to a role of bowling all-rounder and stay fit (2011 was plagued with hamstring injuries) he could be a stalwart of the Surrey attack.
The joy of beating your mates means fantasy cricket is always worthwhile.
I've finally got off my backside and signed up for the telegraph fantasy cricket for the 2012 season at fantasycricket.telegraph.co.uk
But here's an extra twist.
Alongside my First XI I've decided to set myself a further challenge and pick a development team, with the following rules. The development team must consist of 10 players under the age of 24 as of the 5th April 2012, and one captain of any age.
Right, heres a rundown of Championship challengers for 2012 - Division 1
Too close to call for the last 3 years, 2012 seems likely to follow the same route.
Last years champions to hold onto their title? Lancashire's biggest plus is their coach Peter Moores, who guided an aging team with no star names, and who many tipped for relegation, to win the title. There can now be no doubt that he is an excellent cricket coach, despite his struggles with the England team. But, can I see Lancashire winning in 2012? No. I think 2011 represented a unique environment which helped Lancashire to the title. All their home games were played at out-grounds where their experienced pros really helped win games in the conditions provided by these result friendly environments. They will not have this benefit this year. Their experienced, but an aging team is now a year older, and their 38 year old captain and strike bowler Glen Chapple will struggle to maintain his outstanding form from last year as injuries catch up with him. They should be boosted by the availability of Ashwell Prince, the South African middle order batsman who has failed to hold onto his test birth. Prince still holds onto his central contract from cricket SA, but is unlikely to play unless injuries the South African middle order prompt a call up. My verdict: a solid mid-table finish for the Red Roses.
Will Warwickshire build on near-miss Warwickshire will need to hit the ground running to challenge again. They were helped in 2011 by Varun Chopra's excellent early season form with the bat, and he has had a great winter playing domestic cricket in Sri Lanka. However, I did feel that Warwickshire rode their luck at times last year with the lower order providing several great escapes, this is not the form of champions and you cannot rely on this in perpetuity. There can be no doubt of Chris Woaks talent, and I fully expect him to kick on this year, so keep an eye out for him in and around the England ODI team. So what are their chances? I am yet to be convinced that there is enough batting at the top of the order in this team to see a challenge this season, but I do think the disappointment of last year and the never-say-die attitude shown last year will spur them on. Verdict: will come up just short once more.
Notts strengthen their credentials
2010 champions Notts will be major contenders this seson. They have secures services of Australian batter Adam Voges for a 5th Season and have also landed the signatures of England youngster James Taylor from Leicestershire, and the experienced head of Michael Lumb from Hampshire in the close season. Taylor represents one of the most exciting batting prospects in England today, he is a former winner of the cricket writers' young cricketer of the year, and will play for England in the future. Despite an unorthadox style (he has a tendency to play to leg) Taylor is a classy operator and has real character. I recall a dogged innings in a lost cause against Surrey at the Oval in 2011. Facing a fired up Chris Tremlett, who was straining for an England recall, and with the Leics team collapsing around him, he was last man out for 52.
James Taylor in full flow for Leicestershire
Notts have a settled captain in the form of Chris Read, if the bowling unit can fire this season, and Trent Bridge often provides assistance to the bowlers, Notts will challenge. Verdict: my hot favorites.
Can Somerset Break the Voodoo?
Annual near-missers Somerset may also challenge this year, but will struggle again to take 20 wickets at their home ground of Taunton, especially after loosing Murali Kartik to Surrey. The Championship points system rewards results and not draws, and Somerset will struggle on the batsman friendly conditions at home without a world class spinner. Rumors of signing of Ricky Ponting might mean a top order of Trescothick and the former Australian captain, so we may yet be in for some exciting times in the south west. Keep your eye also on Joss Buttler, Craig Kieswetter as young English talent in the batting line-up. My verdict: failure to convert draws to wins will ultimately deny Somerset of the title... probably. Expect them to lose fewer games than any other team though.
Do Durham have the desire?
There can be no doubt bookies favourite Durham have some great names, but I look at the nature of the team and wonder whether the drive is there to reach the top? To win the Championship requires guts, determination and a will to succeed. In my mind there are two types of players that deliver performances of this nature, seasoned county pros who are not on the international radar and for whom the Champo represents the peak of acheivements, and youngsters who are desperate to show the talent, enthusiasm and application required to make it into the international set-up. Unlike the Lancashire pros last year, most Durham players already have a winners medals from 2008 and 2009. Will the desire be there from Graeme Onions, Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood? After all, these guys are all Ashes winners, can they motivate themselves for county games on rainy Mondays at the Riverside? I'm not sure. Phil Mustard's and Liam Plunkett's internal hopes have all but disappeared, and they have champo winners medals already. The only players who fits the bill is the hugely talented young English all-rounder Ben Stokes, who is on the verge of breaking into the England set-up, and he has been been struggling with injury issues over the winter. Nope, my verdict: I predict another season of disappointment at the Riverside.
Outside chancers Surrey were both promoted last year, and both look to have a handy set-ups with plenty of capital behind them. Coached by Chris Adam's and with the youthful Rory Hamilton-Brown as captain, they look to be building a championship winning team, but not quite yet. They are lacking stability at the top of the order, despite the excellent signing of Jacque Rudolph over the winter, especially if they lose him and Steven Davies to international call-ups. Their bowling options of Lewis, Kartik, Tremlett, Dernbach, Meaker, Arafat, and De Bruyn look the strongest in the division on paper, especially if Dernbach and Tremlett remain surplus to England requirements. Verdict: an outside shot that may be worth a punt at 7-1
2011 was a great year for cricket, and a terrible year for cricket, but away from the international circuit a quiet revolution is happening.
2011, the year England, on their way to the top of the test rankings, won the ashes in Australia for the first time in a quarter of a century, to the unbridled joy of a long suffering nation (trust me, I'm English). India finally got their hand on their holy grail, the World Cup, thus fulfilling the dreams of a billion people. And for the first time in 30 years of West Indian/Australian domination, we can truly say that there is a good old fashioned royal rumble going on for the title of best test team in the world, with India, Saffa and England all vying to be top dog.
But, lest we forget, this was also the year that saw fraud, backstabbing, squabbling and skullduggery tarnish the reputation of players, nations and the governing bodies alike. With these supposed guardians of this great game, dragging its name through the mud. Three players jailed for their part in spot fixing an international test match, and, it seems, this may just be the tip of a very murky iceberg. The BCCI fighting amongst itself and its T20 franchisees like spoilt children with too much money and too few morals as they look for their next contract. And the ICC and its selfish full member nations sticking the knife into the associates by banning them from the next World Cup, God forbid they might actually qualify past the group stage ahead of a test nation. This decision was then reversed a little more than 2 weeks later, talk about bad planning. What a farce.
However away from the limelight, neglected for the most part by mainstream media, barely televised, and played out in front of a crowd that would make a nerdy kid's birthday party look like the Rio carnival, a quiet rebirth has been occurring at county grounds up and down the country. This is where it all began, where this gentlemanly sport of cricket grew up. Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Lillywhite, names etched into the memory like the lines in a scorers book. Pure cricket... county cricket... and its back.
They say Twenty20 will kill the long game format, but in an ironical twist, it's the lure of riches on the subcontinent that has helped level the county playing field and increase competition by stripping the wealthy counties of high earning world stars (lets face it, you don't need to play English county cricket if you can earn double the amount in half the time at the IPL). Add to this some excellent incentivisation by the ECB encouraging counties to field homegrown talent rather than filling their ranks with journeyman Kolpakkers, and the maturation of the two division county championship format introduced in 2000 has meant the county scene has not been this healthy for years. It is now a competitive competition, rammed full of young Enlgish talent, and it's great.
The 2011 Championship season went to the wire in both division 1 and 2. The top position contested by three teams going into the final round of matches with Lancashire, who started the season without a home ground, snatching the title from Warwickshire and Durham on the final afternoon, ending 60 years of hurt. Not wishing to be outdone, division 2 was just as close with Middlesex, Surrey and Northants contesting for the two promotion slots with Middlesex coming out on top on the final afternoon and Surrey going up with them. The Pro40 was won by a very exciting Surrey outfit with an average age of 24, and Leicestershire gave stalwart keeper Paul Nixon the best retirement party possible with victory in the T20.
So why blog? Well I want to drum up more interest in the county game, challenge myself and you guys to pick out the next England star or the next Champo winner. Sorry for the big intro but now, let the blogging begin....
