Batsmen under starter’s orders
ESSEX
The champions are largely unchanged from last summer and despite losing head coach Chris Silverwood to England, they will be among the favourites to take the title again under new coach Anthony McGrath, right.
LANCASHIRE
Last year’s runners up are well placed to challenge again under the leadership of new captain Liam Livingstone, right, after shrewd signings in ex-England seamer Graham Onions and batsman Keaton Jennings from Durham.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Also came up from Division Two but are dark horses for title with New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor, right, as an overseas player for first eight games and attack including Jake Ball, Mark Footitt and Harry Gurney.
SURREY
Losing Sri Lankan batting great Kumar Sangakkara to retirement is a big blow but the capture of former South Africa seamer Morne Morkel, right, could help them push for first title since 2002.
YORKSHIRE
Batting boosted by Cheteshwar Pujara, of India, and Kiwi Kane Williamson, right, but bowling appears light with Adil Rashid giving up red-ball cricket and David Willey and Liam Plunkett missing time for the IPL.
WORCESTERSHIRE
Newly promoted and many people’s favourites to go back down. But in Joe Clarke, right, they have a batsman who is set to be a star and they are likely to see more of Moeen Ali, following his IPL spell, since he lost his England Test place.
HAMPSHIRE
Another side who might struggle. Signing Sam Northeast, right, from Kent was a coup, as was getting Hashim Amla as an overseas player. Yet bowling attack looks over-reliant on former South Africa seamer Kyle Abbott.
SOMERSET DESPITE the doom and gloom surrounding red-ball cricket, the start of this year’s County Championship today carries far more significance than any other in recent memory. That is because England’s dismal winter, which saw them lose five of their seven Tests in Australia and New Zealand, has created plenty of opportunities for players to stake a claim for selection in the early part of the season. Joe Root’s men begin their Test summer against Pakistan at Lord’s on May 24 and their woeful winter means no batsman other than the
Likely to be tough summer for Cider Men. They have lost disgraced Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft and game-time of spinner Jack Leach, right, will be limited if England stick with him after Test debut in New Zealand.
captain is guaranteed their place. England coach Trevor Bayliss, speaking after the 1-0 series defeat in New Zealand earlier this month, urged county players to force their way into the reckoning.
“We need guys, and this is a call-out to those in county cricket,” said Bayliss.
“The first five or six matches of the county season are very important.”
Dawid Malan, one of a number of England batsmen whose place is under pressure, also believes the early weeks of the season will prove crucial.
The Middlesex captain, whose side open their Division Two campaign against Northamptonshire at Lord’s today, said: “I don’t think anyone bar Rooty is guaranteed any places at the moment, so for the rest of us the games we have in county cricket are of vital importance names forward first Test.” However, Eoin Morgan, England’s one-day captain and Malan’s Middlesex team-mate, who is set to play his first championship game in three years today, this week questioned the continuing relevance of the four-day game. “I am not sure the championship matters to everyone any more,” said Morgan, left. “I am a bit unique in wanting to return to play in it. I would say I am the last generation of people who care about it.” Morgan’s claims could be backed up by the decisions of England one-day players Adil Rashid and Alex Hales to opt out of playing red-ball cricket this summer to concentrate on the shorter formats. Yet to write off championship now is ignore the importance holds to players such to put our for that the to it as Worcestershire’s Joe Clarke, Essex’s Dan Lawrence and Lancashire’s Haseeb Hameed.
All three know good starts to the season could see them force their way into England’s Test team for the two-match series against Pakistan.
Malan, James Vince and Mark Stoneman are also aware they need big runs to hold on to their places.
Then there is the actual competition itself. Last summer the championship provided a fairy-tale storyline to rival Leicester City’s shock Premier League win in 2016 when Essex, in their first season after promotion, claimed the title for the first time in 25 years.
They are likely to be frontrunners again despite losing coach Chris Silverwood to England.
Anthony McGrath, his successor, said: “This time last year a lot of pundits were saying we’d go down; this time they’re saying we’re favourites to win it. If we play our best cricket, we’re a match for anyone.”