Essex will hold the title? And who is at risk of flooding for the two divisions? We look at the runners and riders ahead of the championship on Friday Specsavers district starts…
Read our preview two divisions here!
Essex
2017: Champions
2018 forecast: Champions
Sky bet ratio: 3/1F
After receiving their first League title in 25 years during his first season back in the top division, the eagles will try to keep the crown with essentially the same composition, albeit with a different coach. All the bases look covered and will need a big effort from Lancashire et al, to stop them.
What’s new?
Not much on the gaming side. All hands Matt Cole moved from Kent to strengthen the seam bowling and lower order batting, while Australia’s Peter Priscilla Otani will look to take advantage of any early-season bite for the first five games of the campaign before New Zealand left-poor Neil Wagner comes back later. Batsman Chain Velani is the only departure.
The main changes came in the coaching Department, with Anthony McGrath stepping up from assistant to the top job following the decision of Chris in addition to become the coach of the England bowling, and former Hampshire all-rounder Dimitri in addition to joining, and the number of McGrath two. Switches should not violate too much of Essex, Ryan ten Doeschate remaining as skipper.
Wicket-seller
Seaming machine Jamie porter (75) and spinner Simon Harmer (72) took 147 wickets between them in 2017 – maximum impact, and they will be the main threat with the ball again. South African Harmer, as a cap, will have no international obligations, while the porter, in spite of all his successes, looking down in the England pecking order at present because of its less-than-Express speed. Not that he agree with this idea!
Century-maker
Alastair cook has stolen three tons in seven games last year and will expect that once again picks up the routes between the obligations of England. International call can be enticing for Dan Lawrence, too, with England still confident in their batting lineup. 20-year-old has scored three centuries and 761 runs in 2017, he’s gunning for 1,000 this time.
LANCASHIRE
2017: second
2018 forecast: second
Sky odds: 7/2
Lancashire were better than the others in 2017, finishing 72 points behind unbeaten, runaway winners Essex. With some astute signings and glimpses of a return to form for Haseeb Hamid, the County, the Red rose seems like a likely competitor in Chelmsford side.
What’s new?
Captain to start, with Liam Livingstone, an unused member of the test party of England in New Zealand, succeeding Steven Croft. Lancashire fought competition to snare Keaton Jennings – the knife experienced a severe 2017, losing his England place and is struggling for work in Durham, but has undoubted class and will add a powerful batting cabal.
Veteran seaming machine Graham onions also moved from Chester-Le-Street at old Trafford and add mind, even if he doesn’t play in every match, while Lancashire must have Australian Joe Mennya available throughout 2018. Mennya replaced Ryan McLaren as a professional, whereas onions are prompted to fill the void left by Kyle Jarvis to repay the debt of Zimbabwe.
Wicket-seller
McLaren and Jarvis comes in a combination of 78 wickets in 2017, but Mennya will surely grab its share, the 29-year-old proven campaigner article 213 wickets in 58 first-class games in to lick over 27. Keep an eye on England lion close Mahmud too – he reportedly was bowling rockets in the offseason.
Century-maker
Hamid could not buy a run for much of 2017, the boy looking a shadow of the player who seemed so at home in test cricket in India a couple of winters ago. He warmed up for the new campaign with preseason century, though, which is good news for Lancashire, if not the current England opener mark Stoneman… Jennings, Alex Davis, Livingston and evergreen Shiv Chanderpaul joining Hamid in Lancashire six, large sums should not be a problem.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
2017: promoted (second unit of two)
2018 prediction: third
Sky odds: 6/1
Last year white-ball kings made an immediate return to division County championship one and enough about them to stay there. Do not rule out a bid for the title, either.
What’s new?
Like Lancashire, Notts new captain, Steven Mullaney taking over from the retired Chris to read. Trent bridge Side of the middle of the order will be missing Alex Hales, after his decision to focus on white ball cricket over the next 18 months, as well as to read and Brendan Taylor, who returned from Zimbabwe, but it is a feature of New Zealand’s Ross Taylor during the first eight games. Chris Nash also came from Sussex to strengthen the batting.
Ex-Durham all-rounder Paul Coughlin have to wait to make his debut after he dislocated his shoulder while in England Lions duty 25-year-old is on the shelf for at least four months. Plus, seaming machine, Brett Hutton, senior Notts’ wicket taker in four-day cricket last term, joined Northans after becoming frustrated at his lack of opportunities and white ball.
Wicket-seller
Knotts General scalps in 2017, with Hutton hobbled 37, of Australia’s James Pattinson 32 in five games and Luke Fletcher 36 to a serious head injury ended his season prematurely. Fletcher is fit again now, but Jake ball could be the experienced leader of the attack, which also left-armers mark Footitt and Harry gurney. Winter ball gone wrong – he played in the first test of the ashes and he could hardly see in the future, but it will be trouble County batsmen at the top of the club to return.
Century-maker
Taylor wants to score a little bit not quite lit up the County game with Sussex a few years ago. Samit Patel, right, was Notts’ MVP in 2017 – which stars white-ball performances helped the robbers in the London one-day Cup and T20 blast titles, while he scored 906 runs against the red ball in an average of 53 with two double tons. Too late for England recall?
Surrey
2017: third
2018 forecast: fourth
Sky odds: 11/2
The output of Kumar Sangakkara will leave a big hole, but Surrey is unlikely to get sucked into a scrap of departure with the signing of Morne Morkel significantly adding to the inventory bowling.
What’s new?
Change of captain, it seems to be a high-flying trend. Surrey also that the movement, ageing Gareth Batty handing over the reins of opener Rory burns. Feed the shape of the team needs to come with Sangakkara to retire in style after accumulating 1,491 works in 2017, an average of 106 in just 10 games. Sri Lanka scored centuries in half of his 16 innings.
Mitch Marsh is not increasing, but still, with Australia all-rounder, likely will miss a large part of the campaign after ankle surgery, leaving the shorn Surrey overseas player at the moment. There are, however, reports, Virat Kohli jet in for a stay in June, while a new hood for the tow – South Africa pace ACE Morkel written for two years.
Wicket-seller
Morkel adds real thrust to the Surrey bowling attack, one that struggled in the bowl of the opposition in the past year, in particular on a flat oval deck, as they won only twice in 14 games. Tom Curran is in the IPL for the first few weeks of the season with Kolkata, the meaning of brother Sam could steal a March with his slippery left hand seam. It is getting better all the time.
The Creator of V.
Sangakkara sensational summer took a bit of brilliance from mark Stoneman is an impressive knife average of over 60 after coming out of Durham leading to his maiden England call-up to the age of 30 years. The left-hander hit four centuries in 2017 and will hope to bag a few earlier this season to convince the selectors that he is worth keeping, since After no more than a steady winter in Australia and New Zealand.
Yorkshire
2017: fourth
2018 forecast: the fifth
Sky odds: 5/1
The batting of Yorkshire, their Achilles heel last season, will be called Kane Williamson and Cheteshwar Pujara, but bowling may be a little light. Mid-table beckons for Them.
What’s new?
Yorkshire will hope that a change of state after winning back to back Championships in 2014 and 2015 and was the third title on the spin a year later, the Tykes to avoid relegation by just two points in 2017, only sealing the bottom with a late victory over rock-bottom of Warwickshire. The lack of tracks was a problem for Yorkshire, Gary Ballance ploughing a lonely furrow.
The Headingley side are hoping to remedy this with the signing of New Zealand captain Williamson and Pujara India – Pujara will be approximately from April to June, with Williamson from July to September. Bowling-wise, Adil Rashid to become white-ball player kick, how to retire Ryan Sidebottom, now a bowling consultant in Surrey.
Wicket-seller
Ben Coad was a Yorkshire star of the capping machine last campaign with 50 wickets at 20.86, the right-armer described as “a revelation” Director of cricket Martyn Moxon after bagging located at the end of the season awards. He will need to impress, with Sidebottom and David tied Willie and Liam Plunkett later IPL call-up in Chennai and Delhi respectively. Spinner Azeem Rafiq will also become increasingly important with Yorkshire sans-Rashid.
The Creator of V.
Ballance was broken, and then dropped out of the England test team on a regular basis. Trevor Bayliss and Co seem to have departed from him and his unique technique now, but it has to be Yorkshire’s gain. Pujara and international pedigree Williamson should be transferred to the County, while coach Andrew Gale will expect a greater return from openers Adam Lyth and Alex Fox who averaged in the mid twenties of the last semester.
WORCESTERSHIRE
2017: upgraded (division two Champions)
2018 prediction: sixth
Sky odds: 14/1
Worcestershire will be a lot of bankers, people of departure, but a close-knit squad, captain and Joe Leach may surprise. Their last period in a cycle may last longer than one season.
What’s new?
Coach. Kevin Sharpe has been Steve Rhodes, with the latest departure following an internal investigation. Game-wise, pears are sold out Australia batsman Travis head as their overseas Pro – 24-year-old will be available for most of the season, but could miss spell in June when the head of Australia to England in five ODIs and a T20.
A veteran of the seaming Steve Magoffin, 38, came back from Sussex and was the circuit breaker in the courtroom with former spinners we walked down to Matt becoming the main-main, but once again emphasis will be placed on the County of Worcestershire, young guns, top rated batsman Joe Clarke, a player described as potentially the next Joe root is sharp and pacey, the seaming Josh to try their hand in the top division.
Wicket-seller
Leach. Language and ed Barnard claimed 47 apiece last season as Worcestershire bent Nottinghamshire in division two crown, but captain Leach led from the front with 69 scalps in 19.39, including 10 against specialist. Having caught 65 season and 59 last year in division one, he had to face several problems, making a step forward.
The Creator of V.
Clark. There were rumors that he would make the move to Nottinghamshire in the close season and the 21-year-old out of contract at the end of this campaign, the vultures will be circling. If Clark is the next root, it won’t be long before he puts on the England whites. Daryl Mitchell is in his mid-thirties, but still churns out the routes – only Sangakkara and Sussex Luke wells has scored more than his 1,266 last season in both divisions.
HAMPSHIRE
2017: the fifth
2018 prediction: seventh (departs)
Sky odds: 7/1
Tipped by sky sports David Fulton to win the title. The average order of Hashim Amla, James Vince and Sam northeast have to put work, but they have full potency in the bowling ranks?
What’s new?
North-East is an attractive signing. It seemed that every division one County wanted to prise him from Kent, but Hampshire excelled, tying him for four years. This 28-year-old moved in order to increase your chances of England and another 1,000-run season should do it. Amla will be playing in the first three months, before heading to Sri Lanka with South Africa.
Another veteran Protea, Dale Steyn will be the case for Amla in one Cup match in June, and can return to the County “last week” of the season fitness permitting- that was not his strong point lately. From the point of view of cost, Michael CARBERRY was registered in Leicestershire and will Smith returned to Durham.
Wicket-seller
Kyle Abbott. Former South Africa seaming machine took 60 wickets during the last campaign, and its load can be increased with Fidel Edwards and Gareth Berg now 36 and 37 respectively and Reece Topley white ball bowler. Liam Dawson chipped in with a tidy 31 wickets in 2017 and will be the main spinner, at least until the Mason tap for his back injury.
The Creator of V.
Amla is one of these for most of his career, but the North-East can be Hampshire’s top run-Getter. His average and reputation is steadily growing, with right-handed striking 1,017 operates in more than 50 Kent in the second tier last season, including three hundreds. New teammate County northeast Vince could be a real contender for his England berth…
Somerset
2017: sixth
2018 prediction: eighth (departs)
Sky odds: 14/1
Somerset survived a late evening in 2017, courtesy of a thumping win over middlesex and the last involved the hand-gate, but their time in the top flight may be coming to an end.
What’s new?
Coaching reshuffle. Left Matthew Maynard as Director of cricket, Andy hurry appointed to this role and Jason Kerr was appointed coach. Somerset still looking for a foreign player, also after the cancellation of the agreement with Australian Cameron Bancroft after his participation in the ball-forgery scandal. There were no other big-name additions.
Wicket-seller
Jack Leachwho caught more than 50 scalps in each of the past two seasons. A couple of caveats here, though, is that Somerset deck may not be as spin-friendly in 2018, and after a bit of England test debut against New Zealand last month, the slow left-the poor can get a job again against Pakistan and India. It would be a blow, though the guy spinners house, Bess is a player of considerable talent.
The Creator of V.
The track was a problem for Somerset in 2017. No one came close to the 1000 with Steve Davis (775) and James Hildreth (756) better a quiet bunch. Davis is a much better player than that and hope to prove it in his second season at Taunton. Marcus Trescothick is still there, but runs dried up, 42-year-old has passed fifty only three times in 27 innings last time.
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