The newly rebranded Brown Caps will be the favourites to go up but they could be pushed hard by Essex, whose batting is the best in the division but who lack bowling depth, Northamptonshire and Worcestershire.
The Oval may be the only Test venue in this division, but there are plenty of England stars and would-be stars hoping to catch the eye. Marcus Trescothick is determined to show that his winter worries are behind him and, watched by his wife and baby daughter on Saturday, he top-scored for Somerset in a pre-season friendly at Taunton with 74 off a relatively pedestrian 117 balls.
Alastair Cook, the Essex batsman, and Monty Panesar, the Northamptonshire spinner, will be seeking to make an early impact — especially after failing to impress for MCC this weekend — and not allow the England selectors to forget their success in India; Ian Blackwell, by contrast, will be hoping that his form for Somerset is impressive enough to make David Graveney et al overlook his shockers on the subcontinent; Mark Butcher, the Surrey captain, and Rikki Clarke, his deputy, have their own points to prove.
Derbyshire, who are going through restructuring, are likely to struggle yet again but they will at least be able to provide some unforgettable memories for a few people on the first day of the season on Wednesday. Because of a waterlogged pitch at Derby, the fixture with Surrey has been switched to the Oval, where a wedding is taking place. Having expected to have the place to herself, the bride will find that she is not the only one wearing white.
From Cardiff to Colchester, Grace Road to New Road, there will be plenty of intriguing battles in the second division this season. Our First XI guide to the things you need to know about each county will hopefully make the start of the season a bit more comprehensible.
TOMORROW: The likely lads in the first division
What the bookmakers think (best prices available to win the division yesterday)
Essex: 7-2
Surrey: 7-2
Worcestershire: 7-1
Northamptonshire: 7-1
Somerset: 14-1
Gloucestershire: 16-1
Glamorgan: 18-1
Leicestershire: 20-1
Derbyshire: 40-1
PATRICK KIDD
DERBYSHIRE
1. Who is the captain? Graeme Welch, who took 60 wickets and scored 808 runs last year, has replaced Luke Sutton
2. Who are the overseas players? Michael Di Venuto has been with the county since 2000 and will be joined by Travis Birt, his fellow Tasmanian batsman, this season. Mohammed Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman, will play until mid-May
3. Who has arrived? Birt, Steffan Jones (Northants), Jake Needham (youth), James Pipe (Worcs), Greg Smith (South Africa), Chris Taylor (Yorks), Graham Wagg (Warwicks), Wayne White (youth)
4. Who has left? Chris Bassano, James Bryant, James Chapman, Travis Friend, Lee Goddard, Paul Havell, Jon Moss, Ben Spendlove, Luke Sutton (Lancs), Nick Walker
5. What’s their nickname? The Phantoms, presumably because they have a ghost of a chance of winning something this year
6. How did they do last season? Finished bottom with only one win; fifth in the second division of the totesport league; beaten by Kent in the second round of the C&G Trophy and reached quarter-final in the Twenty20 Cup
7. What are their prospects? Still going to struggle in all competitions; promotion in the Pro40 league is their best hope
8. What are their strengths? Had a massive restructuring last year, which cost £215,000 but could pay dividends in the future
9. What are their weaknesses? Overdependent on Di Venuto to score runs; Steve Stubbings and Ant Botha need to get some big scores. No home wins since 2002
10. Remember the heroes Dominic Cork’s unbeaten 92 set up a total of 252 for six as Derbyshire beat Lancashire by six runs in the final of the B&H Cup in 1993, the last time they won silverware
11. One to watch Wagg, below, is very hungry to succeed after returning from his ban at Warwickshire for cocaine use
PATRICK KIDD
ESSEX
1. Who is the captain? Ronnie Irani. The charismatic Lancastrian is enjoying himself as a batsman-captain after all those painful years as an all-rounder
2. Who are the overseas players? Andy Bichel, the Queensland all-rounder, joins on June 18; Andre Adams, the big-hitting former New Zealand all-rounder, can swing the ball more than most
3. Who has arrived? Bichel
4. Who has left? Paul Grayson (retired, now second team captain/coach), Andy Clarke, Justin Bishop, Andre Nel, Dale Steyn, Danish Kaneria
5. What’s their nickname? The Eagles, possibly not after the 1970s supergroup
6. How did they do last season? Dominated the totesport League, in which they lost only one game all season. In the Championship they struggled to bowl opponents out but runs were in plentiful supply
7. What are their prospects? To gain promotion in the Championship, Essex will need their two overseas all-rounders to take wickets and their younger bowlers to come through. Another one-day league title looks a possibility
8. What are their strengths? The batting is exceptionally strong. Exciting blend of experience and youth in the side
9. What are their weaknesses? With no Danish Kaneria, the spin department is a potential weak link. James Middlebrook and Tim Phillips have the chance to step up
10. Remember the heroes In 1979, Essex, having gone more than a century without winning anything, won the championship by a staggering margin of 77 points and also the Benson & Hedges Cup. It was the start of a golden period
11. One to watch Ravi Bopara, the young batsman, is hungry to follow Alastair Cook into the England team. A marked improvement in his bowling will help
GEOFFREY DEAN
GLAMORGAN
1. Who is the captain? Robert Croft, Welsh lion, Glamorgan stalwart and former England off spinner. Had a troubled 2005 as his form sank with his team
2. Who are the overseas players? It was supposed to be their two Australians, Matthew Elliott and Michael Kasprowicz, but the latter could not commit for the whole season and Elliott’s injured knee keeps him out for the season. In their place Mark Cosgrove, a 21-year-old left-handed batsman from South Australia, and James Franklin, the New Zealand left-arm swing bowler, come in
3. Who has arrived? Nicky Peng (Durham)
4. Who has left? Ian Thomas, Jonathan Hughes, Adrian Shaw
5. What’s their nickname? The Dragons. Well, they are the only Welsh team
6. How did they do last season? After promotion in the Championship in 2004, it is difficult to imagine how it could have gone more wrong as Glamorgan had 14 defeats in 16 first-class matches
7. What are their prospects? Should find life easier in the second division, but the contribution of the overseas players will be vital
8. What are their strengths? Passion. They are one of the few counties to be staffed by local lads. New floodlights and a proposed development hint at a better future
9. What are their weaknesses? Quality. The batting was a shambles last season, the seamers little better, leaving Croft with a lot to do
10. Remember the heroes Matthew Maynard’s 136 and Croft’s 125 at Chelmsford in 2004 to stun Essex and guide Glamorgan towards promotion. Essex had made 642 but found themselves in the record books for scoring the highest innings and losing
11. One to watch Huw Waters, the Monmouth schoolboy seamer, who took four for 75 on his debut last season and finished top of the averages
MATTHEW PRYOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
1. Who is the captain? Jonathan Lewis, the (perhaps now former) England seamer, but only after a bit of ruckus when Chris Taylor, the captain for the previous two seasons, said that he had not been told he was being relieved, but the club said he had
2. Who are the overseas players? After the less glamorous signings of 2005, Upul Chandana and Malinga Bandara, from Sri Lanka, they have made two more serious purchases. Shane Bond and Hamish Marshall, the New Zealand very fast bowler and batsman respectively. Both are due to arrive in May
3. Who has arrived? Ian Harvey (Yorkshire, only until May); David Brown (academy) and Grant Hodnett (Cheltenham CC), both on 12-week trials
4. Who has left? James Pearson, Tim Hancock, Roger Sillence (Worcs)
5. What’s their nickname? The Gladiators, after the iconic Second World War biplane, which was built in Gloucester
6. How did they do last season? Better than Glamorgan, but only just. Eighth in the Championship first division and relegated in the totesport, they even went out in the C&G Trophy second round
7. What are their prospects? Good, compared with last season. Promotion in the Championship and Pro40 is a possibility. A last hurrah in the C&G Trophy (there will be a new sponsor in 2007) should not be discounted
8. What are their strengths? If Bond stays fit and if Craig Spearman has got over his personal problems, Gloucestershire will be as strong as a bull
9. What are their weaknesses? Those are big ifs (see above)
10. Remember the heroes Spearman grinding Middlesex into the dirt at Archdeacon Meadow, Gloucester, in 2004 as Gloucestershire defied all predictions of relegation.
11. One to watch Bond (don’t blink)
MATTHEW PRYOR
LEICESTERSHIRE
1. Who is the captain? Jeremy Snape, the former England one-day spinner, succeeds H. D. Ackerman, having been second-team coach last year
2. Who are the overseas players? Dinesh Mongia, the India one-day batsman, and Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, impressive against England this winter
3. Who has arrived? Asif, Alamgir Sheriyar (Kent)
4. Who has left? David Brignull, Charles Dagnall, Phillip DeFreitas, Ottis Gibson (Durham), Charl Willoughby (Somerset)
5. What’s their nickname? The Foxes: cunning but in need of protection from hounds
6. How did they do last season? Just three wins in the Championship second division and fourth place in the totesport second division. Failed to defend their Twenty20 crown, losing in the semi-finals
7. What are their prospects? Could perform well in the one-day competitions but will struggle to bowl sides out twice
8. What are their strengths? A good batting line-up. Ackerman made 1,000 runs. They are lucky to have enticed Tim Boon, the England technical adviser, back to the county as head coach
9. What are their weaknesses? With four fast bowlers leaving or retiring over the winter, resources are stretched, but Stuart Broad has great potential
10. Remember the heroes Is it really eight years since Phil Simmons captained Leicestershire to their second Championship title in three years with Vince Wells and Alan Mullally the stalwarts?
11. One to watch Sheriyar, the left-arm seam bowler, is trying to rebuild his career after being released by Kent. The county, lacking in fast-bowling experience, may rely on the man who began his career with Leicestershire in the mid-1990s before playing for Worcestershire, Kent and on two England A tours
PATRICK KIDD
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
1. Who is the captain? David Sales has continued to grow into the job under the tutelage of Kepler Wessels, the coach
2. Who are the overseas players? Chris Rogers, a tenacious left-hander from Western Australia, should score plenty of runs; Matt Nicholson, the tall New South Wales seamer, should gain some reverse swing on dry home pitches
3. Who has arrived? Rogers, Nicholson, Lance Klusener (Kolpak signing), Stephen Peters (Worcs), David Wigley (Worcs), Graham White, Mark Phythian, Paul Coverdale
4. Who has left? Steffan Jones (Derbys), Gerard Brophy (Yorks), Johann Louw (Middx), Chris Goode, Tom Huggins, Richard King, Tim Roberts, Martin Love, Cameron Wake, Damien Wright
5. What’s their nickname? The Steelbacks, the name for the Northamptonshire Regiment, who took their punishments unflinchingly
6. How did they do last season? Fourth in the Championship division two; third in the totesport League division one
7. What are their prospects? Promotion should be achievable after they missed out last year by eight points. Some good signings, including Klusener, mean a one-day trophy cannot be ruled out
8. What are their strengths? Plenty of batting, two match-winning spinners
9. What are their weaknesses? Nicholson will have to carry a seam attack that looks lightweight. Klusener is no longer a threat at first-class level
10. Remember the heroes In 1976, Northamptonshire won their first trophy, the Gillette Cup, Peter Willey’s 65 in the final against Lancashire earning him the man-of-the-match award. Mushtaq Mohammad’s side also finished second in the Championship
11. One to watch Monty Panesar, the latest England spinning hope
GEOFFREY DEAN
SOMERSET
1. Who is the captain? Ian Blackwell, who is trying to make his way as an England cricketer. A big-hitter in the Somerset mould, but little is known of him as a tactician
2. Who are the overseas players? Dan Cullen, an off spinner who is seen as a likely successor to Shane Warne for Australia, and Cameron White, an upper-order batsman and leg spinner who captains Victoria
3. Who has arrived? Cullen, Sam Spurway, Richard Timms, White, Charl Willoughby (Leics)
4. Who has left? Michael Burns, Sanath Jayasuriya, Charl Langeveldt, Aaron Laraman, Graeme Smith, Rob Turner
5. What’s their nickname? The Sabres, alliterative and appropriate on a big-hitting ground.
6. How did they do last season? Horrible except for the Twenty20 Cup, which they won. Eighth in the Championship second division and sixth in the totesport League second division were matched by a first-round defeat in the C&G Trophy
7. What are their prospects? They may finish as high as mid-table in both leagues but their best hope is in the shortest form of the game
8. What are their strengths? Good crop of young players coming through. Depth of batting looks better, with the likes of James Hildreth and Arul Suppiah in the middle order
9. What are their weaknesses? Bowling appears weak. Much will depend upon the fitness of Andrew Caddick — “the grandfather of the team” as he now calls himself — and Richard Johnson. No Graeme Smith, an inspiration last season
10. Remember the heroes The Viv Richards Gates, through which every player enters the County Ground, and the Ian Botham Stand, a straight drive away, are vivid reminders of the glorious past
11. One to watch For Hildreth, the 21-year-old batsman, this is “a benchmark year”, according to Andy Hurry, the coach
IVO TENNANT
SURREY
2. Who are the overseas players? Azhar Mahmood, the Pakistan all-rounder, enters his fifth season at the Oval. He will be joined not by Saqlain Mushtaq, another Surrey stalwart, but Anil Kumble, above, the veteran India leg spinner who took his 500th Test wicket against England during the winter
3. Who has arrived? Rory Hamilton-Brown, Kumble, Stewart Walters
4. Who has left? Andrew Hodd, Graham Thorpe
5. What’s their nickname? They have ditched the patriotic-sounding Lions (whatever would Alec Stewart think?) and replaced it with the does-what-it-says Brown Caps
6. How did they do last season? Relegated from the first division of the Championship and seventh in the second division of the totesport League. Reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 Cup
7. What are their prospects? Should bounce straight back by winning the second division of the Championship and may even gain promotion in the Pro40 league, too
8. What are their strengths? A wealth of experience in batting and bowling and determination to atone for being relegated in the Championship last year
9. What are their weaknesses? All that experience means a lack of mobility in the field, which could give opportunities to younger players in one-day cricket
10. Remember the heroes Where do you start? Hobbs, Bedser, Laker, Lock, Barrington, May, Edrich, Stewart, Thorpe et al. Only Yorkshire have to live up to such a tradition
11. One to watch Butcher will be eager to kick-start his Surrey and England career in partnership with his father, Alan, the new coach
PAT GIBSON
WORCESTERSHIRE
1. Who is the captain? Despite what Wisden says, Ben Smith has not been reinstated as captain, it is still Vikram Solanki
2. Who are the overseas players? Phil Jaques, the Australia batsman who played for Yorkshire last year, and Zaheer Khan, the India left-arm seamer, who provided a like-for-like replacement after Nathan Bracken dropped out last month to focus on his Australia ambitions
3. Who has arrived? Roger Sillence (Gloucs)
4. Who has left? David Wigley (Northants), James Pipe (Derbyshire), Stephen Peters (Northants), David Leatherdale
5. What’s their nickname? Worcestershire Royals. The great and the good of Worcester were prominent royalists during the English Civil War. Most fans just call them the Pears, though, for altogether earthier reasons
6. How did they do last season? Very poorly. The upheaval of Tom Moody’s departure to coach Sri Lanka did not help. Sixth in the Championship second division, eighth in the totesport first division, out in the second round of the C&G
7. What are their prospects? Better. Jaques should be a run machine. Promotion in the Championship is a realistic target
8. What are their strengths? Deep batting line-up, reliable seam attack, two good spinners
9. What are their weaknesses? Toughness. They tend to fold under pressure. Can Steve Rhodes, in his first full season as coach, make them more robust? Could he drop Graeme Hick if needs be?
10. Remember the heroes People have been trying to write Hick off for years. Some knives were out in 2004 and then he smashed Gloucestershire for 262. But he will be 40 on May 23
11. One to watch Stephen Davies, the highly talented 19-year-old wicketkeeper and batsman, who was called into the England A squad in the West Indies last month to replace Chris Read
MATTHEW PRYOR
