IF ESSEX play as well as in the latter part of last season, when they secured promotion in both the championship and National League, they will not go straight back down. Graham Gooch, the coach, achieved that after a 2001 season that was one of the most traumatic on and off the field in the county’s history.

Like Middlesex, though, while the batting is strong, the bowling is not. Ashley Cowan, the seamer, will miss the entire season after knee surgery, and the 38-year-old John Stephenson, who was brought back from Hampshire with a view to captaining the second XI, will surely not be able to reproduce 48 first-class wickets at an average of 22.

Moreover, Ronnie Irani’s purple match appeared to even out over a difficult winter in Australia and at the World Cup, and he may not be so dynamic this season, freeman of the City of London or not.

On the other hand, the find of the season could be Scott Brant, a 20-year-old Zimbabwean-cum-Queenslander who hopes to represent Australia. The leftarmer has been signed to replace Mark Ilott, who has been released after an injury-ravaged 2002, on the advice of Andy Flower and Allan Border no less.

Having Flower available for the whole season, after his international retirement, is an enormous boost for Essex after his influence in key situations last season. Whether it is so good for James Foster and England is another matter. If Foster is to prove that he is Alec Stewart’s rightful heir in the national team, he needs games behind the stumps.

Of the other youngsters, great things are expected of Will Jefferson, the tall opener, and look for an improvement in James Middlebrook, the off spinner, as the result of sessions with Bishen Bedi.

2002: Championship, second division: 1st. National League, second division: 3rd. C&G Trophy: quarter-finals. Benson and Hedges Cup: Losing finalists. Captain: Ronnie Irani. Coach: Graham Gooch. Overseas players: Andy Flower, Scott Brant. INS: Nick Denning, Scott Brant. OUTS: Richard Clinton, Mark Ilott.Website: www.essexcricket.org.uk

KENT

LAST season turned out pretty well, but Kent will pressing to do even better this time round. They were third in the championship, finished fifth in the top division of the National League and their run in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy ended only when they were defeated by Somerset in an astonishing climax to their semi-final. Yet the feeling persists that the best has still not been seen from this team.

There is talent aplenty in the squad, who on the evidence of last year could usually be relied upon to make a decent score and also prove awkward with ball in hand. That they have been strengthened bodes well.

They will be without the services, however, of David Fulton, now captain in both the long and short versions of the game, for the opening month after he damaged his right eye during nets this week that necessitated surgery. Kent will also be without Andrew Symonds for the first six weeks of the season while the all-rounder is with Australia in the West Indies, but the county have signed a perfect replacement in Greg Blewett, the former Australia Test player.

Also acquired is the pace of Alamgir Sheriyar from Worcestershire, while much will be expected from Martin Saggers, the leading wicket-taker for the past two seasons. Amjad Khan, a promising young pace bowler, will be expected to build on the inroads that he made last season.