When Shane Warne has reached a landmark in his career, he has usually taken
care to offer a courteous acknowledgement to “whoever writes my scripts”.
This summer, the Hampshire captain’s imaginary dramatist could be in for a
busy few months. Now that he has retired from international cricket, Warne
is hoping that, for the first time, he will be able to play in every match
for Hampshire and he desperately wants the epilogue of a county championship
success to be added to his story.
That can only be good news for the championship. Warne clearly ascribes a
higher status to England’s premier domestic competition than many who at
present work with the national team.
But Warne’s extended availability is also, to state the obvious, extremely
good news for Hampshire. Last season he played 13 out of 16 matches. In
finishing third, Hampshire suffered three defeats. Two of them came while
Warne was away, one of which was to Sussex, who ended the season as
champions, 35 points clear of their South Coast rivals. Quite simply, they
were not the same team without his leadership.
This season, Hampshire will also be strengthened by Stuart Clark, whose
presence will give the team the two leading wicket-takers from this winter’s
Ashes series. They may also have the second highest run-scorer, albeit
briefly, if Kevin Pietersen is allowed to play.
So Hampshire should offer an even sterner challenge to Sussex in the first
division this season and the same applies to Lancashire, who finished 18
points adrift of the champions as runners-up. Much has been made of the Red
Rose county’s 73-year stretch since they were last outright county
champions, but they have begun the season as favourites umpteen times in
that period and, once again, the bookies make them the team to beat.
That may rile a few in Sussex, but Lancashire will be bolstered by Muttiah
Muralitharan, the nearest thing to a guaranteed match-winner in county
cricket in recent times. There is still uncertainty as to how often the Sri
Lankan’s stay at Old Trafford will be interrupted by international calls,
although Lancashire hope that his first championship appearance will be on
May 9, which just happens to be away to Hampshire. That clash could offer a
few pointers for the rest of the season.
Away from last season’s top three, much interest will focus on the
performances of the championship’s slumbering dinosaurs, Surrey and
Yorkshire, under the contrasting captaincies of Mark Butcher and Darren
Gough. They meet at the Oval tomorrow, which should get the season off to an
intriguing start.
Latest odds
Bookmakers believe the combination of Muttiah Muralitharan and Brad Hodge
makes Lancashire favourites.
6-4 Lancashire
7-2 Hampshire
7-2 Sussex
15-2 Surrey
14-1 Warwickshire
14-1 Yorkshire
16-1 Worcestershire
20-1 Kent
40-1 Durham
Source: totesport
John Westerby
DURHAM
Who is the captain?
Dale Benkenstein: the South African had an outstanding first season in charge
last year, scoring 1,427 championship runs.
Who are the overseas players?
Michael Di Venuto, third-highest run-scorer in the Pura Cup this winter. They
also have nonoverseas players who have represented West Indies (Gareth
Breese and Ottis Gibson), New Zealand (Paul Wiseman) and South Africa
(Benkenstein).
Who has arrived?
Mitchell Claydon (Yorkshire), Di Venuto (Derbyshire), Will Gidman, Will Smith
(Nottinghamshire).
Who has left?
Graeme Bridge, Jon Lewis, Mick Lewis, James Lowe, Jimmy Maher (Glamorgan),
Gary Pratt, Mark Turner (Somerset).
What’s their nickname?
Dynamos.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: seventh, first division. Pro40 League: eighth, first
division. Friends Provident Trophy: second, north conference. Twenty20 Cup:
sixth, north division.
What are their prospects?
Not helped by the eleventh-hour departure of Martyn Moxon, the former head
coach, to Yorkshire. Face another battle against relegation.
What are their strengths?
Plenty of seam-bowling talent, especially while Stephen Harmison and Liam
Plunkett are around. In their absence, Graham Onions needs to continue his
rapid progress from last season, when he took 50 wickets.
What are their weaknesses?
The batting was kept afloat by Benkenstein in 2006. He will need substantial
help from Di Venuto.
Remember the heroes?
In 1973, Durham became the first Minor County to beat first-class opposition
when they overcame Yorkshire by five wickets at Harrogate, with Brian
Lander, the Durham captain, taking five for 15.
One to watch
Ben Harmison, 21, Stephen’s brother, made three fifties in seven championship
matches last year.
John Westerby
HAMPSHIRE
Who is the captain?
Shane Warne, who will be available for the whole season now that he has
retired from Test cricket. He will play for Hampshire for at least the next
two summers.
Who are the overseas players?
Warne, who, even though he declared last week that he was struggling to land
the ball halfway down the pitch in a preseason net, will be a match-winner.
He will be joined by Stuart Clark, his compatriot, who should prosper at the
Rose Bowl, where there is often seam movement.
Who has arrived?
Clark and Michael Lumb (Yorkshire).
Who has left?
Richard Logan (Northamptonshire), Jono McLean and Dominic Thornely.
What’s their nickname?
Hawks.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: third, first division. Pro40 League: third, second
division (won play-off). Friends Provident Trophy: fourth, south conference.
Twenty20 Cup: fifth, south division.
What are their prospects?
Warne is convinced that they can be champions this year — and he should not be
far wrong. The captain is already putting pressure on the ECB to release
Kevin Pietersen for as many matches as possible.
What are their strengths?
Highly enthusiastic side on account of Warne’s presence. Clark and Chris
Tremlett, if fit, will make a formidable pairing in attack.
What are their weaknesses?
Hard to pinpoint, assuming everyone stays fit. Much will depend on the state
of the pitches, which have been heavily criticised in the past.
Remember the heroes?
Barry Richards, their greatest batsman, will be over this summer as newly
elected president.
One to watch?
Michael Carberry, who doubles as a disc jockey and who is enjoying his cricket
more than he did in the past. Hampshire are looking to him to score 1,000
runs this season, exceeding his 938 last year.
Ivo Tennant
KENT
Who is the captain?
Rob Key, who has spent the winter in Perth with Kent’s Academy players. He is
unlikely to regain his England place this summer.
Who are the overseas players?
Andrew Hall is joined by Yasir Arafat, upon whom much will depend if a
championship challenge is to be mounted.
Who has arrived?
Arafat and Ryan McLaren, a Kolpak all-rounder from South Africa. Paul Dixey, a
wicketkeeper, and Sam Northeast, who is still at school.
Who has left?
Dan Birch (Derbyshire), Simon Cusden (Derbyshire), Matthew Dennington, Rob
Ferley (Nottinghamshire), David Fulton (retired), Justin Kemp, Niall O’Brien
(Northamptonshire) and David Stiff (Leicestershire).
What’s their nickname?
Spitfires.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: fifth, first division. Pro40 League: fifth, second
division. Friends Provident Trophy: seventh, south conference. Twenty20 Cup:
quarter-finals.
What are their prospects?
Although Geraint Jones, who will bat at No 6, may be available for the entire
season, it is hard to envisage Kent making the necessary stride to become
county champions. The one-day game will be hit-and-miss.
What are their strengths?
The presence of McLaren and Arafat means that the bowling will be a little
stronger. The batting is sound.
What are their weaknesses?
Amjad Khan is injured and likely to miss the whole season. The squad is a
small one and there is a question mark over the spin attack.
Remember the heroes?
Bob Woolmer, a member of the 1970s side who were the best in Kent’s history,
spoke before his death of having his ashes scattered at the St Lawrence
ground.
One to watch McLaren, who is tall and swings the ball. He bowled
consistently well for Eagles in South Africa this winter.
Ivo Tennant
LANCASHIRE
Who is the captain?
Mark Chilton: established as captain in his third season, but needs to regain
form with the bat after a meagre 2006.
Who are their overseas players?
Brad Hodge and Muttiah Muralitharan will both be in the Caribbean until the
latter stages of the World Cup, but when in harness, they will be one of the
championship’s most powerful pairings.
Who has arrived?
Muralitharan.
Who has left?
Andrew Crook (Northamptonshire).
What’s their one-day nickname?
Lightning.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: second, first division. Pro40 League: sixth, first
division. Friends Provident Trophy: runners-up. Twenty20 Cup: fourth, north
division.
What are their prospects?
They begin as bookmakers’ favourites to go one better in the championship.
Muralitharan’s return could help them to squeeze out those few extra
victories that were lacking last season.
What are their strengths?
If Sajid Mahmood and James Anderson are required by England (not forgetting
Andrew Flintoff), they can still call on Dominic Cork, Glen Chapple and Tom
Smith to bolster the seam bowling.
What are their weaknesses?
The Manchester weather. But also, they relied too heavily on Stuart Law and
Mal Loye with the bat last season. Greater consistency from their fellow
batsmen is required, but Hodge’s regular availability will help.
Remember the heroes?
Eighty years ago, they won the second of three consecutive championships,
captained by Leonard Green and inspired by the batting of Charlie Hallows,
who made 2,119 runs at 73.06.
One to watch Tom Smith: after an excellent first season, the
21-year-old seamer will be looking to confirm that he is an England bowler
of the future.
John Westerby
SURREY
Who is the captain?
Mark Butcher, who teamed up with his father, Alan, the cricket manager, to
lead them back to their proper place in the first division last season.
Who are the overseas players?
Azhar Mahmood, the Pakistan all-rounder, and Matthew Nicholson, the Australia
fast bowler, who played for Northamptonshire last season. Nicholson will not
arrive until May after the premature birth of his twin sons and will be
replaced in the meantime by Western Australia’s Steve Magoffin.
Who has arrived?
Nicholson, Magoffin, Chris Schofield (unattached).
Who has left?
Martin Bicknell (retired), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex).
What’s their nickname?
Brown Caps.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: first, second division (promoted). Pro40 League:
fourth, second division. Friends Provident Trophy: eighth, south conference.
Twenty20 Cup: semi-finals.
What are their prospects?
Championship contenders once more after winning the second division title by
33 points as long as a leaner, fitter Jimmy Ormond and Mohammad Akram stay
fit.
What are their strengths?
The batting, led by Mark Ramprakash, who waltzed his way to 2,000 runs and Strictly
Come Dancing triumph last year and could get even better.
What are their weaknesses?
The lack of a match-winning bowler and the inconsistency that cost them dearly
in one-day cricket last season.
Remember the heroes?
How can they ever forget their inheritance with reminders of Hobbs, the
Bedsers, Laker, Lock and so many more great players all around them?
One to watch James Benning, an explosive one-day opening batsman who
will be challenging for an England place if he continues to play like he did
last season.
Pat Gibson
SUSSEX
Who is the captain?
Chris Adams, happy to be starting his ninth season in charge after agreeing to
join Yorkshire on a four-year contract as captain and cricket manager and
then changing his mind.
Who are the overseas players?
Mushtaq Ahmed, the Pakistan leg spinner, who has taken 369 first-class wickets
in four seasons, and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, the Pakistan all-rounder.
Who has arrived?
Chris Liddle (Leicestershire), Saqlain Mushtaq (unattached).
Who has left?
Sean Heather, Tim Linley, Neil Turk (all released).
What’s their nickname?
Sharks.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: first, first division. Pro40 League: third, first
division. Friends Provident Trophy: winners. Twenty20 Cup: fourth, south
division.
What are their prospects?
Sure to make a spirited defence of both the championship and the Friends
Provident Trophy and their emerging players could make them dangerous in the
other competitions.
What are their strengths?
The confidence that comes from winning four titles — two championships, the
Friends Provident Trophy and the Pro40 League second division — in four
years and one, perhaps two, match-winning spinners.
What are their weaknesses?
Still the smallest squad in the championship which could make them vulnerable
if they suffer injuries to key players.
Remember the heroes?
Legends such as Ranjitsinhji, C. B. Fry, the Langridges, Dexter and Snow but
they never won the county championship.
One to watch
Saqlain Mushtaq, who hopes to obtain British citizenship within six weeks and
prove that he can still be a match-winning off spinner after operations on
both knees.
Pat Gibson
WARWICKSHIRE
Who is the captain?
Heath Streak, who is in his second season. The former Zimbabwe opening bowler
is reclassified as a Kolpak player. Ashley Giles was made vice-captain, but
fresh problems with his hip have ruled him out of the beginning of the
season.
Who are the overseas players?
Kumar Sangakkara, of Sri Lanka, should be around most of the summer, but the
chances have diminished of Jacob Oram, the New Zealand all-rounder, filling
in for the Twenty20 Cup. Dale Steyn, the South Africa fast bowler, will be
replaced in June by his international colleague, Paul Harris, the left-arm
spinner.
Who has arrived?
Apart from the overseas players, Darren Maddy, Michael Barnes and Stuart Hole.
Who has left?
Nick Knight (retired), Tony Frost (retired), Mark Wagh (Nottinghamshire),
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Daniel Vettori.
What’s their nickname?
Bears.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: fourth, first division. Pro40 League: fifth, first
division. Friends Provident Trophy: ninth, north conference. Twenty20 Cup:
third, Midlands/Wales/West division.
What are their prospects?
Fourth would be an achievement. They should make a stronger showing in the
one-day format with Maddy on board.
What are their strengths?
A big squad, a keen Sangakkara and a marauding Maddy.
What are their weaknesses?
Seam bowling and the top-order batting could be brittle.
Remember the heroes?
The late Bob Woolmer coached the county twice, from 1991 to 1994 — winning
four trophies, including a remarkable treble in 1994 — and from 2000 to
2002.
One to watch
Steyn, 23, took 14 wickets at an average of 60 for Essex in 2005, but could
transform a poor seam attack.
Matthew Pryor
WORCESTERSHIRE
Who is the captain?
Vikram Solanki. Won promotion in his first season in charge.
Who are the overseas players?
Phil Jaques (Australia) and Doug Bollinger (Australia).
Who has arrived?
Moeen Ali (Warwickshire), Alexei Kervezee (Holland).
Who has left?
Zaheer Khan.
What’s their nickname?
Royals.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: second, second division (promoted). Pro40 League,
second, second division (promoted). Friends Provident Trophy: third, north
conference. Twenty20 Cup: sixth, Midlands/Wales/West Group.
What are their prospects?
Mooen and Kervezee could become fixtures in the batting lineup for a long time
if they mature and deliver on their promise. Realistic chance of challenging
in all competitions.
What are their strengths?
Jaques. Last year, he was as frightening as Graeme Hick in his pomp, with
1,148 championship runs in eight games at 88.30.
What are their weaknesses?
Jaques aside, the batting will need to go up a notch. Zaheer, who took 78
championship wickets, has left a huge hole in the seam bowling. Bollinger,
their fourth overseas seamer in as many years, has huge boots to fill.
Remember the heroes?
Bob Berry, the left-arm spinner, who died aged 80 at the end of 2006. He was
the first player to be capped by three counties. He once took all ten
Worcestershire wickets for Lancashire, took nine wickets on his debut for
England, then joined Worcesteshire for three good years before finishing at
Derbyshire. Publican, pigeon breeder and always a cricket-lover.
One to watch
Steven Davies. The 20-year-old wicketkeeper, who scored a thousand
championship runs last season. The only problem is he is so good, England
may come calling.
Matthew Pryor
YORKSHIRE
Who is the captain?
Darren Gough, but expect vice-captain Anthony McGrath to be called on
regularly as Gough, 36, paces himself through the season.
Who are the overseas players?
Jason Gillespie and Younis Khan. Unexpectedly, Younis will be able to start
the season because of Pakistan’s early exit from the World Cup. Gillespie
will be expected to take more than last season’s 36 wickets.
Who has arrived?
Gough (Essex), Younis, Jacques Rudolph (South Africa).
Who has left?
John Blain, Mitchell Claydon (Durham), Richard Dawson (Northamptonshire),
Darren Lehmann, Michael Lumb (Hampshire).
What is their nickname?
Phoenix.
How did they do last season?
LV County Championship: sixth, first division. Pro40 League: ninth, second
division. Friends Provident Trophy: seventh, north conference. Twenty20 Cup:
quarter-finals.
What are their prospects?
Much less bleak than they appeared in midwinter, when Chris Adams left before
he had arrived and Anthony McGrath threatened to depart. Under Martyn Moxon,
the new director of cricket, they may not challenge for honours, but should
be competitive.
What are their strengths?
Despite the losses of Lehmann and Lumb, a middle order of Younis, McGrath and
Jacques Rudolph, controversially signed as a Kolpak player, should ensure
plenty of runs.
What are their weaknesses?
Apart from his captaincy and charisma, Yorkshire will need Gough to take a few
wickets, as the seam-bowling department was unpenetrative last season.
Remember the heroes?
Fifty years ago, a 25-year-old off spinner named Raymond Illingworth took nine
for 42, the best figures of his career against Worcestershire at New Road.
One to watch
Adil Rashid, with a slightly remodelled action, and with opposing batsmen
aware of his potential, this season will be a test of character.
John Westerby
