Essex
Previewed by Martin Smith - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Tom Westley
Head Coach: Anthony McGrath
2022 finish: Fourth (Division One)
2022 highest run-scorer: Sir Alastair Cook (966)
2022 highest wicket-taker: Simon Harmer (59)
Key winter moves: Essex moved quickly to sign Doug Bracewell on the eve of the season after all-rounder, Will Sutherland, was ruled out of his 11-match contract due to a back injury. Bracewell, back playing Test cricket for New Zealand after a seven-year absence, is a seamer who is more than adequate with the bat. Captain Tom Westley, player of the season Shane Snater and leading seamer Sam Cook all signed contract extensions.
The big question: Essex dominated domestic red-ball cricket for four years from 2017, winning the top prize three times. But they have faltered slightly in the last two seasons, finishing 48 points behind champions Surrey in fourth place in 2022. Was that a blip or the sign of terminal decline, and can the tried-and-tested old guard rise to the occasion again?
What we’re looking forward to seeing: Simon Harmer shuffling in from the River End at Chelmsford, just as he has nearly 10,000 times across six seasons while taking 234 wickets, tying down opposition batsmen, teasing, tempting and hypnotising them into involuntary surrender. They pad up to turning balls: another lbw b Harmer. Or nick one that lifts out of the foot-holes and arcs to first slip: another c Cook b Harmer. Set the machine on repeat.
Player to watch: In an admittedly injury-interrupted 2022, Dan Lawrence averaged just 22.10 in red-ball for Essex – just half his 2021 average and well below his career figure of 36. If he wants to be involved in the Ashes this summer he requires an immediate uptick. However, if he rises to the challenge, his forceful, front-foot approach will be worth watching.
Final thought: Essex amassed the fewest batting points in Division One last season, a perennial conundrum. With the first bonus point now not kicking in until 250 runs are on the board – and having failed to even reach that figure in six first innings last year – Essex need to embrace the ethos of ‘Bazball’ and up their run-rate above the present average of 2.9 an over.
Hampshire
Previewed by Alex Smith - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: James Vince
Head Coach: Adi Birrell
2022 finish: Third (Division One)
2022 highest runscorer: James Vince (839)
2022 highest wicket taker: Kyle Abbott (58)
Key winter moves: None for red ball, absolutely none. Director of Cricket Giles White has been designing the perfect Hampshire Championship squad for a few years and has fashioned a roster designed to win trophies. Even the overseas are unchanged, with Kyle Abbott in his sixth year and Mohammad Abbas his third season. Benny Howell has arrived, however, but only for the T20 Blast.
The big question: Is this the season Hampshire end their title drought? The Exorcist was the top film the year Hampshire last won a title…there are plenty of demons that need exorcising in the half-century since then. Back-to-back third-place finishes, a bowling attack straight from fantasy cricket and a middle-order oozing with experience suggests they are well-placed to challenge.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: Simply put, Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott, and Keith Barker in full swing – or to be more exact, full seam. They combined for 160 wickets last season and complement each other perfectly. The two Kookaburra rounds (25-28 June and 10-13 July) will test their skill, and potentially define Hampshire’s season, with a less responsive ball.
Player to watch: Tom Prest. The attractive right-handed batter, who bowls more than useful off-spin, has been a mainstay in the white-ball sides. Last year he was Hampshire’s top scorer in the One Day Cup and clocked up three 50s in the Vitality Blast - but has barely played in the Championship. He joined up with the England Lions in the winter, with some success, having captained England Under 19s to the World Cup final in early 2022.
Final thought: On the face of it nothing has changed from last season, but underneath there is a steely determination after two near misses. No team won more games than Hampshire last season despite no players averaging over 40 with the bat. Cutting out underperforming sessions coupled with a slight bulk-up of runs throughout the order should be enough to win the title – anything less will feel like a missed opportunity with this talented squad.
Kent
Previewed by Fred Atkins - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Sam Billings
Head Coach: Matthew Walker
2022 finish: Fifth (Division One)
2022 highest runscorer: Ben Compton (1,193)
2022 highest wicket taker: Nathan Gilchrist (33)
Key winter moves: Ollie Robinson’s departure to Durham arguably vexed members even more than the decision to release 46-year-old Darren Stevens, but Michael Hogan’s arrival at the relatively callow age of 41 should shore up an attack weakened by the loss of Harry Podmore. Having missed out on Matt Henry, Arshdeep Singh is an intriguing gamble, but he’s only available for five games and the hunt for an overseas bowler continues.
The big question: Will the squad stay healthy enough to make a serious title challenge? James Callaghan was the Prime Minister the last time Kent won the County Championship outright and few pundits rate their chances this year. What Kent do have is a core of homegrown players, some talented youngsters and serious fighting qualities that dragged them out of the relegation zone when all seemed lost last season.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: If England’s new approach filters down. The squad have been energised by what they’ve seen in the test arena and Walker has tried to liberate his players from the fear of making mistakes, a culture his ex-team mate Rob Key referred to during their playing days, but there are limits. Defensive-minded players have been told to play to their strengths. Don’t expect to see Ben Compton reverse-sweeping his first ball.
Player to watch: Nathan Gilchrist. Career best figures of 6 for 61 against his old county Somerset helped ensure Kent would stay up and also earned him selection for the Lions tour. At just 22, it’s reasonable to assume he’ll only get better, if he stays fit. Given the workload he’s likely to have to shoulder this summer this is an admittedly big if, but he has all the attributes.
Final thought: Spare a thought for Tunbridge Wells, which seems to have become a victim of Long Covid. 18 months ago Kent said they hoped to be back at the Nevill in 2023. The county are now merely “open to a return,” language which is jarringly familiar to anyone who recalls the demise of the Maidstone festival in 2005.
Lancashire
Previewed by Graham Hardcastle - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Head coach: Glen Chapple
2022 finish: Second (Division One)
2022 highest run-scorer: Keaton Jennings (1,233)
2022 highest wicket-taker: Tom Bailey (52)
Key winter moves: Lancashire have raided New Zealand for two overseas signings, bringing in former and current international all-rounders Colin de Grandhomme and Daryl Mitchell. Retired Black Cap de Grandhomme starts the season before current Kiwi star Mitchell’s first of four games is on May 11. At that time, the county will have three overseas players available, including former captain Dane Vilas and de Grandhomme as cover. The trio will also be available for the Vitality Blast.
The big question: The Red Rose matched their second-placed finish in Division One behind champions Surrey with runners-up medals in both the Vitality Blast and the One-Day Cup. Can they progress from county cricket’s ultimate bridesmaids under the new leadership of England fringe opener Keaton Jennings, who has taken over from South African overseas veteran Vilas after four years in charge?
What we’re looking forward to seeing: There is much more fun to follow, of course there is - it’s a long and winding season after all. But the opening round match at Emirates Old Trafford between Lancashire and Surrey, televised by Sky from Thursday, will be an absolute crackerjack fixture. It’s a repeat of the final game of 2022, which Lancashire won. But Surrey had secured the title by then and were no doubt in celebration mode.
Player to watch: Tom Hartley, the 23-year-old son of 1974 European Championship 4x400m gold medallist Bill, is a rapidly developing left-arm spinner who is not too shabby with the bat - as a pre-season T20 century in Dubai showed. He took eight wickets in that aforementioned win over Surrey and toured Sri Lanka with the England Lions in January and February. Seriously challenging Matthew Parkinson for role of senior spinner.
Final thought: Saqib Mahmood’s progress following his return to fitness from a back stress fracture will be keenly watched by Lancashire and England followers. The skilful fast bowler missed the majority of 2022 having made his Test debut last March. Thankfully he is back on the park and could, with some early wickets, make an Ashes case. That type of form will also set Lancashire on their way to a first Championship title since 2011.
Middlesex
Previewed by Ben Kosky - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Toby Roland-Jones
Head Coach: Richard Johnson
2022 finish: Second (Division Two)
2022 highest runscorer: John Simpson (1,039)
2022 highest wicket taker: Toby Roland-Jones (67)
Key winter moves: Continuity was Middlesex’s main objective in the wake of promotion, with Stephen Eskinazi, Tom Helm and spin duo Luke Hollman and Thilan Walallawita all agreeing new deals. The county are yet to announce a replacement for overseas signing Keshav Maharaj, with the left-arm spinner’s stint at Lord’s cancelled after his freak Achilles injury while playing for South Africa.
The big question: How smoothly will Middlesex adapt to life back in Division One for the first time since 2017? The good news is that the majority of the squad – which still includes five members of their 2016 title-winning team – possess top-flight experience.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: With stalwart seamer Tim Murtagh taking up a player-coach role, there should be increased opportunities for younger bowlers like Ethan Bamber to step up and spearhead the attack alongside Toby Roland-Jones. Blake Cullen, who missed most of last season through injury, and Max Harris also look like candidates for greater red-ball exposure this summer.
Player to watch: Luke Hollman. Having originally made the breakthrough as a white-ball specialist, the homegrown leg-spinning all-rounder nailed down a regular place in the four-day side that secured promotion last season. Maharaj’s injury may well open the door even wider for the 22-year-old, who supplements his leg-breaks with valuable runs in the lower-middle order.
Final thought: With three of their first four fixtures at Lord’s, Middlesex must aim to hit the ground running on their return to the top level. Former Test openers Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman provide a solid platform for an experienced batting line-up, while the bowlers will need to find new ways of taking 20 wickets without the guarantee of Murtagh trundling in from the Nursery End.
Northamptonshire
Previewed by Jeremy Blackmore - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Luke Procter
Head Coach: John Sadler
2022 finish: Sixth (Division One)
2022 highest run scorer: Luke Procter (961)
2022 highest wicket taker: Ben Sanderson (41)
Key winter moves: Northamptonshire have a new captaincy team with 2022 top scorer Luke Procter in charge and former Hampshire gloveman Lewis McManus as his deputy. England all-rounder David Willey, who has rejoined his childhood club, will miss the start of the season on IPL duty. Big-scoring Sam Whiteman arrives fresh from captaining Western Australia to their second successive Sheffield Shield. Former Somerset seamer Ollie Sale adds extra pace to the attack.
The big question: This season is unchartered territory as Northamptonshire have never spent consecutive summers in Division One. They surprised many last year with a tough attritional style of cricket which earned them a mid-table finish, with seven draws. Can they build on last year’s progress?
What we’re looking forward to seeing: Expectations will be high for local lad David Willey returning to Northampton after seven seasons with Yorkshire. He will be a key man in the Vitality Blast but has signalled his intent to play some Championship cricket too.
Player to watch: Emilio Gay misses the start of the summer due to injury, but all eyes will be on his return. The stylish left-hander enjoyed a breakthrough 2022 season which brought him more than 800 runs, including a career-best 145 against champions Surrey. In his absence, ex-Leicestershire batter Hassan Azad has signed a short-term deal as injury cover.
Final thought: Northamptonshire earned respect for holding their own in a fiercely competitive division but know the challenges ahead. The younger bowlers need to step up to support the ever-dependable Ben Sanderson, while head coach John Sadler says the batters all have more runs in the tank. Whiteman, used to winning red-ball trophies, could be key.
Nottinghamshire
Previewed by Jon Culley - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Steven Mullaney
Head Coach: Peter Moores
2022 finish: Champions (Division Two)
2022 highest runscorer: Haseeb Hameed (1,235)
2022 highest wicket taker: Dane Paterson (56)
Key winter moves: Nottinghamshire largely keep faith with the players who won the Division Two title to take on the much tougher challenge of being competitive in Division One. They have made one significant addition in England pace bowler Olly Stone, who moves from Warwickshire to replace Aussie quick James Pattinson. South African Dane Paterson returns but one overseas slot remains empty in the red-ball side should reinforcement be required.
The big question: Do Nottinghamshire have the squad depth to cover for the loss of Ben Duckett and possibly others to England over the course of the season? Duckett looks nailed on for a place in the Ashes squad after a successful winter, with opener Haseeb Hameed and spinner Liam Patterson-White both on the selectors’ radar. The county may be looking to Joe Clarke, in particular, to find some high-scoring consistency.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: Haseeb Hameed continuing his transformation from the Boycott-esque throwback opener of his Test debut at 19 to the aggressive, attacking shot-maker whose evolving game brought him 1,235 runs at 58.80 last year, with a top score of 196 and three other hundreds. A third bite of the England cherry cannot be far away.
Player to watch: Lyndon James proved his quality with the bat by making a maiden century and two others in 2022 but his progress as a bowler was again hampered by a stress fracture, his second in as many years. If he can keep his fitness this season, the 24-year-old academy product has the potential to become a genuine match-winning all-rounder.
Final thought: Nottinghamshire were disappointed that their form in the conference-based 2021 LV= Insurance County Championship did not earn them a place in Division One last season, when the competition returned to the pre-Covid two division format. If they can follow last year’s promotion with an immediate title challenge, they may feel they have proved their point.
Somerset
Previewed by Richard Latham - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Tom Abell
Head Coach: Jason Kerr
2022 finish: Seventh (Division One)
2022 highest runscorer: Tom Abell (1,039)
2022 highest wicket taker: Craig Overton (36)
Key winter moves: Having recruited top order batters Tom Kohler-Cadmore from Yorkshire and Sean Dickson from Durham towards the end of last season as newcomers for 2023, Somerset have further strengthened their batting by signing Australian Cameron Bancroft for the first four games of the season. New Zealand Test seamer Matt Henry will arrive in May for seven Championship games and teenage off-spinner Shoaib Bashir joined the club a one-year contract.
The big question: Is this the season Somerset win a first-ever Championship title? The Cidermen faced a relegation battle for much of last season. But, having strengthened a fragile batting line-up that failed to post enough meaningful first-innings totals, and with a potent blend of youth and experience in their seam bowling options, it is little wonder that director of cricket Andy Hurry is predicting a strong challenge for the elusive pennant or “Holy Grail’ as it has long been referred to within the club.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: Craig Overton striving to get himself back into contention for England selection by steaming in and utilising the extra half yard of pace that brought 36 Championship wickets last season, despite missing five of the games. The strapping all-rounder is capable of making life uncomfortable for top batsmen by extracting extra bounce from the true Taunton pitches.
Player to watch: James Rew. The 19-year-old wicketkeeper took over the gloves from the vastly more experienced Steve Davies for the second half of last season’s Championship campaign and quickly made an impression with the bat, scoring an unbeaten century against Essex at Chelmsford. Tidy behind the stumps and ready to concentrate for long periods at the crease, Rew has already earned England Lions recognition after impressing in the Under-19 World Cup.
Final thought: Somerset will want to hit the ground running in this year’s Championship after losing five of their first seven games last season. If overseas signings Matt Henry and the returning Peter Siddle prove effective in backing bowling spearhead Craig Overton, there is every reason to expect a stronger batting unit to lay the foundations for a successful red-ball campaign.
Surrey
Previewed by Mark Baldwin - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Rory Burns
Head Coach: Gareth Batty
2022 finish: Champions (Division One)
2022 highest run-scorer: Rory Burns (842)
2022 highest wicket-taker: Dan Worrall (39)
Key winter moves: Former England Test opener Dom Sibley’s return to his native county was “written in the stars” according to Surrey head coach Gareth Batty, following the retirement from cricket of South African batting great Hashim Amla. Sibley, Epsom-born, first played for Surrey at Under-13 level and in just his third first-class game made 242 against Yorkshire at the Oval while still at Whitgift School. The 27-year-old won 22 Test caps during five full seasons at Warwickshire from 2018 to 2022.
The big question: Can Surrey defend their title and win a third county championship pennant in six years? There is certainly a mood of quiet confidence that last summer’s triumph, finally backing up the false dawn of the 2018 title, is only the start of an era of sustained success for a multi-talented, deep squad that featured 11 different century-makers last term and seven bowlers taking between 13 and 39 wickets. Two frontline players – Jamie Overton and Will Jacks – are early-season injury absentees, however.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: The expected, continued rise of young guns like Jacks, Jamie Smith, Tom Lawes, Gus Atkinson and Dan Moriarty, plus perhaps a re-booting of off spinner Amar Virdi’s career. Last summer it was the contributions of younger players, as well as the excellence of seniors such as Amla, skipper Burns, his fellow England internationals Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran and Overton, plus attack spearheads Dan Worrall and Kemar Roach, which led to title glory.
Player to watch: Tom Lawes. The 20-year-old made a huge impression by picking up 18 wickets at 23.72 from the first six Championship appearances of his career last season, swinging the ball at sharp pace, while also showing all-round maturity beyond his years with both bat and ball during the Royal London Cup competition in August.
Final thought: Surrey’s title defence launches with a visit to Emirates Old Trafford to play Lancashire, runners-up in 2022, in a mouth-watering curtain-raiser televised by Sky Sports. “It’s the perfect start for us,” said head coach Batty. “Lancashire are a very fine team but they got us at the right time in last season’s final match [won by Lancashire by an innings and 130 runs. This game gives us a real chance to lay down a marker for the whole summer.”
Warwickshire
Previewed by Brian Halford - ECB Reporters Network
Captain: Will Rhodes
Head Coach: Mark Robinson
2022 finish: Eighth (Division One)
2022 highest run scorer: Sam Hain (1,137)
2022 highest wicket taker: Olly Hannon-Dalby (53)
Key winter moves: Warwickshire have strengthened their seam bowling after injury-induced struggles last season. Pakistan paceman Hassan Ali will spearhead the attack while veteran Durham seamer Chris Rushworth and Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard have also been signed.
The big question: Will the real Warwickshire please stand up? Which will it be in 2023? The team which charged magnificently to the Championship title in 2021 or the one which scraped survival from relegation by the skin of their teeth with a five-run, last-day win in 2022? With Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Matt Lamb and Adam Hose having left, the sense of transition at Edgbaston continues…the new guys need to settle quickly.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: A seam attack which looks as good as any in the country. The enduringly excellent Olly Hannon-Dalby will have high-class company if Liam Norwell is fit, Hassan Ali fires for his new club and Chris Woakes is, as expected, available early in the season. Warwickshire struggled desperately to take 20 wickets in a match last season – if that attack is on the field, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Player to watch: Rob Yates. Form is temporary, class is permanent, they say – expect Yates to prove that in 2023. Bafflingly dropped down to three last year after arriving in county cricket with big runs as an opener, Yates lost form. Restored to opening for the last match, he scored a crucial century to help keep Warwickshire in Division One. With Dom Sibley gone, the 23-year-old will be back up top again and ready to fly.
Final thought: Warwickshire have won the County Championship eight times, each in the first half of decades, so this is their fertile period. A title challenge appears realistic if they can field a full-strength bowling attack with any regularity. A trophy in 2023 would be very welcome after a poor 2022 season - and the perfect tribute to cricket operations manager and club legend Keith Cook who completes 50 years at Edgbaston this year.