DERBYSHIRE
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (2017 performance - 8th)
Royal London One-Day Cup: North Group (2017 performance - 7th )
Vitality Blast: North Group (2017 performance - quarter-finals)
Captain(s): Billy Godleman, Gary Wilson was Blast captain in 2017.
Coach / Director of Cricket: Kim Barnett (cricket advisor), John Wright (Vitality Blast coach), Steve Stubbings (first team coach).
Overseas Players: Duanne Olivier (April-June)
Ins and Outs: In Ravi Rampaul, James Kettleborough . Out Imran Tahir, Matt Henry, Shiv Thakor, Ben Cotton, Tom Taylor, Greg Cork, Rob Hemmings, Tom Milnes.
Man on a Mission: Hardus Viljoen will be aiming to hit the ground running next month after injuries kept him out for a big chunk of last season. The South African fast bowler showed why Derbyshire signed him on a three year contract when he took 15 wickets against Sussex at Hove in September, the first player to achieve the feat for the county since 1952. If the 29-year-old stays fit, his pace and hostility will be a key weapon in both red and white ball cricket.
One to Watch: Duanne Olivier's pace promises to provide Derbyshire with a menacing new ball attack in the first half of the season. The 25-year-old already has experience of English conditions having played two Tests for South Africa last summer and he also brings consistency and control in the one-day format. Derbyshire are hoping his hunger to develop and improve as a cricketer will help them make a strong start to the season.
Local Hero: Alex Hughes enjoyed his best season in 2017 when success in all formats was recognised with the award of his county cap. The 26-year-old all-rounder is a fine advertisement for the academy system and is looking to play a bigger role as a bowler this summer after making big strides as a batsman last year when he was the county's leading scorer in first-class matches. A cricketer who puts team success above personal goals, he is an important part of Derbyshire's plans going forward.
Prospects for 2018: Although there has already been a setback with the news that Mitchell Santner will be unable to take up his contract as overseas player for the second half of the season because of a knee problem, there are certainly grounds for optimism. The pace attack should be formidable if Viljoen and Olivier stay fit and with the experience of Tony Palladino and Ravi Rampaul in support, Billy Godleman will have a strong bowling unit to take into the first three months. Will Davis is also looking to build on some promising performances with the new ball at the start of 2017 before injury halted his progress while Alex Hughes and Luis Reece offer further seam options. Derbyshire are hoping Matt Critchley's experience with the England Lions will help his development and the return of John Wright as specialist T20 coach has encouraged expectations that the team can reach another quarter-final at least. Wayne Madsen had an outstanding tournament although the County Championship season was a lean one by his high standards and it is important he resumes normal service this year. A first four day home win since September 2014 is a priority although performances towards the end of last summer were encouraging and Godleman believes the squad should be better equipped to compete. "On paper, it's considerably more experienced than it has been over the last three or four years," he said. "We have a nice blend and balance in the squad."
DURHAM
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (2017 performance 9th)
Royal London One-Day Cup: North Group (2017 performance 5th)
Vitality Blast: North Group (2017 performance 9th)
Captain(s): Paul Collingwood (County Championship) Tom Latham (50 over captain) T20 TBC
Coach / Director of Cricket: Jon Lewis
Overseas Players: Aiden Markram (Four CC Matches), Tom Latham, Akshar Patel (last six CC matches)
Ins and Outs: Ins: Nathan Rimmington, Will Smith. Outs: Paul Coughlin, Keaton Jennings, Graham Onions
Man on a Mission: Cameron Steel – The 22-year-old enjoyed an impressive first season with Durham, with only Paul Collingwood scoring more first-class runs. His tally totalled 899 at an average just over 40, scoring two centuries and four fifties. The highlight of his 2017 campaign was an outstanding knock of 224 against Leicestershire – Steel’s highest career score.
The departure of Jennings has left a void in the batting line-up. It will be up to Steel to maintain the levels he displayed last season to ease the pressure on Collingwood.
One to Watch: Matthew Potts - Durham have a proud history of producing high-quality fast bowlers. The next one off the production line could well be Potts, who burst on to the scene last season. The 19-year-old played five matches, but took 14 wickets and had the knack of striking at crucial times.
His consistent line and length gave even the best of batsmen issues, with Potts notching the crucial scalp of Jacques Rudolph in Durham’s win over Glamorgan at the Riverside.
Injury curtailed his 2017 campaign, and also ruled him out of the ICC Under-19s World Cup, after he had been a regular in England’s team last summer. But should he return fit and firing, he will be a potent weapon in the four-day game.
Local Hero: Paul Collingwood – He remains the heartbeat of the club and continues to perform at a high level even as approaches the age of 42. Collingwood’s leadership was perhaps more vital than ever last term as Durham dealt with the repercussions of ECB sanctions. He ensured that they remained competitive in all formats, refusing to allow the standards to drop even when at times Durham were fighting a losing battle.
Collingwood surpassed the 1,000-run mark, scoring three centuries in his 14 first-class matches, while he was also just as impressive in the limited-overs formats. Durham must continue to rely on their skipper’s experience as he leads a youthful side in the 2018 campaign.
Prospects for 2018:
After entering last season with points deductions in all three formats, Durham have a clean slate for the 2018 campaign. However, Jon Lewis and his team once again must deal with the loss of key players. The departure of Jennings, Onions and Coughlin stripped them of further quality so soon after Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick left the Emirates Riverside.
The signing of Markram will give the impetus in the batting line-up at the start of the campaign, with Latham on international duty with New Zealand. If Markram’s performances are of a similar calibre to those he produced against Australia in a series that will be remembered for very different reasons, Durham will be well placed for the return of Latham.
He was outstanding in his limited action last term and will carry the run-scoring burden. His experience in the 50-over format will ease the pressure on Collingwood. The Royal London One-Day Cup provides Durham with perhaps their best chance of success. They were Lord’s winners as recently as 2014 and were only denied a passage through to the knockout phase by that two-point deduction. The depth of all-rounders gives them an intriguing edge in the competition.
The 20-over format has not been a strong point for Durham other than their run to the final in 2016. They won three matches last term, finishing bottom of the North Group. So improvement will again be a priority.
GLAMORGAN
Specsavers County Championship - Division2- Last season 7th.
Royal London One Day Cup - South Group- Last season 4th.
Vitality Blast - South Group. Last season, beaten in Semi Final.
Captain(s) - Michael Hogan(Championship), Colin Ingram (White ball)
Head Coach - Robert Croft.
Overseas Player- Shaun Marsh.
Ins and Outs - Retired- Jacques Rudolph, William Bragg.
Man on a Mission - Nick Selman. The 22yr old Australian opener was Glamorgan’s leading run scorer in Championship cricket last season, scoring four centuries. After a successful winter playing grade cricket in Sydney, he has the attributes to improve further and develop into the solid opening batsman that the county have lacked in recent years. A keen student of the game - last season he sought Steve James’s advice after reading the former Glamorgan and England opener’s book The Art of Centuries - he also played three T20 games, and showed plenty of aggression by scoring 66 from only 42 balls against Somerset.
One to Watch - Lukas Carey. After taking seven wickets against Northants on his Championship debut in 2016, the 20yr old seamer from Pontardulais continued to improve during his second season. After being assessed by ECB’s Geoff Arnold, he spent time at Loughborough during the winter, and much is expected of Carey, who took 35 wickets at 30 last year, and also featured in white ball cricket. He has a good action, is strongly built, and moves the ball sufficiently through the air and off the pitch to trouble top order batsmen.
Local Hero - Colin Ingram. He may be from South Africa – but ask any young supporter “who is your favourite Glamorgan player?” and the reply is always the same. The hard-hitting left-hander continues to delight young and old with his entertaining approach, and after winning trophies for sixes struck during the past two seasons, they will hope for more of the same - as he leads Glamorgan for the first time in white ball cricket this summer. Although Ingram will not be playing Championship cricket this year, there will be plenty of opportunities for his fans to watch their hero despatch the white ball into the River Taff.
Prospects for 2018
The emergence of several young players, and the arrival of Shaun Marsh, one of Australia’s most successful batsmen in the winter Ashes series, have renewed hopes of an improved season for Glamorgan.
Marsh, with his sound technique and experience of English (and Welsh) conditions, should stabilize the top order, while his presence in the dressing room and advice to the younger players will be invaluable.
Glamorgan ended last season in style, with a five- wicket victory against Kent – achieved by a team that included six Welsh born players. They confirmed the promise they had shown throughout the season and most of them will start the new campaign in the first eleven.
Nick Selman, the club’s leading scorer in championship cricket last year, and Kiran Carlson, who scored a career best 193 against Gloucestershire, should develop further with Marsh and Chris Cooke providing a solid middle order.
The bowling unit with an established group of seamers, led by Michael Hogan, should again prosper, and if Andrew Salter has benefited from his winter in New Zealand, where he was coached by the former Kiwi Test spinner Jeetan Patel on an ECB Overseas Placement, his off spin will add variety to the attack.
Glamorgan will be hoping to continue the good form they showed in one day cricket, where they narrowly missed qualifying for the latter stages of the Royal London One Day Cup, before reaching the semi- finals of the T20 Blast competition.
With Marsh available for all formats, the omens are favourable for an improved season.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (2017 performance - 6th)
Royal London One-Day Cup: South Group (2017 performance – 7th)
Vitality Blast: South Group (2017 performance – 9th)
Captains: Chris Dent (County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup), Michael Klinger (Vitality Blast)
Head Coach: Richard Dawson
Overseas Players: Dan Worrall (County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup) Andrew Tye (Vitality Blast)
Ins and Outs: In: Ryan Higgins (Middlesex) Out: Brandon Gilmour, Patrick Grieshaber, Phil Mustard
Man on a Mission: Chris Dent – Appointed captain for four-day and 50-over cricket by his beloved home county for the first time, the 26-year-old batsman will be desperately keen to make his mark with a successful campaign. A vitally important cog in Gloucestershire’s batting machine, Dent will be determined to contribute big runs while leading the team in a characteristically laid-back style. He has refused to set specific targets, but wants to see progress in all three competitions after a season of under-achievement in 2017. Maybe there will be a wicket or two with his occasional left-arm spin as in previous years to boost the cause.
One to Watch: Dan Worrall – Head coach Richard Dawson is expecting big things of his latest overseas signing, who looks sure to strengthen a pace attack, which relied too much on Liam Norwell in Championship cricket last season. South Australia seamer Worrall, who will also play in the Royal London One-Day Cup, comes highly recommended as a bowler capable of suiting English conditions. He bowls a full length and hits the pitch hard, according to Michael Klinger and Cameron Bancroft, who have played against him back home. At the age of 26, Worrall has six seasons of State cricket under his belt. He finished second leading wicket-taker in the 2015-16 Sheffield Shield with 44 victims and has been making a strong finish to the current Australian season.
Local Hero: James Bracey – Bristol-born and a product of Winterbourne Cricket Club, as well as Gloucestershire’s Academy, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman made his Championship debut in the final match of the 2016 season, having already played first class cricket for Loughborough University against Australian Universities. But it was in the last four matches of last summer that left-hander Bracey began to make a significant impact, with scores including 63, 156, 82 not out and 44 in the space of six innings to end the campaign top of the county’s batting averages. The century, in only his fourth Championship appearance, came against Glamorgan at Cardiff and stamped the youngster as an exciting talent.
Prospects For 2018
If new overseas signing Dan Worrall proves a success, Gloucestershire will have a seam attack to more than match most in the Championship Second Division and could prove surprise packets. Liam Norwell claimed 59 wickets in the competition last summer, while Craig Miles can be expected to set up on his tally of 27. David Payne's imminent ankle surgery is a concern, while the suspension of off-spinner Jack Taylor from bowling because of a suspect action, which will cover the entire season, is a another blow, but might offer more opportunities to promising Bristol teenager George Drissell, who made his Championship debut against Northamptonshire last season.
New four-day and 50-over captain Chris Dent will need to inspire a batting line-up, which badly missed Michael Klinger, who played only one-day cricket, and the retired Hamish Marshall in 2017. This summer Klinger will feature in only Vitality Blast and there has to a question-mark over the top order batting in the Championship, which the likes of Benny Howell, Gareth Roderick, James Bracey, Ian Cockbain, Will Tavare and new recruit Ryan Higgins, along with Dent, will be looking to answer.
Worrall will also be central to hopes of success in the Royal London One-Day Cup, which Gloucestershire won only three years ago, while Klinger will shoulder major responsibility for a decent T20 campaign in which Higgins should add some power hitting. A county with a comparatively low budget will again be up against it in all competitions, but in Richard Dawson and Ian Harvey have coaches who will demand high standards and ensure a battling team ethos.
KENT
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (2017 performance 5th)
Royal London One-Day Cup: South Group (2017 performance 8th)
Vitality Blast: South Group (2017 performance 6th)
Captain: Sam Billings.
Vice-captain: Joe Denly
Head coach: Matt Walker
Assistant coach: Allan Donald
Director of cricket: Paul Downton
Overseas Players: Matt Henry (New Zealand) for SCC & RLODC). Adam Milne (New Zealand), Marcus Stoinis (Australia) for Vitality Blast
Ins and outs. In: Kuhn, Henry, Milne, Stoinis, Harry Podmore (Middlesex). Outs: Adam Ball, Hugh Bernard, Charlie Hartley, Wayne Parnell, Jimmy Neesham, Yasir Shah. Sam Northeast (Hampshire), Matt Coles (Essex).
Man on a Mission: Sam Billings. The new skipper has a lot on his plate in attempting to improve Kent’s domestic displays, whilst aiming to nail down his own berth in England’s white-ball squads. He possesses undoubted talent, but, at 26, his lop-sided career is in danger of passing him by after almost two seasons ‘carrying drinks’ on the England fringes. With 30 England caps and over 200 career appearances in white-ball cricket, Billings has yet to play his 50th first-class match for a county team badly in need of his skills and leadership.
One to Watch: Sean Dickson. A latecomer to the county circuit, the 26-year-old opening batsman already boasts a brace of first-class triple centuries and a double hundred to boot. South Africa born to a mother who hails from Kent, Dickson has planted deep roots in the Garden of England and is already a popular and hugely determined member of the county’s top-order. A steely right-hander with a fascination for technique, consistency will be the keyword for 2018 as Dickson looks to post his maiden 1,000-run season, improve on his first-class average of 37.91 and force his way into Spitfires’ one-day squads.
Local Hero: Darren Stevens. Dubbed as Kent’s answer to Benjamin Button, Stevens continues to be the fulcrum to Kent’s fortunes. Though he turns 42 on April 30, the Leicester-born all-rounder has become a Canterbury cult hero since leaving the East Midlands in 2004. He often opens the bowling in four-day cricket and has taken 421 first-class wickets – only six of which came for The Foxes. His explosive batting has also matured beyond the ‘pretty cameos’ of youth, making Stevens a dependable middle-order finisher in all formats, while his canny ‘dibbly-dobblers’ continue to frustrate much younger opponents.
Prospects for 2018:
Despite losing two of their leading players in captain Sam Northeast and strike bowler Matt Coles, to Hampshire and Essex respectively, Kent have recruited quickly and strongly during the winter leaving supporters with cause for greater optimism.
A close season backroom re-shuffle has also seen the elevation of Ben Green to CEO and the return of ‘prodigal son’, Paul Downton, the county’s former wicketkeeper, in a newly-created post of director of cricket. Having suffered visa issues last summer, Allan Donald, the ex-South Africa firebrand, has also finally taken up his role of assistant coach to work alongside Matt Walker and with a brief to improve the county’s plethora of young, if underachieving pace bowlers.
Though new skipper Billings will miss the start of the campaign through Indian Premier League commitments, he has a worthy deputy in Denly, the club’s player-of-the-season for 2017, who has also excelled throughout his winter stints at the Big Bash and Pakistan Super League, as well as throughout Kent’s overseas matches in the West Indies Super 50 competition based in Antigua where, encouragingly, the Spitfires reached the semi-finals.
Kent will be bolstered for the entire summer by the arrival of new Kolpak signing Heino Kuhn, the South Africa Test batsman, and Kiwi firebrand Matt Henry, who has signed to play the first seven four-day games and the Royal London One-Day Cup qualifiers. Adam Milne (New Zealand) and Marcus Stoinis (Australia) will arrive mid-summer for Spitfires’ Vitality Blast campaign.
LEICESTERSHIRE
Specsavers County Championship - Division Two: ninth.
Royal London One-Day Cup - North Group. 2017: sixth.
Vitality Blast - North Group. 2017 - fourth. Quarter-final: lost to Glamorgan in Cardiff.
Captain: Michael Carberry.
Head Coach: Paul Nixon.
Overseas players: Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nabi, Cameron Delport, Varun Aaron.
Ins and outs: In: Tom Taylor (Derbyshire), Ateeq Javid (Warwickshire). Out: Clint McKay (overseas)
Man on a Mission: Michael Carberry. Just 59 runs in eight innings since moving from Hampshire towards the end of last season means the 37-year-old Carberry has plenty to prove to Leicestershire supporters, the more so after it was confirmed he would replace the side's only consistent and reliable run-scorer, Mark Cosgrove, as captain this season. The popular Londoner will have more bowling firepower at his disposal than the unfortunate Cosgrove, however, and if he can maintain his first-class average of 41, could help new coach Paul Nixon inspire a new era of success for the Foxes - the early signs in pre-season have been encouraging.
One to watch: Callum Parkinson. One of the country's brightest spinning talents, the smiling, sparky 21-year-old left-armer turns the ball on the most unpromising surfaces, and is developing the flight and guile to tempt batsmen into mistakes when conditions are not in his favour. His 8-148 at Worcestershire last season, when he out-bowled Ravi Ashwin, was Leicestershire's best individual bowling return since 2001, and the county aim to produce slightly drier wickets at the Fischer County Ground this season, to ensure Parkinson is a real threat as matches develop.
Local hero: Zak Chappell. After a year in which injury kept him off the field for long periods, Chappell has benefited from a winter working with new Leicestershire bowling coach Matt Mason, both with the ECB Pace Programme and at the Fischer County Ground. Stronger and fitter, the 21-year-old from Stamford (where he was coached by former England fast bowler Dean Headley) looks capable of fulfilling the predictions of those who believe him to be an all-round talent with the potential to be the next Stuart Broad.
Prospects for 2018:
NEW head coach Paul Nixon's asking Leicestershire supporters to be realistic about the team's prospects for the season ahead may have occasioned a wry smile among the Foxes faithful. When a county has finished bottom of the Championship in four of the last five seasons, and failed to win a single four day game last year, it is fair to say the most optimistic is not expecting them to run away with Division Two.
There will be disappointment, however, if there is not considerable improvement in both performances and results. The overseas signings of Pakistan international seamer Mohammad Abbas and more recently India’s Varun Aaron to replace Sohail Khan should go a long way towards addressing last season's biggest problem, the failure to take 20 wickets in a match, as should the return to full fitness of seamers Zak Chappell, Ben Raine, Gavin Griffiths and Neil Dexter, all of whom were either unavailable or not fully fit throughout much of 2017.
The talent of left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson, who picked up 17 wickets in just seven innings towards the end of last season, is another reason to be cheerful, as is a batting order packed with run-gathering experience. Michael Carberry, Paul Horton, Mark Cosgrove, Colin Ackermann, Dexter and Ned Eckersley are all proven thousand runs a season men, and will need to produce under pressure from youngsters Aadil Ali, Harry Dearden and Sam Evans.
The Foxes should also be a threat in white ball cricket, especially with Nixon's guidance: Afghan star Mohammad Nabi and hard-hitting South African Cameron Delport add to the firepower which saw them reach the quarter-finals of last season's T20.
MIDDLESEX
Specsavers County Championship: Division 1 (2017 performance – 7th)
Royal London One-Day Cup: South Group (2017 performance – 8th)
Vitality Blast: South Group (2017 performance – 7th)
Captain: Dawid Malan
Coach / Director of Cricket: Richard Scott/Angus Fraser
Overseas Players: Ashton Agar (Vitality Blast), Hilton Cartwright
Ins and Outs: In: None. Out: Ryan Higgins (to Gloucestershire), Harry Podmore (to Kent).
Man on a Mission: Nick Gubbins. After bursting onto the scene in Middlesex’s title-winning campaign of 2016, when he amassed over 1,400 first-class runs, Nick Gubbins endured a lean spell last season which ended with a hamstring injury.
The young left-hander’s England Lions call-up last winter brought little respite, but two impressive centuries in the recent South v North series fuelled hopes that he has turned the corner – and although he missed the third game with a fresh hamstring injury, he is making good progress towards an early return.
Gubbins remains on England’s radar as a potential long-term successor to Alastair Cook, giving him every incentive to plunder bowling attacks in Division Two during the coming season.
One to Watch: Tom Barber. Left-arm pace bowlers are a rare sight on the county scene – and, given Middlesex’s wealth of seam options, eyebrows may have been raised when the county offered Tom Barber a contract.
Released by Hampshire, the 22-year-old caught the eye in Minor Counties cricket with Dorset and did enough in two T20 appearances for Middlesex last season to earn himself a permanent deal.
Although still raw, Barber undeniably possesses genuine pace – as has already been recognised by the England set-up following his inclusion in the ECB Pace Programme this winter. He now has the chance to prosper further under the tutelage of Middlesex’s bowling coach Richard Johnson.
Local Hero: Toby Roland-Jones wrote his name into Middlesex folklore in 2016 with his unforgettable hat-trick against Yorkshire to seal the Seaxes’ first County Championship title in 23 years.
That moment highlighted Roland-Jones’ progression from first-change line and length exponent to strike bowler – and deservedly ushered him into the England frame.
Although injury denied him a place on the Australia tour, the Ashford-born seamer remains a strong candidate to feature in Test cricket again this summer.
However, in a season where forcing wins is of even greater importance, the Middlesex faithful can rely on Roland-Jones to lead the hunt for wickets.
Prospects for 2018:
Smarting from their controversial relegation last season, Middlesex’s immediate focus will be on regaining County Championship Division One status at the first attempt.
In addition to that self-imposed pressure, Angus Fraser’s men are saddled with the burden of being the bookies’ favourites for promotion.
With 10 wins required to achieve that feat last season, Middlesex’s prospects of success will hinge on taking 20 wickets on a regular basis.
On paper, their bowling resources are sufficiently strong – with the likes of Tim Murtagh, Toby Roland-Jones, Steven Finn and Tom Helm all capable of match-winning stints.
However, Middlesex may need a fresher, more aggressive style of leadership, epitomised by the appointment of Dawid Malan – who oversaw a strong T20 campaign as skipper two years ago – as captain for all formats.
Although Malan’s availability may be restricted by England commitments, Middlesex have ample cover in the batting department.
Eoin Morgan has signalled his desire to resume red-ball cricket after a three-year hiatus – only to suffer a broken thumb facing Barber in the nets - while former England Under-19 captain Max Holden is also pushing hard for a spot.
Middlesex’s chances are strengthened by the fact that Lord’s will stage all their home four-day fixtures this season.
The arrival of Australian all-rounder Ashton Agar should boost the county’s prospects of an improved showing in white-ball cricket – where reaching the knockout stages would represent progress.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (2017 performance – 3rd)
Royal London One-Day Cup: North Group (2017 performance – 8th)
Vitality Blast: North Group (2017 performance – 6th)
Captain: Alex Wakely
Head coach: David Ripley
Overseas Players: Doug Bracewell, Rory Kleinveldt, Seekkuge Prasanna (Vitality Blast)
Ins and outs. In: Brett Hutton (Notts), Luke Procter (Lancashire), Ricardo Vasconcelos (EU passport). Out David Murphy (retired), Azharullah (released)
Man on a Mission: Richard Gleeson – The fast bowler has enjoyed a meteoric rise since being thrust into a first-class debut against the Australians in 2015. Genuinely quick, his wicket-taking ability first caught the eye in T20 but last season saw Gleeson add an impressive return with the red-ball. He was ushered into the England Lions, took a hat-trick for the MCC, and with pace a sought-after asset for any team, the journey from Minor Counties to international cricket in just four years could become a reality.
One to Watch: Brett Hutton – His ability was never questioned by the Nottinghamshire management but their opportunities to pick him in a highly-successful side were limited. Hutton has arrived at Northamptonshire wanting more game time and among a smaller squad, is certain to get greater opportunities. He will add to David Ripley’s options in all forms of the game but his role as a bowling all-rounder looks a valuable asset for the county’s Championship side, where Northants hold promotion ambitions.
Local Hero: Alex Wakely – Has become part of the furniture at Northants where his calm, intelligent leadership is forging a legacy at Wantage Road. In terms of trophies lifted, he is already the most successful captain in the club’s history and he will be eyeing further success with a talented squad who always appear to enjoy playing, in large part because of Wakely’s composed stewardship of the dressing room. His career may lack a great volume of runs, particularly in the County Championship, but he compensates as one of the shrewdest captains in the county game.
Prospects for 2018:
The greatest compliment to the progress Northamptonshire have made since their annus horribilis of 2014 is that they have become a side players want to play for. With a reputation as a close squad who play a positive brand of cricket with a sense of enjoyment, Northants are a bunch admired around the country. But they are serious about success and have compiled a squad set to be competitive across all three formats once again.
Their improvement in the Specsavers County Championship was born in the latter stages of the 2016 season and would have carried them to promotion last season but for a consistent failure to gain batting bonus points. The signing of Luke Procter from Lancashire was made with this in mind – he will provide more solidity in the batting order and act as a much-needed ballast for the strokemakers elsewhere in the order. Given enough runs, Northants have a bowling attack capable of bowling out any line-up, bolstered this year by Brett Hutton joining the club.
Hutton will also improve the Royal London One-Day Cup side, the competition where Northants failed to compete for the knockout stage last year hampered by a bad run of injuries. But a quarter-final appearance in 2016 suggests a run at qualification is possible.
And having made T20 their forte for several seasons, Northants will expect to qualify from the North Group. Seekkuge Prasanna’s legspin – badly-missed last season – will return some much-needed variety to their attack in the middle overs.
SUSSEX
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (2017 performance – 4th Division 2)
Royal London One-Day Cup: South Group (2017 performance – 5th South Group)
Vitality Blast: South Group (2017 performance – 5th South Group)
Captains: Ben Brown (Championship and One-Day), Luke Wright (Blast)
Coach: Jason Gillespie / Director of Cricket: Keith Greenfield
Overseas Players: Ishant Sharma (April 4-June 4); Rashid Khan (1st 7 games of Vitality T20 Blast)
Ins and Outs: Steve Magoffin (joined Worcestershire); Ed Joyce (retired), Chris Nash (Nottinghamshire). Ins: Tom Haines (Academy).
Man on a Mission: Luke Wells has become a key component of Sussex’s Championship side but he is desperate to push his one-day credentials, having played only 23 white-ball games in eight years. Injury prevented him from bowling last season but his leg-spin is developing all the time and he is desperate to play more limited overs cricket. His bread and butter, though, is the County Championship. Last season he scored 1292 runs and, at 27 and having signed a contract extension until the end of 2019, he believes his most prolific years are ahead of him.
One to Watch: Michael Burgess arrived at Hove a year ago as a trialist and ended the season with a maiden Championship hundred against Nottinghamshire and a contract at least until the end of this season. Signed as back-up to wicketkeeper Ben Brown, Burgess showed enough to suggest he has serious claims as a specialist batsman. The 23-year-old came through Surrey’s system and had a spell with Leicestershire but has blossomed since joining Sussex. There is a space up for grabs in Sussex’s top six and he could be the man to fill it.
Local Hero: The latest product from Sussex’s flourishing Academy is 19-year-old Tom Haines, who was awarded his first professional contract last October. Haines became Sussex’s youngest Championship debutant for 46 years when he made his debut in 2016 and last season the left-hander worked assiduously on his game in the 2nd XI. The left-hander is highly regarded by Director of Cricket Keith Greenfield and with Sussex determined to keep giving home-grown players a chance he will get further opportunities this season.
Prospects for 2018:
It’s very much a fresh start at Hove. Jason Gillespie has arrived as Head Coach and the Australian, a serial trophy winner with Yorkshire, has promised to give youth its chance and to encourage positive cricket. Gillespie’s aims are clear: get Sussex back in Division One of the Championship as soon as possible and build on last season’s improvements in white-ball performances. Chris Nash’s departure has left a sizeable hole in the top order so the likes of Luke Wells, Stiaan van Zyl, Luke Wright and Ben Brown will need to score consistently while helping youngsters such as Michael Burgess and Tom Haines to develop. Sussex cannot afford another slow start in the Championship and early games against promotion favourites Warwickshire and Middlesex will be a good measure of their prospects.
The absence of Jofra Archer to the IPL for the first five Championship games is a major blow, although Ishant Sharma looks a shrewd short-term replacement. Archer should be back for the bulk of the Royal London One-Day Cup campaign and the 50-overs competition may be their best hope of success. There have not been any more imaginative signings for the T20 Blast among all the counties than the Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, the world’s No.1 ranked bowler.
WARWICKSHIRE
Specsavers County Championship: Division 2 (ninth in Division One)
Royal London One-Day Cup: North Group (ninth)
Vitality Blast: North Group (2017 performance – third. Beaten finalists on Finals Day)
Captains: Jeetan Patel (Specsavers County Championshp and Royal London One-Day Cup), Grant Elliott (Vitality Blast),
First-team coach: Jim Troughton
Overseas Players: Jeetan Patel (Specsavers County Championship), Colin de Grandhomme (Vitality Blast)
Ins and Outs: In: Alex Thomson. Out: Ateeq Javid, William Porterfield, Mark Adair.
Man on a Mission: Ian Bell. It was the season from hell for Ian Bell in 2017 as he began the season as club captain but resigned from the role in midsummer after being dropped from the T20 team. His batting form was badly affected to an extent whereby he ended the Championship season with an average of just 25.91. Bell has trained hard at Edgbaston during the winter – now the challenge is to show that the appetite and skills that earned him 118 Test caps for England still remain.
One to Watch: Olly Stone. Given a belated Warwickshire debut, having signed from Northamptonshire following knee surgery which ruled him out for a year, fast-bowler Stone delivered some searing spells which suggests his pace is not impaired by the injury. If he stays fit, expect him to cause some serious damage to batting line-ups in Division Two – and force his way into the England reckoning.
Local Hero: Sunny Singh. India-born but Birmingham-raised, left-arm spinner Singh made an impressive entry into first-class cricket last summer with two five-wicket hauls. With excellent control and a lot of composure, it was an assured start which saw Singh leapfrog Josh Poysden into the second spinner’s spot behind Jeetan Patel at Edgbaston.
Prospects for 2018
Warwickshire endured a nightmare 2017 season in two of the three formats and first-team coach Jim Troughton and sport director Ashley Giles will expect a big reaction this year.
The first-team squad is in transition but still appears to have more than enough quality to challenge hard to come straight back up in the Championship. Their 50-over cricket should be much better too. Ed Pollock, Dominic Sibley and Adam Hose, whose mid-season entry to the team transformed its fortunes in the T20, arrived on the scene too late to rescue last year’s moribund 50-over effort – this time they will be on board from the start.
Again powered by Black Caps trio Grant Elliott, Colin de Grandhomme and Grant Elliott, the Bears will expect to challenge hard in the Blast again this season. Meanwhile, much head-scratching has gone into what went so spectacularly wrong for the Bears in four-day cricket in 2017. There were several factors, including an ageing team, a collective collapse in confidence and a failure to press home winning positions when they built them. But in Division Two a top order including Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott should be strong enough to supply plenty more winning positions for the bowlers to try to exploit more ruthlessly.
There are few more passionate and effective cricketers around than Jeetan Patel and, appointed captain for Championship and 50-over cricket for 2018, he will be a demanding leader – and will be sure to lead from the front.