County cricket is back, with seven rounds of the County Championship to be played before Ben Stokes names his England side for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s in June. Those early matches can surface new names for international selection, but the primary focus for the 10 Division One counties will be the race for the Lord’s Taverners Trophy in late September.
Three-way title race?
Expect Nottinghamshire and Surrey to be prominent throughout the season. Holders Nottinghamshire are strengthened by Ben Duckett’s decision to withdraw from the IPL to prioritise form for England, while captain Haseeb Hameed’s leadership and runs, overseas quick Fergus O’Neill, and seam options Olly Stone and Josh Tongue give them balance. Surrey will want to respond after a disappointing campaign; Ollie Pope will be eager to force his way back into England contention, backed by seam reinforcements including returning Sean Abbott and Gus Atkinson.
Prediction: Surrey to edge out the rest and reclaim the title. Just.
Somerset should also be in the mix. Opener and off-spinner Archie Vaughan returns with momentum from a winter in Australia, and James Rew (now extended at the county) plus younger brother Thomas Rew offer batting depth and potential England prospects.
The chasing pack
Beyond that top three, margins are fine. Essex will target a stronger start after a shaky previous season. Sam Cook aims to press for Test recognition; new signings Mitchell Killeen and Zaman Akhter bolster the seam corps, while early-season overseas signing Wiaan Mulder and veteran Simon Harmer add firepower. Jordan Cox, when available from franchise commitments, is a wildcard who could push for national selection as a keeper-batter.
Hampshire remain dangerous despite narrowly avoiding relegation last year. They possess an aggressive batting lineup and the all-round value of Liam Dawson. Overseas plans shifted after failed attempts to land Michael Neser and Jayden Seales; South African Codi Yusuf will feature early, and young fast bowler Sonny Baker remains one to watch for England’s future.
Warwickshire face some upheaval after the sudden captaincy change from Alex Davies to Ed Barnard, but the presence of Chris Woakes—available for the full season now his England days are over—gives them experience and control.
The rest
Glamorgan return to Division One for the first time since 2005 and carry momentum. Jersey-born Asa Tribe, who impressed for the Lions and in SA20, could emerge as an England contender if he maintains runs, while Sean Dickson and Colin Ingram provide experience to help the Welsh county stay competitive.
Leicestershire are back in the top tier after a long absence. Rehan Ahmed contributed heavily to their promotion with bat and ball and will again be pivotal as he juggles county and England ambitions. The Foxes added experience in Stevie Eskinazi and Josh Davey and signed Jake Weatherald for the early block (Peter Handscomb unavailable). Ajaz Patel’s season-long spin presence should help them scrape through.
Relegation worries
Yorkshire must replace the experience lost with Dawid Malan and Jordan Thompson, and rely on overseas quicks Jhye Richardson and Will Sutherland to stay fit and effective; availability of Harry Brook and Joe Root early in the season would be a boon. Sussex start the campaign on the back foot with a 12-point deduction after ECB sanctions over winter financial issues. That penalty compounds uncertainty around a young squad that finished fourth last year; James Coles’s potential England call-ups could further restrict availability. Can Ollie Robinson inspire a survival fight as captain?
Predicted table
1. Surrey
2. Nottinghamshire
3. Somerset
4. Essex
5. Hampshire
6. Warwickshire
7. Glamorgan
8. Leicestershire
9. Yorkshire
10. Sussex
Opening round fixtures
All matches start 11am, Friday April 3:
Cardiff: Glamorgan vs Yorkshire
Southampton: Hampshire vs Essex
Leicester: Leicestershire vs Sussex
Taunton: Somerset vs Nottinghamshire
Edgbaston: Warwickshire vs Surrey