SOMERSET may have to wait another week to begin their Championship season, but the Division One action gets underway tomorrow (Friday) with three matches.
The division has been cut to eight teams - meaning the number of games each team will play will drop to 14 – and the quality is set to be as high as it has ever been, with numerous international stars playing their part across the counties.
Here is our guide to the teams Somerset will be up against over the next six months…
Essex
In: Varun Chopra (Warwickshire), Adam Wheater (Hampshire), Simon Harmer (Kolpak)
Out: Graham Napier, David Masters (both retired), Jaik Mickleburgh, Tom Moore (both released)
Overseas: Neil Wagner (NZ, April-June), Mohammad Amir (Pak, June September)
Often the newly-promoted side are the favourites to go down, but Essex will have their sights set on doing more than simply avoiding the drop.
Runs should not be a problem for last year’s Division Two champions – Alastair Cook (above) is available until July, Tom Westley scored over 1,200 runs last time out and promising teenager Daniel Lawrence averaged 42 in his breakthrough season. New boys Varun Chopra and Adam Wheater will only add to the stiff competition for places, while Ravi Bopara will be looking for improvement after a lean season in 2016.
The bowling will have an unfamiliar look due to the retirements of club stalwarts David Masters and Graham Napier, but they have recruited sagely on that front with Neil Wagner and Mohammad Amir set to add quality to the pace attack. If they can find a way of taking 20 wickets, Essex are unlikely to find themselves dropping straight back into the second tier.
Prediction: 6th
Hampshire
In: Kyle Abbott (Kolpak, above), Rilee Rossouw (Kolpak), Asher Hart (Durham), Fraser Hay
Out: Adam Wheater (Essex), James Tomlinson, Andy Carter, Gareth Andrew (all retired), Tino Best, Yasir Arafat, Joe Weatherley (Kent, season's loan), Ryan McLaren (Lancashire)
Overseas: George Bailey.
The south coast club are fortunate to be playing at this level going into the new season, having finished eighth last season only to be reprieved by the ECB’s heavy-handed punishment of Durham.
They have recruited expansively to try and ensure that they do not need such a let-off this time round, with South African duo Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw giving up their international ambitions to sign three-year deals at the club. Abbott should be a safe bet for 50 wickets and will lead the attack, while the progress of young spinner Mason Crane is one of the division’s more intriguing sub-plots.
The batting may be what lets Hampshire down, though they have been boosted by the welcome return of Michael Carberry after illness ruled him out of last year. Much may depend on how James Vince responds to his disappointing spell in the England side – if he can score heavily on his return to county cricket then his side should avoid the drop.
Prediction: 5th
Lancashire
In: Dane Vilas (Kolpak), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Kolpak), Brooke Guest
Out: Tom Smith (retired), Nathan Buck (Northamptonshire), Gareth Griffiths (Leicestershire), Luis Reece (Derbyshire), George Edwards, Alviro Petersen (both released)
Overseas: Ryan McLaren (SA), Junaid Khan (Pak, T20)
Of all the teams in the division, Lancashire are probably the most difficult to predict.
They narrowly avoided relegation last time out and have some exciting talents, but they may end up losing two of the brightest of those, Haseeb Hameed and Liam Livingstone, to England duty. The addition of 42-year-old Shivnarine Chanderpaul, though he is likely to score well, must have frustrated youngsters hoping to follow in the footsteps of the two players listed above.
The Red Rose are bolstered by the early season availability of James Anderson (above), but the rest of the seam attack looks light – it could be a long season for the Old Trafford outfit.
Prediction: 8th
Middlesex
In:
Out: Andrew Balbirnie (released), Max Holden (loan, Northants), Cameron Steel (Durham)
Overseas: Brendon McCullum (NZ, T20), Adam Voges (Aus)
Last year’s champions have not added to their squad, but the existing side is still likely to challenge strongly again this year.
Nick Gubbins (above) has been tipped by many to top the division’s scoring charts, while a motivated Nick Compton should prove to be an important asset in the top order. Their narrow win over the MCC recently showed that they have not lost the ability to complete challenging run chases – something Somerset remember all too well after last July’s fixture at Taunton – and in Adam Voges they have a top class overseas player.
Toby Roland-Jones, whose hat-trick sealed the title, should be firing on all cylinders again and, though the decision to loan out James Harris took many by surprise, their bowling attack carries depth. It is often said that retaining a title is more difficult than winning it in the first place, but Middlesex look set to give it a real go.
Prediction: 2nd
Somerset
In: Steven Davies (Surrey)
Out: Chris Rogers (retired), Alex Barrow (released)
Overseas: Dean Elgar (SA)
An agonising final day ensured Somerset again missed out on an elusive first Championship title last season, but that has only served to strengthen the desire in the West Country to end that long barren run.
They have the ability to do it as well, with a squad that has a good balance of youth and experience under the guidance of new captain Tom Abell (above). Dean Elgar and Steve Davies are shrewd additions, Marcus Trescothick and James Hildreth can be relied upon to score heavily and Peter Trego will also be looking to build on an excellent campaign with the bat.
The bowling attack is stocked full of youngsters who are feeling the benefit of having several seasons’ worth of experience behind them, and this could be a productive season for Lewis Gregory and the Overton twins. Jack Leach will be trusted to lead the attack on the turning Taunton wickets, which could prove pivotal - if Somerset can turn the County Ground into a fortress again, this could just be their year.
Prediction: 1st
Surrey
In: Scott Borthwick, Mark Stoneman (both Durham), Kevin Pietersen (T20)
Out: Steven Davies (Somerset), Gary Wilson (Derbyshire), James Burke (loan, Leicestershire), Azhar Mahmood (released)
Overseas: Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Aaron Finch (Aus, T20).
Surrey improved as the season went on last time out and have the quality to launch a title charge in 2017.
The Londoners have taken advantage of Durham’s financial plight to tempt Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman (above) to the capital, and both will be looking to score the runs required to push them into international contention. Kumar Sangakkara did not quite fill his boots as predicted last season, but his experience and quality will be vital at the top of the order.
The Curran twins, Tom and Sam, will be looking to continue their respective rises, and the presence of the brothers along with Stuart Meaker and Mark Footitt ensures Surrey are blessed with arguably the division’s best pace attack.
Prediction: 4th
Warwickshire
In: Olly Stone (Northamptonshire), Grant Elliott (Kolpak)
Out: Varun Chopra (Essex), Laurie Evans (Sussex), Richard Jones (Leicestershire), Recordo Gordon, Jonathan Webb, Freddie Coleman (all released)
Overseas: Jeetan Patel (NZ), Colin de Grandhomme (NZ, T20)
On paper, Warwickshire have a formidable outfit packed with experience, but they were poor for large parts of last year and could find life difficult again.
Ashley Giles has been tempted back to Edgbaston as a sporting director, while Ian Bell (above) retains his motivation for big runs and would love nothing more than to lead his boyhood club to success, but there remains a nagging sense that their squad have stagnated somewhat and could do with an injection of youth.
The bowling attack will be depleted by the likely loss of Chris Woakes to international duty for large parts of the summer and, though Olly Stone is an exciting prospect, they will miss the consistency that the England man provides.
Prediction: 7th
Yorkshire
Out: Andrew Gale
Overseas: Peter Handscomb (Aus), Travis Head (Aus, T20)
There has been a lot of upstairs upheaval over the winter at Headingley, with last year’s captain Andrew Gale moving into a coaching role and Gary Ballance (above) stepping up to the plate as skipper.
With Ballance unlikely to be impacted by England duty, he can focus on leading a side who look well-placed to mount another title tilt – especially with Australian batsman Peter Hanscomb available for the full season, thereby avoiding the scenario that saw Yorkshire use three different overseas players in 2016.
Tim Bresnan and Jack Brooks are excellent and reliable leaders of the pace attack, while Ryan Sidebottom will be seeking a fairytale Championship win to mark his final season. They will be there or thereabouts, but may end up falling just short.
Prediction: 3rd
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