Cricket: County Championship Division 2

[kevshat]

Division 2 also starts on Wednesday and this thread is for all things Division 2.

Best odds/All odds
Essex	3.25	3.25
Nottinghamshire	3.5	3.5
Middlesex	8	7
Northamptonshire	8.5	9
Derbyshire	10	8
Somerset	11	11
Gloucestershire	15	26
Leicestershire	26	17
Glamorgan	51	26
Each-way terms:		3 at 1/5

Preview Derbyshire Derby have made some very good signings over the winter. Probably chief among those is Ian Harvey who has arrived from Gloucestershire as an non-overseas player. Simon Katich has been signed to replace Michael Di Venuto and has been installed as captain and also Boyd Rankin, doing so well for Ireland in the World Cup has been drafted in. Phil Weston has also arrived from Gloucester making the Derby batting lineup look very strong. However their bowling doesn't look quite so strong. I like Rankin and Harvey but they'll need significant help over a long season and that's doubtful whether they'll get it. Derby have improved year by year and enjoyed their best Championship season last year however looking at their side I feel they'll have more success in the 1 day form of the game rather than the 4 day stuff. Last Season: 5th Overseas Player(s): Simon Katich & Travis Birt Key Players: Simon Katich & Ian Harvey Best Odds: 10/1 Sporting Odds Predicted Finishing Position: 7th Essex Essex have been a good one day side for a number of years however as a four day side consistency has been a problem. They've a good squad which in truth is a batsman or two to light. They rely a lot on all-rounders and could maybe do with an out and out batsman and an out and out bowler. Danish Kaneria will pick up loads of wickets at Chelmsford as will Andre Nel initially. Ronnie Irani and Andy Flower are seasoned pro's and regular run scorers but a lot will depend on England call-up's as to how Essex fare this season. Alistair Cook won't play many matches, and Ravi Bopara and James Foster could well be with England for most of the season. Among the dustbowl at Chelmsford, Essex will always be strong but when they play away from home it could be a different story. Andre Nel leaves the county halfway through the season and Andy Bichel may not get the wickets they require. Darren Thomas has arrived from Glamorgan but losing Darren Gough is a big blow. Last Season: 3rd Overseas Player(s): Danish Kaneria & Andre Nel (Andy Bichel from July) Key Players: Andy Flower & Danish Kaneria Best Odds: 5/2 Totesport Predicted Finishing Position: 4th Glamorgan Bermudan batsman David Hemp takes the reins at Sophia Gardens with Glamorgan going through a real dodgy spell in their history. Money is so low that fans of the club have had to pitch together to pay for Jimmy Maher to play for the club and give the Welsh side an overseas pro for the season. Simon Jones may well play the early part of the season but if he's fit it's hard to envisage him not being called up by England. Robert Croft's experience could be key. Changes are being made to Glamorgan's home ground, Sophia Gardens as they prepare to host an Ashes test in 2009. That means the Dragons will be playing at their outgrounds a lot which may not be the help they need. Glamorgan have some talented youngsters but there are too many of them and I see a year of real struggle for the Welsh outfit. Last season: 8th Overseas Player(s): Jimmy Maher (Matthew Elliott initially) Key Players: Jimmy Maher & Robert Croft Best Odds: 50/1 Bet 365 Predicted Finishing Position: 9th Gloucestershire Gloucester have earned themselves a reputation as a one-day side, rightly so for their superb records in the 1 day events in this country but they wish to establish themselves in the 4 day game. Losing Ian Harvey and Phil Weston isn't going to help and neither is the retirement of Martyn Ball however they do still have Jon Lewis leading their attack. Hamish Marshall returns to the county and Marcus North will begin the season there. Alex Gidman is talked up highly but the loss of a quality spinner and a key batsman will hamper the Gladiators. Zimbabwean Anthony Ireland could prove a good foil to Jon Lewis but Gloucester look devoid of the quality others have. A one-day trophy won't be beyond them but in the 4 day game it looks like being a season of consolidation. Last season: 7th Overseas Player(s): Hamish Marshall & Marcus North Key Players: Alex Gidman & Jon Lewis Best Odds: 28/1 Sporting Odds Predicted Finishing Position: 6th Leicestershire Last years Twenty20 winners have had a disappointing winter losing Darren Maddy to Warwickshire. Also gone from last summer is Mohammed Asif. Stuart Broad, who I rate as England's best young bowler is likely to miss matches on international duty and it's hard to see the Foxes winning many games at all. HD Ackerman is a real quality batsman and a plus for Leicester but with Nixon potentially being away with England they lack real depth to their side. RP Singh is an interesting choice as an overseas player and lots will depend on Cummins and Masters to support him with the ball. It's the batting that looks a worry though. Ackerman aside, Sadler can be good but hit and miss, and the backup isn't particularly frightening. Leicester are another side who I feel will have more success in one day competitions but the likelihood of much success around Grace Rd is slim. Last season: 4th Overseas Player(s): Mansoor Amjad & RP Singh Key Players: HD Ackerman & David Masters Best Odds: 28/1 Sporting Odds Predicted Finishing Position: 8th Middlesex A lot of signings have been made over the winter at Lords, the main one being of the new coach Richard Pybus. Chaminda Vaas has been recruited as an overseas player which looks a real good signing and Tim Murtagh has moved across the river from Surrey to Middlesex. Murali Kartik is the 2nd overseas player and Richard Johnson has left Somerset to return to Middlesex. England call ups could decide Middlesex's fate however it is feasible that even while the tests are on Middlesex could have all 4 of Shah, Strauss, Joyce and Dalrymple in their side. Eoin Morgan is a fine player and is Nathan Compton too. Ed Smith has begun the season well in the friendlies and his captaincy could well lead the Crusaders back to the top flight at the 1st time of asking. Middlesex have all bases covered and I think they'll take some stopping in this division. Last season: 9th in Division 1 Overseas Player(s): Chaminda Vaas & Murali Kartik Key Players: Ed Joyce & Chaminda Vaas Best Odds: 7/1 Bet365 Predicted Finishing Position: 1st Northamptonshire David Capel has been busy in his preparation for his 1st full season at the helm at Wantage Road. Spin will be the key for Northants as ever which makes the signing of Richard Dawson a very smart one. He'll take stack loads of wickets there. Niall O'Brien has been brought in from Kent to give a 2nd wicket keeping option and their batting lineup looks very solid, led by the ever impressive Aussie, Chris Rogers. Monty won't be allowed to play that often for Northants but that's not necessarily a problem as Jason Brown is still around. If their batting fires they'll be ok but the lack of a real seam attack could restrict their rise up the table. Solid if not spectacular for the Steelbacks me thinks. Last Season: 6th Overseas Players: Chris Rogers & Johannes van der Wath Key Players: Chris Rogers & Lance Klusener Best Odds: 11/1 Sporting Odds Predicted Finishing Position: 5th Nottinghamshire The Trent Bridge outfit have gone from Champions to a 2nd Division side in the space of a year and they will be hell bent on reclaiming their top flight status. It's amazing that Notts are down in the 2nd division really because a seam attack of Sidebottom, Harris, Shreck and Ealham rivals most in the country. Graeme Swann backs that attack up well with his spin too. Stephen Fleming is the best captain in the World right now and David Hussey is a very good 2nd overseas choice. In Chris Read they undoubtedly have the best wicket keeper around too so last years relegation was a real shock. To assist them in their quest for promotion in have come the highly talented Will Jefferson, Mark Wagh and Bilal Shafayat. Out have gone Will Smith while Darren Bicknell and Anurag Singh have retired. Notts look far too good for this division and I see no way they won't be challenging for promotion and the 2nd division title. Last season: 8th in Division 1 Overseas Player(s): Stephen Fleming & David Hussey Key Players: David Hussey & Ryan Sidebottom Best Odds: 3/1 Totesport/Sporting Odds Predicted Finishing Position: 2nd Somerset Somerset had an awful season last year. A lot of that was due to injury but that doesn't look like being the case this season. Justin Langer has been signed as an overseas player and captain and you have to believe he'll fill his boots on the Taunton run paradise. Cameron White also returns which is good news when the Twenty20 comes around. Marcus Trescothick is likely to play the early part of the season before he is recalled to the England squad and Ian Blackwell is fit to begin the season. The evergreen Andrew Caddick still takes the new ball and Charl Willoughby and Steffan Jones will be good foils. Youngsters Wes Durston, Arul Suppiah and Jomes Hildreth are making names for themselves and I expect a decent showing from Somerset. Somerset's problem could be bowling sides out at Taunton but Ben Phillips gives another seam option and Peter Trego is improving all the time. Somerset have a real decent mixture of youth and experience and although I feel a one day trophy is within their reach, they call fall just short of promotion in the Championship. Last Season: 9th Overseas Player(s): Justin Langer & Cameron White Key Players: Justin Langer & Andrew Caddick Best Odds: 10/1 Bet365/Stan James Predicted Finishing Position: 3rd Scoring System Win - 14pts Tie - 7pts Draw - 4pts Loss - 0pts Bonus points are scored in the 1st innings of all matches as follows: Batting bonuses: 200-249 runs - 1pt 250-299 runs - 2pts 300-349 runs - 3pts 350-399 runs - 4pts 400 and over - 5pts Bowling bonuses: 3-5 wkts - 1pt 6-8 wkts - 2pts 9-10 wkts - 3pts Bonus points apply for first 130 overs of the first innings only. Everyone plays each other twice with the 1st two being promoted to Division 1. Division 2 bets to follow.

[2hcb]

Re: Cricket: County Championship Division 2 did you write those previews kev? any side captained by Stephen Fleming is going to have a chance, Chaminda Vaas should enjoy Lords and if Middlesex escape England call ups as mentioned they look good to go up.