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**Official** County Cricket 2018

Bijed

International Regular
Just because there's been a bit of activity in the 2017 CC thread recently and it's not 2017 anymore
 

S.Kennedy

International Vice-Captain
Based on what happened to Middlesex last season we should probably be choosing Essex for relegation!
 

S.Kennedy

International Vice-Captain
I wonder of Keats rediscovers his form at Lancashire. He was actually more value as a bowler last season, his batting was so bad. If Onions stays fit that is also a good signing for Lanky but he spent the majority of last season on the treatment table so be warned.

Some predictions,

I think Kyle Abbott's wickets might keep Hants up - just. Surrey are going down post-Sangakarra I feel; you cannot lose those runs and not plummet. I have a sneaky feeling that Notts might go down for some reason. Middlesex will probably bounce back up. Kent or Northants also. I'm not sure who'll win the thing.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I'm assuming Jennings and Hameed will open with Davies dropping to the middle order - I hope he's cool with that
 

S.Kennedy

International Vice-Captain
Jennings career is odd. He was a semi-**** to serviceable opener ave 20-30, got dropped at the end of 2015 and then had this freakishly great season in 2016 where his average jumped to 64. Last season he started well but then his form collapsed again - dropped from England also.
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
Can’t see it ending well for Kent given they’ve lost Coles and are trying to force Northeast out the same door...
 

Tom Flint

International Regular
If northeast left id assume hed prefer to stay south. But the whole point of moving is to play div 1. Surrey needing to replace sanga makes them favorites id say
Middlesex need signings. I never thought rayner was top draw that was a one off season in my opinion and i expected him to drop off last year. Finn is finished, helm will play lots of white ball for england, trj will carry the drinks and malan will play all forms. Cant see us bouncing back up at all
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Not sure how you can say Kent are forcing Northeast out when he turned down a contract extension.

I’m expecting Jennings to bat 3 for Lancs. Would be a shame to move Davies
 

Woodster

International Captain
The Northeast situation is interesting, he hasn't signed an extension to his contract but presumably he is still under contract. As a result of not extending his stay they have taken the captaincy off him which I guess has forced his hand a little. I don't blame Kent for wanting some commitment off their captain and if he wants to move on then I understand why Northeast hasn't signed a new deal.

So who do we think are likely destinations for him ? Hampshire have registered their interest, presumably Notts having missed out on Jennings might be in for him. Would Yorkshire be tempted following their struggles last season ? I don't think Essex will make a move but he surely fits the Surrey criteria, wouldn't be surprised to see them make a move.
 

flibbertyjibber

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Lancs look like they are building a squad to have a right go at the title, might end up being harmed if Hameed or Jennings or both got back in the England side but the way we select these days (Vince) we have no clue what they will do. Think Lancashire may be able to do the old Warwickshire title winning way of scoring big runs and allowing scoreboard pressure to tell later on and not lose many at all over the season.
 

Woodster

International Captain
Lancs look like they are building a squad to have a right go at the title, might end up being harmed if Hameed or Jennings or both got back in the England side but the way we select these days (Vince) we have no clue what they will do. Think Lancashire may be able to do the old Warwickshire title winning way of scoring big runs and allowing scoreboard pressure to tell later on and not lose many at all over the season.
Yes I quite like the look of Lancs, as you say if they can keep hold of Hameed, Jennings and perhaps more importantly Livingstone.

The signings of Onions and Mennie should bring experience and quality to the bowling, they've had to replace Kyle Jarvis so it was imperative they brought reliable wicket-takers in, which they'll hope these two will bring. Ryan Mclaren will be a big miss aswell, was consistent with bat and ball last season.

There should be enough runs in the side providing Hameed doesn't have a season like last year, Jennings rediscovers his runscoring, Livingstone is not hampered by captaincy and Alex Davies continues to develop. If they can get Jos Buttler out for more than a handful of games then all the better.
 

SeamUp

International Coach
What are the teams looking like ?

LANCS

Hameed
Jennings
Livingstone (c)
Davies (wk)
Chanderpaul
Vilas/Buttler
Clark
Mennie
Anderson
Onions
Parkinson

Reserve : Buttler/Vilas, Bailey, Mahmood



YORKS

Lyth
Lees
Williamson
Root
Ballance (c)
Bairstow (wk)
Bresnan
Willey
Rashid
Plunkett
Coad

Reserve : Kohler-Cadmore, Leaning, Brook, Hodd (wk) , Brooks, Patterson, Fisher

NOTTS

Libby
Nash
Hales
Patel
Mullaney (c)
Wessels
Moores (wk)
Coughlin
Broad
Ball
Footitt

Reserve : B.Root , L.Wood, Fletcher, Gurney

Still got overseas signing to come & wouldn't be surprised if they in for Northeast.


WORCS


Mitchell
D'Oliveira
Fell
Clarke
Moeen
Rhodes
Cox (wk)
Barnard
Leach (c)
Tongue
Magoffin

Reserve : Be interesting to see if some of the young fast-bowling talent emerges like Brown, Scrimshaw, Pennington, Finch

Still got overseas signing to come.

HAMPSHIRE

Adams
Alsop (wk)
Vince
Rossouw
Bailey (c)
Ervine
Dawson
Berg
Abbott
Edwards
Crane

Reserve : Fast bowlers like Topley, Wheal and Holland from Australia

Overseas signing a possibility but also may opt not too.

SOMERSET


Bancroft
Trescothick
Bartlett
Hildreth
Abell (c)
Davies (wk)
Gregory
C.Overton
J.Overton
Leach
Bess

Reserve : Byrom, vd Merwe, Trego, Groenewald

ESSEX


Browne
Cook
Westley
Lawrence
Bopara
ten Doeschate (c)
Foster (wk)
Coles
Harmer
Porter
Cook/Walter

Reserve : Chopra, Cook/Walter

Overseas signing to come.


SURREY


Burns (c)
Stoneman
Borthwick
Roy
Foakes (wk)
M.Marsh
Clarke
S.Curran
T.Curran
Batty/Virdi
Meaker

Reserve : Patel , Pope, Jacks, Batty/Virdi, Dernbach, McKerr, Pillans
 

S.Kennedy

International Vice-Captain
Durham's first choice would, what with Burnham snorting coke, resemble,

Will Smith (returning)
Latham (overseas)
Steele
G. Clarke
Stokes
Collingwood*
Richardson+
Pringle
Wood
McCarthy
Rushworth

But you can pretty much bet Stokes will not be around for any of it so somebody like Weighell or Carse would most likely come in at eight or nine. McCarthy and Wood both might miss a bit so we have, Trevaskis and Harding (both spinners who can bat a bit) and new Aussie signing Rimmington (who I suspect will be marked more for the Twenty20s but probably will get dragged into to the championship as a replacement, thinking about the lack of seam cover). If Richardson bombs behind the stumps then there is Poynter there as cover, or using Poynter as an extra batsmen. Harte also if the batting gets really threadbare.

Probably then this is more likely,


Will Smith (returning)
Latham (overseas)
Steele
G. Clarke
Collingwood*
Richardson+
Pringle
Weighell
Carse
McCarthy/Wood
Rushworth
 
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