The Reverse Sweep

County Championship XI of the week #2

Chris Dent (Gloucestershire): Steadfast six hour ten minute knock of 114 from the 21 year old Bristolian gave his side the initiative over fancied Hampshire at a bowler friendly Rose Bowl.

Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire): The forgotten hero of England's triumphant World T20 side from 2010, made an instant impression for his new county with a crucial 131 at the Riverside as Notts beat Durham.

Nick Compton (Somerset): After 236 against Cardiff MCCU and 99 against his former county Middlesex, the grandson of Denis continued his run-laden start to the season with a second innings 133, which so nearly helped his side turn the tables on Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Dawid Malan (Middlesex): It could just quite as easily have been Kent's Mike Powell, but Malan's painstaking 297 minute epic 88 was worth at least a hundred runs more due to an unusually treacherous Lord's surface. He was eventually last man out after shepherding the tail to add 127 for last three wickets to help Middlesex post 256. It proved crucial in the final reckoning.

Michael Yardy (Sussex): In the week his honest and heartfelt account of his depressive illness was published in this year's Wisden, Yardy compiled a captain's knock of 110 to lead his side to a big victory over the reigning champions at Aigburth - where Sussex were hammered in the corresponding fixture last season.

Michael Bates (Hampshire): The purists have been salivating about his keeping, but where were the runs his detractors asked? A second innings 87, which so nearly helped his side avoid defeat against Gloucestershire allied to an eye-catching display behind the stumps should go some way towards answering that one for one of our County XI to watch.

Mat Coles (Kent): Last week he made our XI with his maiden first-class ton, this time it was his bowling that shone with nine wickets as Northamptonshire were put to the sword by an impressive Kent.

Jonathan Clare (Derbyshire): A dream match for the budding all-rounder saw him hit 21 and 43 with the bat and take five for 17 and six for 40 with the ball to help Derbyshire win their first two matches of the season for the first time since 2002.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire): Employed as overseas star for his bowling, his county will be grateful that he can bat too after the New Zealander strolled to the crease at number 10 with 52 required to beat Somerset and duly smashed 43 in 36 balls to settle the epitomy of a see-saw clash at Edgbaston. 

Steve Magoffin (Sussex): The Australian was too good for Lancashire as he ripped through their fragile batting line-up with seven for 34 in the second innings and nine wickets in the match. His match figures were an astounding 35.5-18-55-9. 

David Balcombe (Hampshire): After impressing on loan at Kent last year the 27 year old started the season with a bang with the best figures ever at the Rose Bowl of eight for 71 as part of an 11 wicket match haul.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #1

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

It's not jealously KP, it's pure and simple indifference

Retaining the County Championship isn't easy...

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship 2012 Preview: Division 1 - Middlesex

2011 saw Middlesex finally return to the promised land. Can they make a big impression in Division 1 or will they quickly return to whence they came?

Strengths

A good blend of youth and experience was augmented over the winter by good acquisitions in Joe Denly and Olly Rayner. Chris Rogers leads a solid batting line-up, which will be bolstered by Andrew Strauss and Eoin Morgan for parts of the season. Much will depend on how Corey Collymore and Tim Murtagh make the transition to bowling with a Duke to Division 1 batsmen although Steven Finn will be around for some matches too.

Weaknesses

The step-up to Division 1 is quite large and despite their talent, the likes of Sam Robson and Dawid Malan are unproven at this level. The lack of a top-class spinner may also prove crucial in the final reckoning.

Main man

Having lost his place in the England Test side, Eoin Morgan knows he will need to make a big impression in County Cricket after he returns from the IPL. He certainly has the nerve and the talent, but can he improve his hitherto less than impressive first-class record?

Look out for

How Denly gets on after his move from Kent. His career had fallen away after playing for England in 2009 until a revival towards the end of last season, so this is a big opportunity for him.

Prediction

8th - Not quite enough quality to prevent a quick return to Division 2. 

Where next?

Read our Division 1 previews: Durham, Lancashire, Middlesex, Notts, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Division 2 previews: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northants and Yorkshire

2011 County Cricket Review: including Heroes of the Season, Best and Worst XIs, and a whole host of other nonsense

County Cricket 2011 Heroes: The Tiflex cricket ball

County Championship 2011 Preview - Middlesex 

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #16

Circumstances have dictated that we haven't been able to post a County XI of the week for the last few rounds of games, so without further ado...

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire) - A great week for one of our ten to watch in 2011. In a tight match with Durham, his 115 (only one other player from either side passed 50 in the 1st innings) set up a win for the reigning champions - much to the delight of Lancashire supporters. A good week for Hales was capped off with a call-up to the England T20 squad for next week's match with India.

Rob Newton (Northamptonshire) - The young opener struck a composed century against title rivals Middlesex at Wantage Road.

Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) - On a treacherous Rose Bowl surface where only one other batsman scored a fifty, Solanki's patient 79 not out looked to have given his side a decisive advantage in the basement battle until the rain gods and some suspect covers cruelly intervened on the final day.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Warwickshire) - Memories of his lacklustre debut against Hampshire the week before were quickly forgotten as a typically epic seven hour and twenty minute 193 set up the title challengers for an emphatic win over Yorkshire.

Dawid Malan (Middlesex) - Stroked a brilliant ton to put Middlesex in control of the top of the table clash with Northamptonshire - alas rain washed out the final day.

Steve Davies (Surrey) - England's forgotten man opened the batting and helped Surrey to a comfortable win at Grace Road with a 1st innings 121.

Keith Barker (Warwickshire) - Put in a fine all-round performance with four wickets in each innings and 85 with the bat to ensure that even with the absence of Woakes, Clarke and Rankin Warwickshire's title charge continued.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - Another to enjoy success with bat and ball as three wickets in each innings and a characteristically agressive second innings fifty helped derail Durham's title hopes at Trent Bridge.

Tim Linley (Surrey) - Excellent season continued with career best match figures of nine for 79 to help Surrey storm back into contention for promotion from Division 2.

Imran Tahir (Hampshire) - The pitch at the Rose Bowl may have offered him considerable assistance but there was no doubting Tahir's quality as he ripped through Worcestershire with five for 29.

Chris Wright (Warwickshire) - He can't get a game with Essex in Division 2, but the on-loan seamer starred for Warwickshire to take seven wickets against Yorkshire including a second innings five for 31.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

See if you agree with our other County Championship XIs of the week

Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach,  Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris,Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship Preview - Division 2: Middlesex

 
After several seasons of underachievement, Middlesex supporters will be hoping that a hectic winter of ins and outs heralds a change in fortunes.

Strengths

Chris Rogers is an excellent acquisition and a proven accumulator of runs in county cricket. There is a sprinkling of other talented batsmen in the squad too with the likes of Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Sam Robson, Scott Newman and captain Neil Dexter. But it is the bowling where Middlesex’s strength lies with Steve Finn (who could be available for more of this summer than last) joined by Corey Collymore, Toby Roland-Jones, Tim Murtagh, Anthony Ireland and loan signing Ollie Rayner.

Weaknesses

It’s a shame for Middlesex fans that Andrew Strauss is being rested until May by the ECB as he and Rogers would form a formidable opening partnership. England calls could also deprive them of Morgan (who is also playing in the IPL until late May) and Finn. The newcomers may take time to settle and the team to gel.

Main man

Chris Rogers – Derbyshire’s loss is Middlesex’s gain. It is almost criminal that Rogers has only played the one Test for Australia.

Look out for…

A serious push for promotion, as well as the continued development of Roland-Jones, who looks a decent prospect.

Prediction

2nd – No more underachievement for this well-balanced squad.

Where next?

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent

County Championship Previews - Division 1:  Yorkshire,  Worcestershire,  Warwickshire, Sussex,  Somerset,  Nottinghamshire,  Lancashire,  Hampshire,  Durham

2010 County XI of the season

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep