The Reverse Sweep

We Need To Talk About Durham - we really do

We were reminded last weekend by an amused Lancashire supporting friend that we predicted Durham would be County Champions prior to the start of the season.

Given that his tottering champions had just registered the first victory of their faltering campaign at Chester-le-Street of all places to leave my tip languishing at the bottom of Division 1 he was particularly sarcastic and downright irritating in his sanctimonious baiting.

But we grudgingly did concede that he had a point. Our prediction was up there with Neville Chamberlain's on his return from Berlin in 1938 when he confidently declared 'peace in our time' after supposedly securing guarantees from Adolf Hitler that he had no intention of invading any other territories in Eastern Europe.

So, the trials and tribulations of Durham's puzzlingly disastrous start to the season seemed as good a topic as any for our latest piece for All Out Cricket's sparklingly good website.

Of course since then Durham have had the better of a tight clash with the previously indestructible Warwickshire and given good weather and a strong final day could finally register their first win of the season. Durham's position has been created by two typically battling innings by Paul Collingwood - a player whose struggles we highlighted in our piece and a five wicket haul from Chris Rushworth - a bowler we failed to mention.

Irrespectively, we still believe that We Need To Talk About Durham.

Where next? 

The Plan by Steve James | Book review

Cricket heroes: Paul Collingwood

County Championship XI of the week

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County Championship XI of the week #9

Paul Horton (Lancashire) - Whilst Joe Root's hundred at Northampton was a more classy knock, Horton carried his bat in a 225 minute rearguard for 49 not out, enabled others to play around him and secured his side a lead that finally led to the reigning champions breaking their duck for the season.

Michael Thornely (Leicestershire) - Overcame the disappointment of missing his maiden first-class ton by three runs in the 1st innings to secure it second time around to frustrate Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Nick Compton (Somerset) - The weather may have prevented him from reaching the Holy Grail of 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May, but achieving the milestone just one day late with his fourth ton of the season was still a mightily impressive feat for the grandson of the Brylcreem Boy.

Marcus North (Glamorgan) - Sublime hundred helped Glamorgan - the Australian's sixth county - top 550 at Cardiff even if it did provide an impressive template for Thornely and Eckersley to emulate shortly after.

Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire) - The captain stroked 129 as high-flying Derbyshire were surprisingly downed at Bristol.

Ben Stokes (Durham) - A first championship ton of the season set up a tremendous match at Chester-le-Street and demonstrated that the talented youngster's star is going in the other direction from that of his rapidly fading bottom of the table side.

Ned Eckersley (Leicestershire) - A career best 137 not out saw the keeper add 245 in 88 overs with Thornely and earn his side a draw at Cardiff.

Will Gidman (Gloucestershire) - Why settle for one Gidman brother in the XI when you can have two? Will took four for 29 to skittle Derbyshire for 95 and then after Alex's hundred followed up with four more in the 2nd innings at Bristol.

Luke Proctor (Lancashire) - A maiden first-class five for saw Durham shot out for just 102 in the basement battle at Chester-le-Street. Three more when the home side batted for the second time helped the champions finally record a first win of the campaign.

Kyle Hogg (Lancashire) - Grabbed four wickets as the support act to Proctor and as he did several times last season added vital runs with the bat - 33 in the 1st innings to earn a decent lead and a quickfire 13 not out to beat Onions and the clock in the nick of time as the match came to a tumultuous end.

Graham Onions (Durham) - A career best eleven for 95 was still not enough to foil Lancashire, but his season record of 34 wickets at 12.61 and a strike rate of 29.7 plus the fact he is a more like-for-like replacement for the rested Anderson means he could earn his first Test cap for two and a half years at Edgbaston later this week.

Where next?

The Holy Grail, Nick Compton, Indiana Jones and the dastardly Graeme Hick

Read our previous County Championship weekly XIs

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

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Our County Championship predictions - Thank God for Yorkshire

Can there be a league competition anywhere in the world, in any sport that is more dificult to predict than English cricket's County Championship? We doubt it.

Last season we confidently tipped that Warwickshire and Lancashire would be fighting a relegation battle rather than ending up dualling for the title on the final day.

This year we may even have surpassed that ignominious prediction given that our title tip Durham are floundering at the bottom of Division 1 with their batsmen suffering a collective lapse of form that make Ian Bell's struggles in the winter against Saeed Ajmal seem mild in comparison.

To compound our error, the team that we predicted would be battling it out with Durham for the title were, yes you've guessed it, Lancashire. We should have known that one title every 77 years is quite enough.

The weather hasn't helped and there is still plenty of time left, but in Division 1 at least we can probably already resign ourselves to the fact that we won't be cashing in our chips come September.

Whilst we are clearly appalling tipsters, it is still evident that trying to predict what is going to happen in the County Championship is even more difficult than picking the winning lottery numbers or trying to work out what will happen with the Euro crisis.

Thank God then for Yorkshire - and it's not often we find ourselves saying that. Despite the club doing as much a possible to shoot itself in the foot - chasing Ajmal Shahzad over the Pennines into the grateful arms of Lancashire and making Mitchell Starc go around the world one more time than Phileas Fogg - on the field at least they are justifying our tip that they would win Division 2. Chasing 400 to win at Bristol last weekend was mighty impressive indeed. 

But with Colin Graves armed and dangerous, we are sure that Yorkshire's promotion charge still has plenty of time to come off the rails yet.

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

County Championship of the week #6

Another 'bloody disgrace' at Yorkshire

10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

County Championship XI of the week #3

Arul Suppiah (Somerset) – Stepped up in the absence of his skipper and usual opening partner to prove that a top order batsman can flourish at the bowling mecca of Trent Bridge.

Phil Jacques (Yorkshire) – Looked a class apart (along with our number four) as he eased to an effortless hundred at Headingley. How the Australian selectors saw fit to give him just 11 Test caps - despite an average over 47 - defies belief.

Nick Compton (Somerset) – Grandad Denis’ 1947 haul of 3816 first-class runs for the season is still some way off, but Compton is in the form of his life and took his tally to 685 (and we’re still in April) with his second double ton of the season against Notts. Alas, rain prevented Somerset recording a deserved win.

Ravi Bopara (Essex) – After a winter mostly serving drinks and twiddling his thumbs, the unluckiest batsman in the country gave the selectors something to think about with a brilliant unbeaten 117 out of an Essex total of 199 at Headingley.

Sean Ervine (Hampshire) – He may not have reached three figures like Ben Wright did in the same match, but the Zimbabwean’s 75 off 92 balls helped Hampshire chase down a tricky target in the nick of time at Cardiff.

Chris Read (Nottinghamshire) – Baled out his red-faced batsmen with a superb unbeaten 104 (out of a total of 162) against Somerset and now averages in the high forties since the start of 2009. Indeed, he has saved Nottinghamshire’s skin so many times, that Marvel Comics are reportedly developing a super hero in the diminutive Read’s image.

Darren Maddy (Warwickshire) – The veteran had a game to remember at Aigburth with four Lancashire wickets in the first innings followed by a courageous hundred made mostly in partnership with Rikki Clarke that saw Warwickshire turn likely defeat into victory against the team that pipped them for the title last season.

Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire) – Strode to the crease with his side in desperate trouble at 81/7 against the Champions but was unafraid to play his shots in a stand of 224 with Maddy, duly collected 140 runs and promptly turned the match on its head.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) – There weren’t many pickings for spinners on a dismal weekend of weather, but a week after blasting his side to victory with the bat against Somerset, Patel took five Lancashire second innings wickets to help his side to a second win out of two.

Graham Onions (Durham) – Got the first ten-wicket match haul of his career, took the England captain’s scalp in both innings and was the best bowler on show from either side at Lord’s. That's not nudging the selectors that is giving them an almighty shove.

Alan Richardson (Worcestershire) – Some have questioned his inclusion as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year – as if almost single-handedly keeping his county in Division 1 last season wasn’t enough. Ten wickets at The Oval should quieten the doubters for now.

Where next?

Naughty boy nets - 2012 style

County Championship XI of the week #2

County Championship XI of the week #1

County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

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County Championship preview: Our XI to watch in 2012

Last year we selected ten players to watch at the outset of the season and with the exception of Adam Lyth and Adil Rashid, for once our predictions proved pretty accurate. This year, we've opted to name an XI to shine.

Joe Denly (Middlesex, Age 26, First-Class batting average 34.47): Seemed to be the next man in line when he broke into the England limited overs side in the summer of 2009, but then suffered a long barren run until a resurgence in form in the second half of last summer. A change of scenary at Lord's may well add impetous to the revival. 

Joe Root (Yorkshire, 21, 35.03): Impressed many shrewd observers in his rookie season and is a good bet to develop further in his sophomore year. Of all the young batsmen in County Cricket, it is Root who appears to have the assurance, technique and resoluteness required to be a potential successor to Andrew Strauss when he eventually makes way at the top of the order in the Test side.   

James Taylor (Nottinghamshire, 22, 50.38): Looks as classy as a first-class average of 50 would suggest. The move from Grace Road will give him and the England selectors an opportunity to see how he fares against Division 1 bowling attacks. The number six spot in the Test side is up for grabs and a good debut season at Trent Bridge could end with Taylor filling the role.

James Vince (Hampshire, 21, 31.91): Has a look of Michael Vaughan with his classical, upright and attacking style, but has thus far failed to demonstrate the consistent returns his obvious talent would justify. A season in the company of Simon Katich at the Rose Bowl could be just what the young buck needs. 

Tom Maynard (Surrey, 23, 30.98): Made the great leap forward in his first season at The Oval with 1,000 runs in Division 2 at 40 and with three hundreds. An aggressive, fast-scoring batsman who is a good outside bet for England's squad to defend the World T20 in Sri Lanka in September.

Ben Stokes (Durham, 20, bat - 43.64, ball - 37.35): One of our ones to watch in 2010 and 2011, Stokes justified our faith by making a storming start to last season before injury ruled him out for six weeks in mid-summer. Has averaged over 40 with the bat in the last two years and continues to improve with the ball. Just don't call him the new Andrew Flintoff - not yet, anyway.

Adil Rashid (Yorkshire, 24, bat 34.09, ball 34.46): Had a poor 2011 and his progress seems to have stalled, but it must be remembered that this leg spinner is still only 24 and already has 280 first-class wickets under his belt. Whispers of a poor work ethic and inability to develop persist, but we're backing him to come good eventually - a much improved 2012 would be a good start.    

Michael Bates (Hampshire, 21, 15.57): Many including James Foster have raved about his glovework, which is a good enough recommendation for us. However, the young keeper will need to improve significantly on his batting average otherwise like Foster and Chris Read before him a long international career will elude him. 

Stuart Meaker (Surrey, 23, ball 30.07, bat 16.17): Very fast and extremely impressive in Surrey's promotion winning side last season. So much so, that he earned a call up to England's one day squad for the ill fated series in India. With Surrey's potentially lethal attack likely to make a big splash in Division 1, this South African bowler is a good bet for further international honours. 

Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire, 21, ball 24.32): Emerged from the shadow of Gary Keedy to devastating effect by taking nine for 51 in the penultimate game of last season to keep Lancashire's Championship hopes alive. Could well become the first-choice spinner as his side seek to defend their title.   

Reece Topley (Essex, 18, ball 23.55): The 6' 7" bowler took to first-class cricket like a duck to water with 14 wickets in his first three championship matches last season and looks to be a thrilling prospect. With prodigies like Topley around, England's selectors really could be forgiven for believing that fast bowlers grow on English oak trees.

Where next?

Our 2011 County Cricket players to watch - Who graduated and who didn't?

Our 10 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

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

Division 2 previews: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent

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

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 - Durham

Third last season and champions in 2008 and 2009, how are County Cricket's northern most side likely to fare in 2012?

Strengths

It's hard to know where to begin as Durham look stronger than a particularly pungent slice of Mont d'or cheese. The batting features the ever-dependable Dale Benkenstein as well as Michael Di Venuto and Paul Collingwood. Then there is young tyro Ben Stokes, all-round(er) Ian Blackwell and skipper Phil Mustard adding ballast and fluency to the late middle-order. If that wasn't enough then a blend of pace in the form of Steve Harmison, Graham Onions and Liam Plunkett, and spin in the shape of Blackwell and Scott Borthwick augers well for yet another concerted tilt at the title.

Weaknesses

These are harder to find although Harmison is past his best and increasingly troubled by injuries, which have also curtailed Onions' England career over the last two years. This means that the seam bowling is not as strong as it was in the triumphant 2008 and 2009 sides.

Main man

That has to be Dale Benkenstein - the heartbeat of the side and as reliable as Santa in that he always delivers.

Look out for

Stokes is returning from an operation on his finger, but if he can hit the ground running with bat and ball as he did in 2011, a regular spot in England's limited overs sides seems his for the taking.

Prediction

Champions - predicting the outcome of Division 1 is as difficult as choosing the winning lottery numbers, but Durham look the best balanced side. Given we've gone for them, they'll probably be relegated now.

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 Championship 2011 Preview  - Durham 

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Our 2011 County Cricket players to watch - Who graduated and who didn't?

 
Back at the outset of the season, we named our ten players to look out for (see links at bottom of this piece). We checked their progress halfway through the season (again see links at bottom), but with all the results in and the marking completed, now is the time to announce who graduated and who is going back to school next season.

Graduated with first-class honours

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire) - Championship: 1023 runs at 51.15; CB40: 266 runs at 44.33 SR 120.90; FLt20: 544 runs at 34 SR 146.63

A real breakthrough. Topped the Championship averages for Notts and struck three hundreds in 12 matches. Impressive limited overs form earned him a call-up to the England T20 side. His hit over the top style is reminiscent of a right-handed Marcus Trescothick.

Jade Dernbach (Surrey) - Championship: 22 wickets at 39.63; CB40: 23 wickets at 14.08 ER 4.97; FLt20: 13 wickets at 11.76 ER 6.80

Made his England debut and is already an integral member of the 50 and 20 over sides. The only area for improvement seems to be in the longer version of the game, where his form in the Championship was generally disappointing.

Rory Hamilton-Brown (Surrey) - Championship: 1039 runs at 37.10; CB40: 372 runs at 28.62 SR 120.77; FLt20: 232 runs at 17.84 SR 128.88

Whilst the stats don't necessarily warrant a first-class award, the Surrey skipper had an impressive year: he took on the added responsibility of opening the batting and finished as the county's second highest run-scorer and led Surrey back into Division 1. The cherry on the top was his 78 off 62 balls in the CB40 final, which meant that the county finally got their hands on some silverware again. Made our County Championship Division 2 XI of the year and was anointed as a County Cricket 2011 hero - which not everyone seems to have agreed with...

Graduated with second-class honours

Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)  - Championship: 756 runs at 42.00, 31 wickets at 25.74; CB40: 318 runs at 31.80 SR 81.95, 10 wickets at 35.70 ER 5.57; FLt20: 287 runs at 26.09 SR 141.37, 10 wickets at 34 ER 7.23

A solid season for the slightly slimmed down all-rounder, which saw him recalled by England -where he didn't look out of place. Just needs to stay away from the kormas over the winter.

Ben Stokes (Durham) - Championship: 628 runs at 48.30, 17 wickets at 33; CB40: 357 runs at 51 SR 106.56, 9 wickets at 14.22 ER 5.05, FLt20 - Scored 28 in his one match

Injury interrupted his season at the wrong time, but still managed to debut for England's ODI and T20 sides, where he struggled against spin. Clearly has a big future and as shown by his five sixes in an over against Hampshire is an impact cricketer.

Jos Buttler (Somerset) - Championship: 524 runs at 30.82; CB40: 411 runs at 137 SR 133.44; FLt20: 259 runs at 23.54 SR 148

Scintillating performances in the CB40 capped off with a fine but ultimately futile innings in the final at Lord's. Struggled in the Championship for the second successive season. Another to receive an England limited-overs call-up.

James Harris (Glamorgan) - Championship: 44 wickets at 26.95, 403 runs at 28.78; CB40: 9 wickets at 17.33 ER 5.60; FLt20: 3 wickets at 32.66 ER 8.64

Injury marred his season, but Harris certainly showed enough in the Championship that he is a very promising bowling all-rounder.

Scraped a pass

Danny Briggs (Hampshire) - Championship: 38 wickets at 36.65; CB40: 9 wickets at 35.88 ER 5.80; FLt20: 23 wickets at 14.91 ER 6.83

Call-up to the England T20 squad for the two games against West Indies perhaps hid what was a fairly average season despite being given some helpful wickets at the Rose Bowl. Did well in the t20 competition, where he would have learnt a lot from watching Shahid Afridi and Imran Tahir.

Back to school

Adil Rashid (Yorkshire) - Championship: 39 wickets at 43.38, 556 runs at 24.17; CB40: 21 wickets at 20.33 ER 5.33, 124 runs at 31.00 SR 88.57; FLt20: 15 wickets at 27.80 ER 8.17, 50 runs at 6.25 SR 74.62

Despite starting the season with a bang with an 11 wicket haul at Worcester, Rashid took a significant backwards step in 2011 and was overtaken by the likes of Borthwick, Briggs and Patel in the pecking order of English spinners. 2012 will be a big year for the leg-spinner.

Adam Lyth (Yorkshire) - Championship: 553 runs at 26.33; CB40: 314 runs at 28.54, SR 80.51; FLt20: 306 runs at 25.50, SR 114.60

An unmitigated disaster for the leading Division 1 run scorer of 2010. He flopped more dramatically than Kevin Costner's ill-conceived Waterworld movie. It's back to school for the dunce of the class next season. 

Where next?

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

Ten to watch in 2011: Half-Term report - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

Read all our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Predicting the County Championship and a bucket load of rotten tomatoes

Back at the outset of the 2011 County Cricket season, we made what has turned out to have been a disastrous set of predictions (see links at the bottom of this piece), which at the weekend (as the picture above depicts) resulted in public humilation and more rotten tomatoes coming our way than the Yorkshire squad has had from its irate members and chairman.

What we got right

Not much actually. We did correctly predict that Middlesex and Surrey would challenge for promotion to Division 1, but there again we tipped Kent to go up as Champions, so we can hardly sing from the rooftops about that one.

What we got wrong

Pretty much everything else actually. We predicted that Warwickshire and Lancashire would be embroiled in a relegation battle and that the former and Worcestershire would be the two to go down.

We also prophesised that perennial bridesmaids Somerset would emerge as Champions with Durham, Yorkshire and Hampshire (in that order) making up the rest of the top four – it’s not just Colin Graves who thinks that Yorkshire’s performances this season were disgraceful.

Supporters of Northamptonshire and Derbyshire amongst others will also doubtless be happy to remind us of our woeful predictions for their team’s fortunes too.

What does this say?

Apart from  the fact that we are clearly the most dreadful of tipsters, it also highlights how open the County Championship is – a fact that we believe makes it the best league competition in the world in any sport. Well that’s our excuse anyway.

Now where’s that cilice gone...

Where next?

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire,  Kent,  Leicestershire,  Middlesex,  Northamptonshire,  Surrey

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

County Cricket 2011 Heroes: Michael Carberry

10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Read all our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

 

 

County Championship Division 1 XI of the season

 
Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) - 1673 runs at 79.66: Scored 300 runs more than any other batsman despite missing his side's last three games and has once and for all usurped Mark Ramprakash as the premier batsman in domestic cricket. Agonisingly fell just 22 runs short of achieving the Holy Grail of a 1,000 runs before the end of May. Smashed six hundreds including one in each innings against Yorkshire in May.

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) - 1013 runs at 40.52: Others scored more runs (principally Alex Hales with 1023 runs at 51.15 from just 12 Championship matches), but Moore's knack of making vital contributions at critical times played a leading role in Lancashire's title success. His unbeaten 124 anchored his side in a stiff run chase at Trent Bridge, his 169 not out against Hampshire set up a crucial last gasp win in the penultimate round of matches and the former Worcestershire batsman finished off with 71 from 55 to spur the charge to victory on a tumultuous final day at Taunton.

Michael Carberry (Hampshire) - 793 runs at 56.64: His successful comeback from a life-threatening debilitating illness was one of the feelgood stories of the summer. Three splendid hundreds in nine games included a career best 300 not out against Yorkshire and a hundred on the final day of the season to help deny Warwickshire the title. Carberry's return coincided with Hampshire's revival but came too late to save them from relegation.

Murray Goodwin (Sussex) - 1372 runs at 52.76: Zimbabwe's loss was yet again Sussex's gain as Goodwin anchored a steady return to Division 1 for the county he helped inspire to three titles in the noughties. Four hundreds were topped by his 274 against Division 1 whipping boys Yorkshire. Gets into our XI ahead of Vikram Solanki (1148 runs at 42.51) who performed a similar role as Worcestershire defied the odds to stay up with Sussex. 

Dale Benkenstein (Durham) - 1353 runs at 61.50: Durham's title charge may have spluttered, but Benkenstein was consistency personified with 13 scores of 50 (including four hundreds) or more from 26 innings to once again prove that he is definitely not a mercenary.

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire) - 1015 runs at 46.13: Having finally removed the monkey from his back in reaching his maiden ton in his 59th first-class innings (and promptly turning it into a double), the sublime Bairstow didn't look back. An impressive season culminated in a stunning ODI debut at Cardiff and Bairstow should clearly be exonerated from the ire heaped on his team-mates by Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves after their ignominious relegation. Scores his runs quickly as a Championship strike rate of a touch under 70 ably demonstrates and looks to have the talent and nerve to forge an international career as a specialist batsman. 

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) - 56 wickets at 21.78; 579 runs at 48.25: Injury may have restricted him to 11 matches, but that did not lessen the impact he made with both bat and ball, as well as the huge influence he had on Warwickshire's title challenge. His performance with the ball was particularly telling and a strike rate of 43.5 is indicative of the regularity with which he struck. Pips team-mate Rikki Clarke as well as Samit Patel, Ben Stokes and Ian Blackwell to the all-rounder's spot in our XI.

Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire) - 67 wickets at 22.61; 551 runs at 23.95: Last year's champions may have faltered badly in their attempt to retain their crown, but that wasn't down to 2010's leading wicket-taker Adams who was once again outstanding and pips Alan Richardson (the leading wicket-taker in Division 1 with 73 wickets at 24.42), Boyd Rankin and Ryan Sidebottom as the third seamer in our XI. Adams also added vital ballast to the lower order with five fifties and a strike rate of 100.

Glen Chapple (Lancashire, Captain) - 55 wickets at 19.81; 365 runs at 19.21: Despite battling leg problems all season, the lion-hearted Chapple battled on to inspire his troops and write his name in Lancashire folklore. Delivered time and time again with the ball - no more so than in the final game at Taunton where he took three 2nd innings wickets despite a bad hamstring tear - and also added useful late order runs. Clearly, a man you would want in the trenches with you, Chapple epitomised the spirit and togetherness that took Lancashire to the promised land after 77 long years in the Championship wilderness. And Yorkshire fans, he was born in Skipton...

Kyle Hogg (Lancashire) - 50 wickets at 18.80; 365 runs at 21.47: Started the season late but immediately made up for lost time with an 11 wicket haul at the Rose Bowl and ended up with a half-century of wickets at a phenomenal strike rate of a wicket every 37 balls - the best by far of anyone with more than 10 wickets. Also contributed several useful cameos with the bat.

Gary Keedy (Lancashire) - 61 wickets at 23.63: With Chapple and Hogg plundering wickets at one end, the experienced Keedy waded in at the other with 61 priceless wickets. His success rubbed off on his spin twin and likely successor Simon Kerrigan. Keedy is the slow bowling option in our XI ahead of Monty Panesar who may have taken more wickets (69), but did so at a higher average and ten balls more per wicket.

Where next?

10 reasons why neutrals should be glad Lancashire won the County Championship

Ten to watch in 2011: Half-Term report - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

County Championship XI of the week: Division 1 Half-Term XI

County Championship XI of the week: Division 2 Half-Term XI

Read our 2011 County Championship XIs of the week

Read all our County Cricket coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Warwickshire up to their necks in dastardly Chanderpaul scandal

Forget the twin furores of pink cricket balls and the FA's lenient stance against drugs, the real scandal in town involves Warwickshire's challenge for the County Championship.

They stand accused of a crime far more serious and underhand - the shadow of performance enhancing runs now hangs over their title tilt.

The evidence became irrefutably clear yesterday when Shivnarine Chanderpaul eased to his third Championship ton in just four matches. If that wasn't performance enhancing enough then look at the effect of the dastardly West Indian veteran on the rest of his new batting colleagues.

Messrs Westwood, Troughton, Chopra and Clarke could hardly ever be called prolific run scorers, but Shiv has obviously supplied them all with the same thing that he has been taking. There is no clearer proof than the fact that Troughton hit his first Championship ton for 25 months against Notts last week. Even Clarke came to the party with his first century of the season in the same match.

And then yesterday in their final match against Hampshire where victory and maximum bonus points will give them the title, Chopra scored his third hundred of the season, but (and this is the crucial point) his first since scoring back to back double hundreds in the first two matches of the season.

Chanderpaul has got previous too - he was on the field when Durham won their consecutive titles in 2008 and 2009, so it seems incredible that the ECB didn't notice. Whilst they have been too busy tossing their pink cricket balls in the air, Warwickshire and the evil Shiv have been stealing away the County Championship from 77 year title famine victims Lancashire.

It also looks like ensuring that our County Championship casserole will come to the boil far too early.

The rotters. 

Where next?

Warwickshire, Lancashire or Durham? The County Championship reaches another thrilling conclusion

Is it time for the County Championship equivalent of Match Of The Day?

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County Championship XI of the week #18

County Championship XI of the week #10: Division 1 Half-Term XI

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

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Warwickshire, Lancashire or Durham? The County Championship reaches another thrilling conclusion

 
As we suggested last week the County Championship - unlike football’s Premier League - is awash with excitement, unpredictability and participants that are not the wrong side of ghastly. So it is entirely befitting that with the final round of matches beginning today (weather permitting) the destination of the title is yet to be decided.

Warwickshire’s crushing victory over reigning champions Nottinghamshire took them to the top of the table for the first time this season are slight favourites, but they face a tough assignment at the Rose Bowl where the home side still have everything to play for in their final attempt to escape the trap door to Division 2. A spin-friendly wicket is likely to await and it is the absence of just such a bowler to match Hampshire’s Danny Briggs that could yet prove Warwickshire’s undoing.

Lying in wait just three points behind are Lancashire, whose title famine stretches back 77 long years. They can testify how difficult Hampshire will be to beat following their last gasp win over the south coast side on Saturday where Simon Kerrigan’s ninth second innings wicket came with just one over in the game left. Their assignment at Taunton appears the easier with Somerset having nothing to play for - indeed they may be forgiven for having next weekend’s final of the Clydesdale Bank trophy and the qualifying rounds of the Champions League that follow immediately after on their minds. This could play into Lancashire’s hands.

Third placed Durham have already probably blown their chances, but if the weather and/or both the times above them suffer a dose of the South African chokes then a home victory over Worcestershire could hand them their third title in four years.

The excitement is almost too much to take, so perhaps it is lucky that once again Sky Sports has chosen to ignore the conclusion of another tumultuously thrilling season.

Our County Championship casserole is certainly coming to the boil at just the right time...

Where next?

Is it time for the County Championship equivalent of Match Of The Day?

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This War of the Roses is NOT live on Sky

See if you agree with our 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

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The most exciting league in the world

Forget the massively over-hyped Premier League, Serie A or even the two-horse race that is the Primera Liga, by far the most exciting league competition in the world is the English County Championship.

Any lingering doubts as to the merits of splitting a hitherto single 18 team (17 before Durham's entry in the early 1990s) Championship into two divisions must surely now be dispelled by what has once again been a fascinating and close fought battle.

With just two rounds of matches to go, every county in Division 1 bar the reigning champions Nottinghamshire are either embroiled in the fight for the title or desperately battling to avoid the relegation trap door.

Will it be Durham, Warwickshire, Lancashire or rank outsiders Somerset for the title? And which two of Sussex, Worcestershire, Yorkshire and Hampshire will suffer the ignominy of demotion to Division 2? 

Whilst in Division 2, there is a four-way battle for the two promotion spots. Middlesex look to have sown up one of these and in all realism it is now between season-long pacesetters Northamptonshire and fast-finishing Surrey for the second spot. Gloucestershire are waiting in the wings should both of these suffer a monumental slip over the next ten days.

Last week we asked if anyone actually wanted to win the County Championship this season such have been the twists and turns of an entirely unpredictable competition. But it's time to stick our necks out and whilst (as a neutral Sussex fan) we'd love to see Lancashire finally end their title famine and rate Durham as the strongest side, we feel that Warwickshire will prevail - the presence of Chris Woakes (strangely ignored by England) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will (in our opinion) tip the scales their way.

As for relegation, Yorkshire look doomed having only one game left to play and Hampshire have probably left it too late - that at least leaves Sussex safe. They will be replaced by Middlesex and Northants - it would be just too cruel for them not to go up now.

So forget the Premier League, give me the County Championship anyday.

Where next?

Our Top 20 Cricket Blogs

Cricket XIs: Cricketing Criminals

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

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Does anyone actually want to win the County Championship?

 
It would seem not.

Indeed, this year’s Championship may eventually become known as the Devon Loch season as just as a frontrunner has emerged so they have stumbled with the finishing post almost in sight.

At the time, Durham’s victory over Lancashire at the end of June had a decisive look about it with the northernmost county seemingly set to secure its third title in four seasons. Since then though, things have fallen apart with three losses and one draw in their last four matches. Indeed, with Durham having slipped to third in the table and the two counties ahead of them – Lancashire and Warwickshire – having played a game less, last week’s defeat at Trent Bridge seemed to have ended their hopes for good.

Lancashire have not won the title outright since 1934, but this team - whose sum is much greater than its parts - looked set to end 77 years of hurt. Unfortunately, Durham’s travails have presaged the Red Rose county’s own tale of woe, which has seen them win only one of their last four games. Their troubles reached a new nadir yesterday with a ten wicket defeat to Worcestershire, which saw them shot out for a lowly 80 in their second innings to lose in just a day and a half. Their batting always had a brittle look about it and so it has transpired as they have now been bowled out for less than 200 seven times in their last 12 championship innings. This is not the form of champions.

Whilst Durham and Lancashire stumbled, Somerset who had hitherto looked out of the title race roared back into contention with wins over Durham, Worcestershire and Sussex. But just as wise sages nodded that Somerset had timed their run perfectly, so the weather (against Notts last week), injury (to Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton) and England call-ups (Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler) have stymied their hopes. With Hampshire fully in control of proceedings at Taunton in the current round of matches, the recent perennial bridesmaids of English cricket seem destined to miss out on the nuptials once again.

The fourth and final title challenger Warwickshire have had the good fortune to have played Yorkshire in their last two matches and the sense to have recruited Shivnarine Chanderpaul on a short-term contract. A demoralising defeat to Hampshire a fortnight ago where they were bowled out for 98 in their second innings seemed to suggest that Warwickshire lacked the quality required to be champions. But a spirited performance at Headingley last week with a weakened side built around Chanderpaul’s 193 got them back on track, and another hundred from the West Indian in the return match this week has put Warwickshire firmly in control and set for another victory. Chanderpaul has previous as far as the Championship is concerned: he was with Durham on the day the title was secured in 2008 and 2009 – at this rate he could be running in the mascot derby should Warwickshire reach the T20 Final Day next summer.

If Warwickshire do win over the next two days, then the Championship would be theirs to lose, but the way this season has gone don’t be surprised if they stumble too like Durham and Lancashire. If they do, Durham who look set to defeat Sussex at Hove will be right back in the running, but – and look away now Yorkshire lovers – we still retain (vain?) hope that Lancashire will recover somehow and lift that elusive trophy once again.

Where next?

Brigitte Bardot is the support act to Lancashire in our debut column for All Out Cricket

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

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County Championship XI of the week #15

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) – Fifth Championship ton of the season set his side on the way to victory against leaders Durham to blow the title race wide open. Has now usurped Mark Ramprakash as County Cricket’s run plunderer extraordinaire.

Will Smith (Durham) – Carried his side’s batting at Taunton with 74 and then 114 when Durham followed on. Alas for Smith, his heroics were in vain.

Neil McKenzie (Hampshire) – On a pitch where Adam Voges was the only other batsman to reach 50, McKenzie’s 235 ball 97 not out was a mighty impressive knock.

Chris Taylor (Gloucestershire) – Fluent 196 against Kent helped his side to a big victory and enhanced their promotion prospects.

Tom Maynard (Surrey) – Blistering 141 off just 101 balls helped Surrey at least set a target after following on against Middlesex.

Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire) – Took a career best seven for 68 and match figures of 11 for 111 on a controversial spin-friendly Rose Bowl pitch. 

Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire) – In a week where few keepers shone with the bat, it was Ambrose’s 73 against his former county that stood out.

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) – Continued his fine season with bat and ball by scoring 74 and taking six wickets in the win over Sussex. His all-round performance gets him the nod ahead of Rick Pyrah, whose remarkable hundred transformed the Roses match into a truly gripping contest.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) – Put Sussex in a spin at Edgbaston with match figures of 10 for 168 after scoring a quickfire 65 - a victory which has put Warwickshire firmly in the title mix-up

Kyle Hogg (Lancashire) – Reduced Yorkshire to 42 for eight in their 1st innings with five wickets and then after a stunning fightback by the home team revived his side by top scoring with 52 in their 2nd innings before picking up two further wickets.

Tim Murtagh (Middlesex) – The veteran seamer sent Surrey packing at Guildford with a ten wicket match haul to keep his side in the hunt for promotion.

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

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County Championship XI of the week #13

 
The vagaries of the frankly bizarre fixture list means that our XI this week covers the round of matches that started with Northamptonshire’s trip to Essex on June 25th and concluded a week later with Warwickshire wrapping up victory against Sussex at Arundel.

Alviro Petersen (Glamorgan) – The captain was the only Glamorgan batsman to show any resistance in the 1st innings against Derbyshire, before eventually being ninth out for a battling 93.

Chris Rogers (Middlesex) - Shunted down to three to accommodate the misfiring Strauss, it was Rogers’s six hour 148 and the weather that ensured the game with Gloucestershire at Uxbridge was drawn.

Dale Benkenstein (Durham) – In the low-scoring top of the table clash at Aigburth it was Benkenstein that shone brightest, first with an unbeaten 83 to earn a crucial 1st innings lead and then 60 not out in a tense run chase to steer Durham over the line. Scored a shade under 20% of the game’s runs on his own.

Ian Cockbain (Gloucestershire) – Scored a patient 127 to give his side the initiative at Uxbridge to pip fellow centurion Wes Durston of Derbyshire to a spot in our XI.

Adam Wheater (Essex) – The 21 year old hit a career best 164 to help give his side a surprise win over Division 2 pacesetters Northamptonshire at Chelmsford. Now has a first-class average of just under 50.

James Foster (Essex) – Shared a 253 run 6th wicket partnership with Wheater to put Essex in command after the game looked to be swinging back in Northamptonshire’s favour.

Luke Wright (Sussex) – His side may have lost the festival match at Arundel, but Wright gets into the XI ahead of fellow all-rounder Rikki Clarke by virtue of his counterattacking 116 off 124 balls backed up by 3/54 with the ball.

Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) – Monty Panesar may have shown impressive control to take 3/88 from 44 overs in Warwickshire’s 1st innings, but it was Patel who proved the match winner with his maiden five wicket Championship haul.

Graham Onions (Durham) – Took six wickets as first beat second in the crunch Division 1 clash at Liverpool and also added a vital 79 with Benkenstein for the ninth wicket in Durham’s 1st innings.

Callum Thorp (Durham) – Conditions may have suited him but even so Thorp’s first day 6/20 demolished Lancashire and gave Durham a crucial advantage. Grabbed another couple of wickets in the 2nd innings too.

Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire) – After proving too quick for Somerset’s batsmen the week before it was Sussex’s turn to suffer at Arundel as the Irish spearhead took a seven wicket haul to help his side to another Championship win.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

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

Dale Benkenstein is definitely not a mercenary

Brigitte Bardot is the support act to Lancashire in our debut column for All Out Cricket

The secret of Paul Collingwood's success

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

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Dale Benkenstein is definitely not a mercenary

 
It may have sadly gone unnoticed by the programme schedulers at Sky Sports, but this week has seen a fascinating top of the table tussle between Lancashire and Durham in the County Championship at Aigburth.

In the end it was Durham who prevailed (just) in a low-scoring encounter and Dale Benkenstein was the man they had most to thank for giving them a slight advantage in the race for the title.

In a game where 20 wickets fell on the first day, Benkenstein was a class apart with his unbeaten 83 giving Durham a priceless first-innings lead. He then followed that up yesterday by steering his side past the winning post with 60 not out after Lancashire had looked set to complete a remarkable turnaround when Durham lost their fifth wicket with 99 still required. Benkenstein’s 143 runs in the match represented just under 20% of the entire total of 734.

Many Kolpaks (for that it is what Benkenstein was before acquiring a British passport in 2007) could be accused of being mercenaries and a detriment to County Cricket, but not Benkenstein.

He has been at the county since 2005, led them to their first Championship in 2008, played a vital role in the successful defence the following year and is having a remarkable 2011.

He now has 1003 Division 1 runs this season with four hundreds and six fifties – meaning he has only failed to reach 50 on just five occasions. That is Alastair Cook like consistency.

During his innings yesterday Benkenstein also became Durham’s most prolific first-class run scorer overtaking Jon Lewis’s previous mark of 7,854.

South Africa’s loss has unquestionably been Durham’s gain.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

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

Strauss’s Somerset stint is a sad indictment of county cricket

Gideon Haigh eulogises Test cricket and compares it to The Pixies

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

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

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Lancashire's long overdue date with destiny confounds Einstein and Mr Spock

 
The throw it in the air and see where it lands fixture scheduling of the English domestic cricket season would even have confounded Einstein in its randomness.

Mr Spock would have considered it illogical. And for once McCoy would have agreed with him.

It has certainly bewildered us at the Reverse Sweep.

But amidst all the Twenty 20 nonsense comes what could be the defining match of Division 1 of the County Championship this season.

Durham, who are top with 150 points from nine matches and are seeking their third title in four seasons, take on second placed Lancashire at Aigburth.

Lancashire are seven points behind with one match in hand, and with third placed Warwickshire a further 28 points off, this very northern clash threatens to have a very big say in the destination of the Championship. Some would give it the tag of a title decider.

It is 77 years since Lancashire won the title, so you could say that today’s game is quite a big game for Glen Chapple’s side.

But is there a preview of the game on Cricinfo?

Don’t be silly.

Are Sky covering the match?

Don’t be ridiculous.

Although as Sussex supporters we are obviously neutrals here, we will be backing Lancashire as 77 years is quite a long time.

So come on Lanky, Lanky, Lanky, Lanky, Lancashire…

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

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

Strauss’s Somerset stint is a sad indictment of county cricket

Gideon Haigh eulogises Test cricket and compares it to The Pixies

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

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

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County Championship XI of the week #12

 
The ECB seem to have played pin the tail on the donkey with the fixture list, so inexplicable was the sudden reappearance of the County Championship this week. Nevertheless, we are duty bound to select our XI of the week, so here goes:

Ian Westwood (Warwickshire) – With not even a 50 to his name in 2011, it didn’t need director of cricket Ashley Giles to warn that his former captain’s season had reached a “crossroads”. So by featuring in a 202 opening stand and going on to score his first Championship ton since 2009, Westwood will have hoped to have turned a very important corner.

Stephen Moore (Lancashire) – His first hundred since July 2009 and his maiden one for Lancashire couldn’t have come at a more critical time as his unbeaten 124 steered his side to a tricky victory target of 240 at Trent Bridge.

Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire) – Victories at New Road have proved to be like London buses for the home side and it was Solanki who set up their nine wicket win and second successive home triumph (and only their second in Division 1 since 2004) with a sparkling 173 against basement side Hampshire.

Paul Collingwood (Durham) – Whilst his omission from the England ODI and T20 squads confirmed the end of the international career of England’s working class hero, it was typical of the man to hit a defiant hundred in his first Championship outing of the season. Colly took a couple of wickets too for good measure.

Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire) – In the battle of the captains for the last batting slot in our XI, it is Andrew Gale who has to give way despite his unbeaten 101 steering Yorkshire to safety at the Riverside. Gidman followed up his 1st innings 43 with an unbeaten 76 to lead his side to their target of 161 at The Oval having slipped to a precarious 54/5.

Shakib Al Hasan (Worcestershire) – One of the driving forces behind Worcestershire’s promotion last season came back for a one-off Championship guest appearance. And what a cameo it was, with seven wickets and a quickfire 54 to help lift his side out of the relegation places.

Phil Mustard (Durham) – Made the most of a charmed innings against Yorkshire to crash 70 off just 67 balls to hand Durham the initiative. Now has 436 Championship runs in 2011 at an average of 109 and a strike rate just a touch under 80 as his side lead the way in Division 1.

David Lucas (Northamptonshire) – A stunning match for the left-arm seamer at Grace Road saw him follow up a haul of 4/55 with a career best 60 as nightwatchman, before taking 5/20 as Leicestershire were skittled second time around for 48.

Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire) – A feature of Lancashire’s season is the collective effort of the squad. Even the sometime malfunctioning and misfiring Mahmood stepped up at Trent Bridge with match figures of 10/186 – albeit at over five runs an over - and a handy knock of 46 to help defeat the reigning champs.

Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire) – Alan Richardson and Tim Murtagh may have bagged nine wicket hauls, but it is Rankin who gets into our XI for being acknowledged as the catalyst behind his side’s triumph over Somerset. Rankin’s pace, hostility, bounce and movement hauled his opponents back on a pristine batting wicket with his burst of three wickets for four runs being the decisive act of the game. "Rankin just blew us away," Marcus Trescothick admitted afterwards.

Ian Saxelby (Gloucestershire) – The 22 year old grabbed career best figures of 6/69 and the first ten wicket match haul of his career as Gloucestershire surprised Surrey sans walk-on girls at The Oval.

Where next?

Read all our County Cricket coverage

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

Strauss’s Somerset stint is a sad indictment of county cricket

Gideon Haigh eulogises Test cricket and compares it to The Pixies

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 XI of the week #10: Division 1 Half-Term XI

 
With the County Championship on an enforced break thanks to the ‘delights’ of the domestic T20 competition, we thought it was a good opportunity for us to select the Reverse Sweep’s Division 1 XI of the season so far. Our Division 2 selection will follow tomorrow.

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset, Captain): 978 runs at 81.50 – After a spluttering start, Banger more than lived up to his nickname to smash four hundreds (including a century in each innings against Yorkshire) and nearly achieve one of English cricket’s Holy Grails of a 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May. Unsurprisingly, the leading run-scorer in the country is an automatic pick.

Varun Chopra (Warwickshire): 726 runs at 55.84 – A pair of double hundreds against Somerset and Worcestershire in his first two matches suggested a rebirth after a barren 2010. Whilst he has only recorded one half century in the Championship since, he has starred in the CB40 and has done just enough in our opinion to get the nod ahead of the Sussex pair Chris Nash and Ed Joyce.

Luke Wells (Sussex): 574 runs at 52.18 – The rookie has surpassed all expectations in his first full season at Hove. His maiden hundred helped Sussex chase down over 300 against Durham, his second secured a draw at the Rose Bowl and his third came after being promoted to open against Yorkshire. Clearly a huge talent.

Ben Stokes (Durham): 609 runs at 55.36, 17 wickets at 33.00 – Promise fulfilled from one of our ones to watch in 2011. The youngster looked a good prospect in 2010 but is now clearly an exceptional one. With the bat he has three hundreds at a strike rate of over 70 and nearly achieved cricketing immortality with five sixes in one Liam Dawson over in April. He has also improved dramatically with the ball and whilst he still goes for a few, has the happy knack of taking wickets. Just don’t call him the new Flintoff.

Dale Benkenstein (Durham): 855 runs at 77.72 – South Africa’s loss continues to be Durham’s gain. Like Trescothick, he has hit four championship tons and has been the model of consistency in what has been a prolific Durham batting line-up. The second highest run scorer in the country.

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire): 749 runs at 68.09 - Has shone as much as Yorkshire have been dismal. After 58 first-class innings and 17 scores of 50 plus, Bairstow finally reached three figures against Notts and promptly turned his maiden ton into a double. Having removed the monkey from his back, he scored a second century at Taunton soon after. He still has some room for improvement with the gloves, but at this rate he will be good enough to play for England as a specialist batsman.

Ian Blackwell (Durham): 558 runs at 50.72, 19 wickets at 28.42 – The balance of this XI would be better with a leg-spinner such as Adil Rashid or Steve Borthwick, but it has proved impossible for us to ignore the larger than life Blackwell. He has the best strike rate of any batsman in Division 1 with over 300 runs (78.59) and the best economy rate of any bowler with more than seven wickets (a miserly 2.06 runs per over).

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire): 24 wickets at 18.54, 262 runs at 52.40 – He may have been laid low by spin splints, but Woakes did enough in his four matches to warrant selection. After starting with nine wickets and a hundred against pre-season favourites Somerset, Woakes continued to impress with bat and ball. His strike rate of a wicket every 36 balls is the best of those that have bowled over 60 overs.

Glen Chapple (Lancashire): 23 wickets at 19.34, 116 runs at 19.33 – We suggested at the start of the season that Chapple held the key to Lancashire’s fortunes. Whilst that hasn’t proved entirely correct, the captain has more than held his end up whilst inspiring his side to second place in the table. Can he lead the Red Rose county to their first title since 1934?

Steve Kirby (Somerset): 31 wickets at 25.00 – One of the ultimate unsung heroes, Kirby has held together what is a fairly ramshackle and pedestrian Somerset bowling attack to take a steady flow of wickets even on Taunton’s batting paradise. Second to only Gary Keedy as Division 1’s leading wicket taker.

Gary Keedy (Lancashire): 34 wickets at 22.35 – Talking of unsung heroes, Keedy has been Lancashire’s undoubted star in their impressive first half of the season. Has enjoyed bowling at Aigburth, no more so when picking up ten wickets in the Roses match when he had staggering match figures of 77.3-14-177-10. Keedy has been the best spinner in the country to date ahead of supposed bigger names like Panesar and Rashid.

Where next?

Cricket Heroes: Marcus Trescothick

Ten to watch in 2011: Half-Term report - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

Read our previous 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

County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire,  Kent,  Leicestershire,  Middlesex,  Northamptonshire,  Surrey

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

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Our 10 County Players to watch in 2011: Half-term report (3 of 3)

 
Concluding our half-term report on the ten players we nominated to watch in 2011 at the start of the season, we move to numbers 4-1 (as ranked  in order of ascending performance). Who has been the pick of the crop so far?

See also: Part 1 - Adam Lyth, Jos Buttler and Danny Briggs and Part 2 - Jade Dernbach, Adil Rashid and Rory Hamilton-Brown

4. Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire) (Championship: 335 runs at 55.83, CB40: 139 runs at 69.50, SR 115.83)

Promising start in both competitions cut short due to a broken jaw courtesy of an Ajmal Shahzad bouncer. Before his injury, Hales had struck four fifties in seven championship innings including 85 out of a total of 143 against Yorkshire. Hales also made an impressive start to the CB40 with a 101 ball 116 against Essex.

Rating: B – if not for his unlucky break, Hales could even have made the step-up to the England ODI squad where his hit-over-the-top style is reminiscent of a right-handed Marcus Trescothick

3. Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire) (Championship: 453 runs at 45.30; 16 wickets at 33.81. CB40: 171 runs at 42.75, SR 91.93; 2 wickets at 82.00, ER 5.46)

Is Patel finally starting to fulfil his promise? Has lost some weight (even if he still doesn’t exactly look trim), is Nottinghamshire’s leading run scorer in the Championship and outbowled Swann when they bowled in tandem at Hove. For good measure, Patel also scored a ton for the Lions against Sri Lanka.

Verdict: B+ – a good bet for a call-up to the ODI squad. If he keeps this up, a lucrative endorsement from Weight Watchers will surely follow.

2. James Harris (Glamorgan) (Championship: 26 wickets at 21.96, 224 runs at 37.33; CB40: 9 wickets at 14.88, ER 5.18)

Another to suffer from injury after an impressive start, Harris has taken two five-fers in the Championship and doubtless would have impressed Andrew Strauss when taking eight wickets (including that of the England captain) in the win at Lord’s. Impressive batting shows Harris has another string to his bow too.

Verdict: Hit – England have a plethora of impressive seamers and Harris is right up there with the best of those who are not in the current squad.

1. Ben Stokes (Durham) (Championship: 609 runs at 55.36; 17 wickets at 33.00. CB40: 305 runs at 61.00, SR 105.53; 9 wickets at 14.22, ER 5.05)

The pick of the lot thus far. Stokes only turned 20 at the weekend, but has already hit three Championship hundreds this season and his bowling continues to improve even if he does go for a few. Has also scored runs and taken wickets in the CB40, where his 150 not out off just 113 balls against Warwickshire is the obvious standout. Desperately unlucky to have sustained a badly dislocated finger, which has ruled him out for six to eight weeks and put paid to any chance of his call-up to the England ODI squad – for now.

Verdict: A – it’s a matter of when, not if, Stokes plays for England

Where next?

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

An England under-23 XI - the future looks bright

Jack Hobbs by Leo McKinstry | Book review

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