County Championship Division Two preview

Promotion places will be fiercely contested this summer, with some big-name clubs keen to move out of the second division. There is no shortage of exciting cricketers, with Murali, Shoaib and Graeme Smith all due to grace the circuit. On the eve of the Championship season, Andrew McGlashan assess the chances of the sides eyeing promotion to Division One.
Division One

Title Odds 50/1
Overseas players Michael Di Venuto, Jonathon Moss
In Travis Friend, Paul Borrington, Benjamin France, Lee Goddard, Ian Hunter, Jake Needham, Chris Paget
Out Mohammad Ali, Andrew Gait, Steve Selwood, Rawait Khan, Neil Gunter, Nathan Dumelow

Another season of struggle is on the cards, despite the best efforts of David Houghton to strengthen the squad. Travis Friend will add depth to the batting and bowling, but Kevin Dean and Graeme Welch will again shoulder a heavy workload. Houghton's approach to youth should be applauded, and he will not be afraid to throw them in at the deep end, but they are going to learn the hard way. Avoiding the championship wooden spoon may be the summit of their ambitions.
One to watch Benjamin France - opening batsmen who scored a half-century in his second match last season

The time has come for Durham's clutch of talented youngsters, under the astute guidance of Martyn Moxon, to stand up in county cricket. They have brought in two quality batsmen - Michael Hussey and Dale Benkenstein - and when Ashley Noffke is fit he will enjoy the life in the Chester-le-Street pitch. Steve Harmison adds another dimension to the attack for the first month of the season, and Paul Collingwood will be motivated to show he is still worth considering for a Test place. If they believe in themselves, promotion is certainly a possibility.
One to watch Mark Turner - still only a development player, but is highly rated around the North East as a skiddy, Gough style, quick bowler.

Chelmsford is becoming a second home for injury-prone England fast bowlers, but if Alex Tudor can over come his mental and physical problems Essex will have bought shrewdly. Darren Gough will again need to be carefully managed but Danish Kaneria has all the qualities of a real matchwinner - once he gets used to the temperature. Grant and Andy Flower's presence will ensure plenty of runs, while Will Jefferson and Alastair Cook make one of the tallest opener pairings around.
One to watch Alastair Cook - progressing through the system rapidly, and has an excellent technique and temperament

Title Odds 11/10
Overseas players Brad Hodge, Muttiah Muralitharan
In Steven Croft, Andrew Crook, Gareth Cross, Simon Marshall
Out Jamie Haynes, Chris Schofield, John Wood, Alec Swann, Carl Hooper, Peter Martin
After their shock relegation, Lancashire are unlikely to have things all their own way as they aim for an immediate return to Division One, but with three teams still going up promotion is well within their grasp. The appearance of Muttiah Muralitharan - if only for half a dozen games - and the availability of James Anderson gives the bowling attack a potent look and the batsmen are virtually guaranteed to make up for last season's poor showing, when no-one passed 1000 runs. Mark Chilton is a thinking cricketer, and will want to leave his own mark on the Red Rose in his first season as captain.
One to watch James Anderson - not an original choice, but will be fascinating to see how he copes after his disappointing winter

Hylton Ackerman will bring a hard-edged South African approach, and they will need it to make an impression on the promotion places. The batting is strong, on paper, but Darren Maddy needs to turn his one-day form into big championship runs. Charl Willoughby will have to bowl a lot of overs, but is a steady performer, rather than a strike bowler. Phil DeFreitas will give his all in his final season before retirement, but they look a star player short of being a real candidate to go up.
One to watch Aftab Habib - career has gone full-circle, now back at Grace Road and will add some solidity to the middle-order

The revolving door at Wantage Road has been busy during the winter, but it is still difficult to see Northamptonshire sustaining a promotion bid - unless the pitches turn square for Jason Brown. But he has lost the support of Graeme Swann and Monty Pansear has gone backwards, so even turners may not be enough. Johann Louw will again be bowled into the ground, but support is lacking. If David Sales wants an international career he has to score a mountain of runs, and Martin Love's hunger will mean visiting attacks will have to work hard.
One to watch Tom Huggins - an opener who likes to play his shots, and only needs to add some selectivity to become a useful player.

Graeme Smith and Sanath Jayasuriya will enjoy the flattest pitch in the country, but the aging - and injury prone - seam attack is in need of some new blood. In James Hildreth, they have one of the most exciting young batsmen on the circuit, and Ian Blackwell can be as destructive as any player on his day. The lack of a frontline spinner will be a major problem, leaving Blackwell and a Wesley Durston, a young offspinner, to shoulder that burden. But Smith's aggression and desire to win will ensure that all the players are giving 100%.
One to watch James Hildreth - has all the shots, a good temperament to match, and the best batting pitch in the country to exploit

The unknown factor of Shoaib Akhtar's fitness leaves Worcestershire an unknown quantity. If Shoaib fires he will win matches, but there is still plenty of time before he is due to arrive for things to go wrong. Chaminda Vaas is a more reliable, if less explosive performer, and will be able to exploit early-season conditions. Vikram Solanki has to make sure the captaincy doesn't affect his batting, but Graeme Hick will still be churning out the runs. If everything clicks they have the side to take them straight back to Division One.
One to watch James Pipe - has to fill the big gloves of Steve Rhodes, but his work behind the stumps is very impressive and no mean batsman either

Since winning the title in 2001 it has all been downhill at Headingley - and 2005 is set to be another struggle. The seam bowling is particularly thin, and Chris Silverwood is not in the first flush of youth anymore. Deon Kruis is not a long-term solution, so there may be the sight of some turning pitches at Headingley, with Richard Dawson and Mark Lawson, the young legspinner, aiming to take advantage. Phil Jacques will perform his annual run-scoring feats, and a fit Craig White is vital for a finish anywhere above mid-table.
One to watch Tim Bresnan - the well-built seamer will have a more senior role in a reduced bowling attack