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Division Two review

Hampshire pip Worcestershire to the title at the end of a dramatic final round of fixtures, but Leicestershire's losing streak goes on, and on, and on...

Hampshire celebrate after winning the Division Two Championship, beating Glamorgan on day three of the LV County Championship Division Two match
Image: Hampshire celebrate after winning the Division Two Championship

Hampshire and Worcestershire clinched promotion but things are going from bad to worse at Leicestershire. We review the Division Two season club-by-club...

HAMPSHIRE

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23:  Will Smith of Hampshire celebrates dismissing Jos Buttler of Lancashire during the Semi Final
Image: Will Smith: Inspired signing

Promoted to Division One as champions, Hampshire are back where they belong – or at least where the increasingly magnificent Ageas Bowl belongs. All their top five batsmen averaged over 40, with Will Smith, who scored runs when Hants really needed them and took a bagful of wickets in T20 cricket, arguably the signing of the season. James Tomlinson and Matt Coles both took over 40 wickets, but they remain a quality fast bowler short in the top flight, something the board may well be looking to address this winter. They made Finals Day – as usual – and will be kicking themselves they did not win the title again.

Our player of the season: Will Smith - important runs, stacks of unexpected T20 wickets and a steadying influence in the dressing room. What a signing.

WORCESTERSHIRE

Jack Shantry. Worcestershire. 2013.
Image: Jack Shantry: Worcestershire's unsung hero

With Moeen Ali away for half the season, promotion at the first time of asking represents a fine effort from Worcestershire. No doubt, the key to their success was the wicket-taking feats of Saeed Ajmal, who took 63 scalps in nine matches. But there were other heroes - Daryl Mitchell stroked five centuries – only Adam Lyth and Ed Joyce scored more. Jack Shantry – whose 89-ball century and ten wickets in the amazing win over Surrey was surely the individual performance of the season – and Charlie Morris both took over 50 wickets. And all-rounder Joe Leach and batsman Tom Fell both stepped up to the plate when they were needed. The Royal London campaign is best forgotten but they reached the last eight of the T20 Blast, too. This is a young, developing side which is only going to get better.

Our player of the season: Jack Shantry – for his Ian Botham-esque feats against Surrey alone, playing every Division Two match and always bowling his heart out, he pips Ajmal, whose action is now under question.

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ESSEX

Jesse Ryder of Essex celebrates taking the wicket of Worcestershire's Moeen Ali during day one of the LV County Championship clash at Chelmsford
Image: Jesse Ryder: Star man for Essex

Close – but no cigar for Essex. Injuries probably cost them a chance of promotion but they at least took the fight to the last match of the season before eventually finishing third. Only James Foster and Tom Westley played in every game, and with the fast bowlers in particular beset with injury problems, Essex were forced to raid local leagues to make up the numbers. Tymal Mills and Reece Topley played just 10 Championship matches between them, and their senior quick, David Masters, missed seven games. With that trio in the team, who knows? They remain a force in white-ball cricket, reaching the quarter-finals of both the T20 Blast and Royal London. But 2014 will go down as another so-near, so-far effort.

Our player of the season: Jesse Ryder – the big Kiwi has found a new home and signed a new two year-deal. He rewarded Essex’s faith in him with 44 wickets and 630 Championship runs.

DERBYSHIRE

Mark Footitt. Derbyshire. 2013.
Image: Mark Footitt: Leading wicket-taker in both leagues

Derbyshire finished the season on a high but in truth were well below the standard required for a top two finish and instant return to Division One. Cricket was put into perspective at the start of the season when tragedy struck the county in the form of a car crash which took the life of wicketkeeper Tom Poynton’s father. The club showed great unity on the field but there was somewhat of a mini exodus off it as key trio Tim Groenewald, Stephen Moore and Richard Johnson left the club. Finished with the fewest batting points in Division Two but boasted the most prolific bowler – Mark Footitt – who ended a remarkable summer with 82 wickets to his name.

Our player of the season: Mark Footitt – No surprises here. Left-arm pace bowler Footitt finally showed the potential many had predicted with a simply inspires summer. 82 wickets, 16 matches at an average of 19.12, well played…

SURREY

Image: Jason Roy: Surrey superstar

With Graeme Smith, Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting on their books, Surrey started as strong favourites for the Division Two title. They finished it well off the pace in fifth. All three played, as did Hashim Amla, but their appearances were merely cameos and it was another trio, messers Roy, Ansari and Burns, who grabbed the limelight. Smith played just three times before a serious knee injury ended his season and he was replaced by Amla, who showed glimpses of his class. Pietersen committed to 12 Twenty20 matches but could only muster a highest score of 39 as Surrey came up short on Finals Day. But the ‘new KP, Jason Roy, played his way into and England shirt and looks a gem for the county.

Our player of the season: Jason Roy – No-one was more consistent in T20 cricket than Roy, who struck nine 50s in the most unpredictable format and broke into the England team as a result. Not a one-trick pony either, he passed 1,000 runs in first-class cricket, too.

KENT

Sam Billings of Kent hits out during the Royal London One-Day Cup Quarter Final match between Kent Spitfires and Gloucestershire.
Image: The future looks bright for Sam Billings

Kent have little to show for their efforts, but 2014 represents a much-improved effort from the previous year. They finished a place higher, sixth, in Division Two. But they were much more competitive in one-day cricket, reaching the semi-finals of the Royal London Cup, and winning three more matches than last year in the T20. The batting let them down – no-one scored 1000 runs, no-one averaged over 40. Darren Stevens was the rock again with bat and ball – 859 runs and 56 wickets - and Mitch Claydon (55 wickets) and rising spinner Adam Riley (48 wickets) offered fine support with the ball. Had Doug Bollinger been able to play in more than eight Championship games, perhaps a promotion bid would have been on. Nevertheless, reasons to be cheerful – at last – at Canterbury.

Our player of the season: Sam Billings – given a run in the team, he delivered with some superb knocks in all forms of the game. In the second half of the season he was simply sensational.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

BRISTOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 10:  Will Tavare of Gloucestershire poses for a portrait wearing the LV=CC kit during the Gloucestershire CCC photocall at The Cou
Image: Will Tavare: Gloucestershire's rock

It’s worrying times at Bristol. Third from bottom in the Championship, off the pace in one-day cricket, and worse still, the Gidman brothers are leaving. Only Derbyshire picked up fewer batting bonus points and no team earned fewer bowling points in the division. The Gidman brothers Will and Alex supplied 2000 runs – Alex was the only man to pass 1000 runs and Will was by far their leading wicket-taker in the Championship, finishing with 39. How can they be replaced? In mitigation, they had no luck with injuries, which forced them to field 24 players through the season. The key figures of Craig Miles, Gareth Roderick, James Fuller and the sadly-retired Ian Saxelby all missed most of the season, and skipper Michael Klinger sat out six Championship matches. But even if they stay fit next year, it is hard to be overly optimistic.

Our player of the season: Will Tavare - It should be Will Gidman, but as he’s joining Notts we’ll go for Tavare who was second only to Alex Gidman in the run-scoring charts in what was a breakthrough season for the batsman.

GLAMORGAN

Jim Allenby: Took 5-56 as Glamorgan got the upper hand on Essex in Swansea
Image: Jim Allenby: Mr reliable for the Welsh county

A big playing budget, an international venue, a strong squad; Glamorgan should be challenging for promotion but instead only Leicestershire finished below them. The batting was a real issue in four-day cricket with only the ever-reliable Jim Allenby passing 900 runs. It says much that bowler Graham Wagg boasted the second-best average. They have every bowling base covered with Michael Hogan starring in both formats, Allenby and Wagg providing the back-up and Dean Cosker the spin, but Glamorgan have simply been too easy to beat. Jacques Rudolph was inspired against the white ball but, despite averaging over 80, Glamorgan failed to progress from Group B of the Royal London One-Day Cup or to a first Finals Day since 2004. They have already announced major changes to the squad for 2015.

Our player of the season: Jim Allenby – Runs, wickets but lacking support from his team-mates.

LEICESTERSHIRE

Leicestershire's Greg Smith (L) and Angus Robson (R) talk on the third day of the cricket Tour Match between
Image: Angus Robson (R): Runs in the family

The season was an unmitigated disaster – a second campaign without a single victory in the Championship, meaning they finished bottom of the pile, again. And until they find the means to keep hold of their best players, it is hard to see the situation changing. Josh Cobb, Nathan Buck and Shiv Thakor are all off to pastures new in the winter, joining the likes of Stuart Broad, James Taylor and Harry Gurney in recent times in deciding their futures lay elsewhere. The likes of Angus Robson, Ned Eckersley, Ben Raine and Rob Taylor offer some hope for the future, and the highly-rated Aussie Clint Mackay joins them next season. But it’s yet more depressing times at Grace Road.

Our player of the season: Angus Robson – brother of England batsman Sam, the opener showed that once he’s in, he’s hard to remove. The only man to top 1000 runs this season for the flailing Foxes.

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