All you need to know ahead of the 2015 season...
Tuesday 7 April 2015 13:49, UK
The County Championship kicks of again on Sunday.
Division Two is often considered the ugly sibling of Division One but there is plenty of talent on show for 2015 with a certain Kevin Pietersen and Kumar Sangakkara batting together at Surrey for starters.
Here's Sky Sports cricket writer Andy Charles' guide to an intriguing season ahead and where he thinks each side will finish...
2014: Eighth in Division One (relegated)
2015 prediction: Champions (promoted)
Chances in a tweet: Obvious favourites for promotion and if their bowling holds up, they should win the title… but it’s never that easy or predictable.
Wicket-taker: Nathan Buck. Hugely impressive over the second half of last season with Leicestershire, and Lancashire made his signing a priority with two veteran bowlers retiring and James Anderson likely to play in few games. Needs to stay fit, which hasn’t always been easy.
Century-maker: Alviro Petersen. This is a potent batting line-up, probably the best in the competition, and Petersen’s addition on a Kolpak deal just adds to their power. Ashwell Prince managed 1,160 runs last year and they give the Red Rose a fearsome middle-order after he decided not to retire.
Young player to watch: Tom Bailey (all-rounder)
Overseas players: Peter Siddle (Australia, until end of July)
Ins: Alviro Petersen (Kolpak), Nathan Buck (Leicestershire), George Edwards (Surrey), Haseeb Hameed (Yth), Matthew Parkinson (Yth), Saqib Mahmood (Yth)
Outs: Wayne White (Derbyshire), Kyle Hogg (Ret), Kabir Ali (Rel), Andrea Agathangelou (Rel), Oliver Newby (Rel)
2014: Sixth
2015 prediction: Second (promoted)
Chances in a tweet: Consistently disappointing over last four years but their young players look ready to shine and this could just be the year for promotion.
Wicket-taker: Adam Riley. Came of age last year, with 48 wickets enough to get into the England reckoning. Kent will hope that is delayed another 12 months so they can make full use of him again.
Century-maker: Sam Billings. Another player being talked of as an international player for the near future. His hard-hitting in limited overs cricket was impressive last summer and he is ready to step up from average of just over 34 in the four-day game.
Young player to watch: Fabian Cowdrey (batsman)
Overseas players: TBC
Ins: Joe Denly (Middlesex), Matt Coles (Hampshire), Sam Weller (Yth), Ryan Davies (Yth)
Outs: Geraint Jones (Gloucestershire), Mark Davies (Ret)
2014: Fifth
2015 prediction: Third
Chances in a tweet: So much talent, but so disappointing, surely this has to be the year for Surrey… but didn’t we say that last year, too? Oh, and there’s KP!
Wicket-taker: Matt Dunn. Burst on to the scene last year with 39 wickets in 12 Division Two games. If he can avoid the bad spells that cursed him at times, he could emerge as one of England’s brighter talents. Needs to avoid the Stuart Meaker injury curse as well.
Century-maker: Kevin Pietersen. Oh, why not? He’s under pressure to score runs to get into the England team (will it ever happen?) so this is going to go one of two ways. Hundreds galore in flashing style, or a complete flop when Piers Morgan’s head will probably explode. Kumar Sangakkara will get shedloads of runs as well, but where is the story there?
Young player to watch: Aneesh Kapil (all-rounder)
Overseas players: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Moises Henriques (Australia, T20)
Ins: Ben Foakes (Essex), David Balcombe (Hampshire), James Burke (Somerset)
Outs: George Edwards (Lancashire), Tom Jewell (Rel), Jack Winslade (Rel), Kevin O'Brien (Rel)
2014: Ninth in Division One (relegated)
2015 prediction: Fourth
Chances in a tweet: Simply awful in Division One last year, and a lack of runs still a huge concern unless Josh Cobb signing is a work of genius.
Wicket-taker: David Willey. So unlucky with injuries after a starring role in 2013 successes and promotion. The left-armer will be back on England’s radar if he stays fit and bound to torment one-day opponents as well.
Century-maker: Josh Cobb. The signing from Leicestershire comes in and will be immediately expected to contribute big runs. More of a one-day player but his 831 runs at 34.91 would have led Northants in both categories for a full-season player.
Young player to watch: Adam Rossington (batsman)
Overseas players: Rory Kleinveldt (South Africa), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan, T20 until mid-June)
Ins: Richard Levi (Kolpak), Josh Cobb (Leicestershire), Adam Rossington (Middlesex), Saif Zaib (Yth)
Outs: James Kettleborough (Glamorgan), David Sales (Ret), Matthew Spriegel (Ret), Andrew Hall (Rel), James Middlebrook (Rel)
Chances in a tweet: Recruitment drive should mean improvement but overseas stars will be relied on for big runs. Mark Footitt could top wickets table again.
Wicket-taker: Mark Footitt. The left-armer, possibly a little late in his career, entered the England equation towards the end of last season, in which he finished with 82 Division Two wickets. Losing him at all this summer would be a huge blow.
Century-maker: Martin Guptill. Will have to score big to improve Derbyshire’s fortunes. They managed only seven centuries all last summer, with Ben Slater the only player scoring more than one.
Young player to watch: Ben Cotton (seam bowler)
Overseas players: Martin Guptill (New Zealand, until mid-May), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka, June and August to September). Nathan Rimmington (Australia, T20)
Ins: Shiv Thakor (Leicestershire), Wayne White (Lancashire), Will Davis (Yth), Adam Wheatcroft (Yth), Harry White (Yth)
Outs: Tim Groenewald (Somerset), Mark Turner (Rel), Matt Higginbottom (Rel), Gareth Cross (Rel)
Chances in a tweet: Could struggle for wickets with an attack lacking firepower now Tymal Mills has gone. Jesse Ryder the all-round star of the summer.
Wicket-taker: Jesse Ryder. Are you mad, I hear some of you cry? Is he not the century-maker? Well, last year he started his journey to becoming a true all-rounder with 44 Division Two wickets at a smidgeon over 18. If Essex utilise him as much as a bowler, bigger hauls await.
Century-maker: Ravi Bopara. With England set to open a one-day and T20 rebuilding phase, Bopara could end up being available to Essex all year for the first time in a while. Certainly has plenty to prove to his detractors. Ryder has also been in great form in New Zealand, when not abusing umpires verbally.
Young player to watch: James Porter (all-rounder)
Overseas players: Jesse Ryder (New Zealand), Shaun Tait (Australia, T20)
Ins: Callum Taylor (Yth)
Outs: Ben Foakes (Surrey), Tymal Mills (Sussex), Sajid Mahmood (Rel), Tom Craddock (Rel), Tim Phillips (Ret)
Chances in a tweet: Struggled last season with Jim Allenby around, more of the same in 2015 now the star all-rounder has departed. Runs could be a big problem.
Wicket-taker: Michael Hogan. Could have challenged Footitt for the wicket-taker’s title last year but for missing three games. Hamstring injury suffered in Australia a concern as a slow start could mean trouble.
Century-maker: Jacques Rudolph. Struggled badly in his first season with the county, but was still their only batsman to score more than one century. A return to the form he showed at Yorkshire is a must if Glamorgan are to improve at all.
Young player to watch: Kieran Bull (spin bowler)
Overseas players: Jacques Rudolph (South Africa)
Ins: Colin Ingram (Kolpak), James Kettleborough (Northamptonshire), Craig Meschede (Somerset, season-long loan)
Outs: Jim Allenby (Somerset), Murray Goodwin (Ret), Gareth Rees (Ret), Stewart Walters (Rel), Tom Lancefield (Rel), Mike Reed (Rel)
2014: Seventh
2015 prediction: Eighth
Chances in a tweet: Departure of Gidman brothers means a season of struggles at Bristol, where not finishing in bottom three again would be an achievement.
Wicket-taker: James Fuller. Foot injury proved costly for Fuller last season but he is going to be counted on to open the bowling now Will Gidman has departed. Pre-season has been promising for the 24-year-old.
Century-maker: Peter Handscomb. The Australian is an exciting signing for Gloucestershire, having been in excellent form at home over the winter with centuries in the Sheffield Shield and T20 Big Bash.
Young player to watch: Craig Miles (seam bowler)
Overseas players: Michael Klinger (Australia, from June)
Ins: Geraint Jones (Kent), Tom Hampton (Buckinghamshire), Peter Handscomb (Australia), Kieran Noema-Barnett (New Zealand)
Outs: Will Gidman (Nottinghamshire), Alex Gidman (Worcestershire), Graeme McCarter (Rel), Dan Housego (Rel), Tom Shrewsbury (Rel)
2014: Ninth
2015 prediction: Ninth
Chances in a tweet: Oh boy, where to start? Best players have all gone, and they finished last in 2014. Can things get any worse? Much needed from Aussie duo.
Wicket-taker: Clint McKay. Last year’s bowlers all struggled badly, with Rob Taylor’s 35 wickets at 35 the best of a bad bunch, so McKay is here almost by default. The Australian is going to be relied upon for, well, just about everything!
Century-maker: Ned Eckersley. Like all of his remaining team-mates, Eckersley struggled last season. But a return to 2013 form, when he scored nearly 1,300 runs, would be welcome and he has looked good in pre-season.
Young player to watch: Ben Raine (all-rounder)
Overseas players: Clint McKay (Australia), Grant Elliott (New Zealand, 10-match T20 deal)
Ins: Mark Cosgrove (Australia), Aadil Ali (Yth), Zak Chappell (Yth), Neil Pinner (Yth), Kevin O'Brien (T20 only)
Outs: Shiv Thakor (Derbyshire), Nathan Buck (Lancashire), Josh Cobb (Northamptonshire), Greg Smith (Nottinghamshire), Anthony Ireland (Rel), Michael Thornely (Rel)
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