Date-stamped : 08 Dec93 - 10:31 SOURCE: The Guardian DATE: 29 April 1993 SPO PAGE: 18 Cricket: Northants may be ready to fly pennant for first time PAUL WEAVER Middlesex Captain: Mike Gatting, Overseas player: Desmond Haynes, Benefici- ary: Norman Cowans, Player to watch: Paul Weekes, Last year's po- sition: 11th (up four) LAST season Middlesex were the team of stars who disappointed, although the capture of the Sunday League title for the first time helped appease supporters. Lord's saw a flood of runs, led by Gatting, Haynes and Mike Roseberry. But the seam bowling was the weakness, and hopes for this season depend on how fully Gus Fraser (hip) and Cowans (her- nia) have recovered from injury. There could be opportunities for two interesting fast bowlers, Richard Ballinger, who has impressed with England Under-19s, and Richard Johnson, who was distinctly nippy in the seconds last summer. Arrivals: Keith Dutch, Mark Feltham. Departures: Dean Headley (Kent), Ricardo Ellcock, Ian Hutchinson, Steven Sylvester (Notts), Jonathan Whittington. Rating *** Northamptonshire Captain: Allan Lamb, Overseas player: Curtly Ambrose, Beneficiary Robert Bailey, One to watch: Alan Fordham, Last year's position: third (up seven) THIRD in the championship and winners of the NatWest Trophy, Northamptonshire had their best season since 1976. They may be ready for their first championship (Sussex, Somerset and Durham have also never flown the pennant). It also augurs well for them that the second team were runners- up to Surrey, and this is an area where the new director of cricket Phil Neale will be more involved than his predecessor Mike Procter. Lamb, like Graham Gooch, is a leader from the front rather than a gifted strategist, and if the England selectors ignore him, as they are likely to do, he will probably respond with a cataract of belligerent runs. If the county are to have a chance of the championship Paul Taylor will need as good a season as he had last year, and their outstanding bowler Ambrose will have to get more than 50 wickets. Arrivals: Jamie Tomlinson, Craig Rika. Departures: Richard Wil- liams, Simon Green. Rating ***** Nottinghamshire Captain: Tim Robinson Overseas player: Lance Cairns Beneficiary: Derek Randall (testimonial) One to watch: Graeme Archer Last year's position: fourth (no change) THE manager Mike Hendrick and Robinson have made a bad start in letting Chris Broad depart ''for cricket reasons''. At 35 Broad, who was discarded only 24 hours after his fifth century of the season, remains one of the best three or four opening batsmen in the country. For runs the county will once again rely heavily on the captain and Paul Johnson, the vice-captain. Randall is still going at 42. There is younger talent: Archer, 22, from Cumberland, made a cen- tury and three fifties in six games and the vigorous Greg Mike was out fourth ball for 18 against Surrey. Chris Lewis and Cairns will be important players but they are no Hadlee and Rice. The impressive fast-medium bowler David Pennett, who broke into the side in midsummer, could win a regular place. Arrivals: Steven Sylvester, James Hindson, Matthew Dowman. Departures: Chris Broad (Gloucs), Eddie Hemmings (Sussex), Kevin Saxelby, Kevin Cooper (Gloucs). Rating **** Somerset Captain: Chris Tavare Overseas player: Mushtaq Ahmed Beneficiary: none One to watch: Mark Lathwell Last year's position: ninth (up eight) THEY must hope that Jack Russell, from neighbouring Gloucestershire, is a good judge of a cricketer. The England A wicketkeeper was well placed to study some of Somerset's bright- est talent in Australia last winter; his view is that Lathwell has a ''touch of genius'' and that Andrew Caddick reminds him of Gus Fraser. Caddick and Neil Mallender, who enjoyed another fine winter in New Zealand, will lead one of the best-balanced attacks in the championship. They will be supported by the Pakistan leg-spinner Ahmed, the sharp Adrianus van Troost and the all-rounder Graham Rose. Their batting was sometimes shallow last season. Much will depend on Tavare and Lathwell, the county's most exciting talent since Harold Gimblett. They have also signed the Devon captain Nick Folland, who will bat at five. Arrivals: Nick Folland, Mushtaq Ahmed, Paul Clifford. Depar- tures: Roland Lefebvre (Glam), Ricky Bartlett, Richard Snell, Ken Macleay, Gareth Townsend, Matthew Robinson (Warwicks). Rating **** Surrey Captain: Alec Stewart Overseas player: Waqar Younis Beneficiary: Harry Brind (groundsman) One to watch: Alistair Brown Last year's position: 13th (down eight) BRIND, the first groundsman to be awarded a testimonial, has long been producing the best wickets in the country at The Oval but they have been too flat for the captain's liking and with Waqar back on the strength it will be interesting to see what ad- justments are made. Surrey will be hoping that Waqar approaches his form of 1991 when he had the astonishing record of 113 championship wickets at 14. He took a wicket every 30 balls. They also have a useful pair of spinners in James Boiling and Neil Kendrick. Their batting promises to be the most attractive on view this summer, with Stewart, Darren Bicknell, Graham Thorpe and the clean-hitting pair of David Ward and Brown. Arrivals: Waqar Younis, Graham Kersey, Ian Ward, Danny Kelleher. Departures: Rudi Bryson, Mark Feltham (Middx), Keith Medlycott, Ian Greig, Johnny Robinson, David Ligertwood. Rating: **** Sussex Captain: Alan Wells Overseas player: Franklyn Stephenson Beneficiary: Colin Wells One to watch: Ed Giddins Last year's position: seventh (up four) SUSSEX have provided more than their share of attractive cricket over the years, without winning much. They have also been unusu- ally maladroit in signing players, but it would be too easy to dismiss the arrivals of Eddie Hemmings (44) and Bill Athey (35). It is a gamble but their experience may rub off on talented youngsters, of which Sussex have plenty. The most eye-catching are the leg-spinner Ian Salisbury and batsman Martin Speight. The bowling will need to improve dramati- cally if the optimism surrounding the Hove ground this season is to prove justified. Adrian Jones (only 11 wickets last season) and Stephenson (40) are fitter this summer and could be supported by the interesting Giddins, from Eastbourne. Arrivals: Bill Athey, Eddie Hemmings, Danny Law, Keith Newell, Toby Pierce, Shaun Humphries. Departures: Alan Hansford, Robin Hanley. Rating *** Warwickshire Captain: Dermot Reeve Overseas player: Allan Donald Beneficiary: none One to watch: Neil Smith Last year's position: sixth (down four) A VERY professional side, and the new captain Reeve may make them even more competitive. But they do not possess a match- winning batsman or a quality spinner. Their one class act is Donald, who is among the four best fast bowlers in the world. But he could miss as many as six champion- ship matches because of South Africa's tour to Sri Lanka. There will be no one to replace him, even though Tim Munton and Glad- stone Small will provide solid seam. Andy Moles will again score plenty of runs, Roger Twose is a good all-rounder and it is hoped that Trevor Penney will build on his impressive debut season. But it is difficult to see them as serious challengers in the championship. Arrivals: Matthew Robinson, Charles Mulraine. Departures: Andy Lloyd, Ben Usher. Rating *** Worcestershire Captain: Tim Curtis Overseas player: Kenny Benjamin Beneficiary: none One to watch: Alex Wylie Last year's position: 17th (down 11) THEY are likely to struggle for runs as well as wickets this season. Without Tom Moody, with Graeme Hick likely to miss vir- tually half the summer and with Ian Botham long gone, the middle order lacks its old destructive look. It will be a big season for David Leatherdale and Damien D'Oliveira. The fast bowling should be more interesting. The West Indian Benjamin will lead the attack and will be supported by the reli- able Neal Radford, Phil Newport and Stuart Lampitt. The extremely rapid Wylie will also make batsmen hop about at New Road. He joined the staff in 1991 but has yet to play because of injury; he has been fitted with a new foot support for this season. Arrivals: Kenny Benjamin, Tim Edwards. Departures: Graham Dil- ley, Tom Moody, Phil Neale, Stuart Bevins, Matthew Dallaway, Richard Stemp (Yorkshire). Rating ** Yorkshire Captain: Martyn Moxon Overseas player: Richie Richardson Beneficiary: Moxon One to watch: Craig White Last year's position: 16th (down two) RICHARDSON should score even more heavily than Sachin Tendulkar, who was consistent last season but managed only one hundred. With Paul Jarvis's career revitalised there are cautious hopes of better times at Headingley, but Mark Robinson will need to main- tain his impressive form of last season. Richard Stemp, the left-arm spinner from Worcestershire, should prove a good sign- ing. Apart from Phil Carrick the oldest player last season was the captain, Moxon, at 32. With Richardson, the gifted White and Ash- ley Metcalfe pushing for a return to the side, runs should come more quickly than they did last summer. Arrivals: Richie Richardson, Michael Foster, Stuart Milburn, Michael Vaughan, Richard Kettleborough, Richard Stemp. Depar- tures: Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Bethel, Ian Houseman, Chris Pick- les, Kevin Sharp. Rating *** Derbyshire Captain: Kim Barnett Overseas player: Ian Bishop Beneficiary: none One to watch: Chris Adams Last year: fifth (down two) IN THE top five in the past two years, Derbyshire have perhaps their best chance of adding to their solitary championship of 1936. Barnett and Bishop enjoyed fine seasons last year without being fully fit; this summer they should be even more productive. Their top-order batting and their fast bowling are strong. Bar- nett, facing his 11th season in charge, has topped 1,000 runs in each of the other 10 and should be well supported by the prolific Peter Bowler, Tim O'Gorman and the more exotic strokeplay of John Morris and Adams. The bowling will be led by Bishop (if fit), Devon Malcolm and Dominic Cork, backed up by Simon Base and Ole Mortensen. Old ''Blood-axe'' Mortensen is 35 and past his best but too demonic to go quietly. Derbyshire need more runs from their late order to improve their disappointing one-day form. In the four-day championship their shortage of quality spin could betray them. Richard Sladdin faces an important season. They have also signed a leg-spinner, Amri- tash Agrawalla from Glasgow. Arrivals: David Lovell, Andrew Harris, Adrian Rollins, Gary Steer, Amritash Agrawalla. Departures: Steve Goldsmith, Andrew Brown, Martin Jean-Jacques (Hampshire). Rating: Durham Captain: David Graveney Overseas player: Anderson Cummins Beneficiary: none One to watch: John Wood Last year: 18th (bottom). THE delightful Travelling Wilburys of the county game (right down to Ian Botham's Roy Orbison dark glasses) manifestly enjoyed their first season in the top flight and as a result helped spec- tators enjoy their game. The director of cricket Geoff Cook was still desperately disap- pointed when they finished bottom. Their bowling was always going to struggle but ultimately they were let down by the failure of their batting when Dean Jones departed and Paul Parker and Botham lost their early form. This will be the second and final season for some of the older pros. They will rely heavily on the new overseas signing Cummins. Apart from Simon Brown no one took more than 34 wickets last sea- son. Graeme Fowler will partially offset Jones's absence. Arrivals: Anderson Cummins, Graeme Fowler, Jason Searle, David Cox. Departures: Dean Jones, Gary Brown. Rating: Essex Captain: Graham Gooch Overseas player: Salim Malik Beneficiary: Neil Foster One to watch: Mark Ilott Last year: champions (as in 1991). FEW wheels on their wagon, just as there were when John Lever hobbled and wobbled away and they started their winning run in 1979. But they just keep rolling along. Their best batsman Gooch and their best bowler Foster, are roughly the same age in their respective trades - old. In recent months both have suffered form, fitness and marital problems and if these are all overcome there is always England to take them away. Essex are still the outstanding favourites to win the first four-day championship and make it a hat-trick of titles. They played three-day cricket better than anyone else, scoring quickly to give their varied attack time to bowl out the opposition. But they will not be put off by the new, fairer system. They have won more four-day games than any other county Foster's problems last season, when he took only 23 wickets, re- vealed the county's character and deep resources. Ilott, a yard faster than last season, will be crucial and there should be no shortage of runs with Gooch, Malik, Nasser Hussain, Paul Prichard and John Stephenson backed up by the exciting Nick Knight and the more obdurate Jonathan Lewis. Arrivals: Salim Malik, Muneeb Diwan, Duncan Ayres, Gul Khan. Departures: Mark Waugh, Alex Richards, Keith Butler, Guy Lovell. Rating: Glamorgan Captain: Hugh Morris Overseas player: Viv Richards Beneficiary: none One to watch: Darren Thomas Last year: 14th (down two) VIV RICHARDS's last season and the promise of Adrian Dale, Stephen James, Robert Croft and Thomas should make it a rewarding season for Glamorgan supporters, but they need not replenish the silver polish just yet. ''Smokey'' Richards is not worrying the firefighters so much these days but at 41 he is still capable of destructive cameos and should improve on last year's disappointing season. Together with Morris and Matthew Maynard he gives the side an outside chance of one-day honours, and in Colin Metson they have one of the best two wicketkeepers in the country. The bowling will be too weak to make much impression in the championship and again too much will be asked of Steve Watkin and Croft. Arrivals: Roland Lefebvre, Scott Purdie, Robin James. Depar- tures: Darren Foster, Chris Cowdrey, Samuel Kirnon. Rating: Gloucestershire Captain: Tony Wright Overseas player: Courtney Walsh Beneficiary: David Lawrence One to watch: Robert Cunliffe Last year: 10th (up three) CRICKET's old sweats are not counselled often enough by modern players and Gloucestershire should be applauded for doing some- thing about it. Last year their fast bowlers worked with John Snow and during the winter their four spinners sought out Fred Titmus. Their left-arm seamers Mike Smith and Martin Gerrard have been to Chelmsford to work with John Lever. Even this accumulated wisdom will not be enough to make Gloucestershire a major force this season. Lawrence will be out for the season with a fractured knee-cap and, although Kevin Cooper, signed from Nottinghamshire, impressed in a pre-season tour of Sri Lanka, much will depend on Walsh. In the batting the arrival of Chris Broad should more than make up for the loss of Bill Athey. Arrivals: Chris Broad, Kevin Cooper, Robert Cunliffe, Marcus Wight. Departures: Bill Athey, Alan Hunt, Justin Vaughan. Rating: Hampshire Captain: Mark Nicholas Overseas player: Malcolm Marshall Beneficiary: Tim Tremlett One to watch: Kevin Shine Last year: 15th (down six) LAST season's success in the Benson and Hedges Cup scarcely made up for a bitterly disappointing championship after they led the table in June. But they have been championship under-achievers for many years now. The chief executive Tony Baker says competition for places will be stronger than for many seasons. ''There are about 17 players with a realistic chance of making the final 11.'' But there will be a huge hole in the middle order if Robin Smith and David Gower play for England and, at 35, Marshall can no longer carry the at- tack single-handed. Shine will have to maintain his improvement of last season and exciting things are hoped of Jamie Byrne, a Lancashire fast bowler spotted by Marshall in South Africa. Arrivals: Jamie Byrne, James Bovill, Martin Jean-Jacques, Mark Garaway. Departures: Bobby Parks, Paul-Jan Bakker. Rating: Kent Captain: Mark Benson Overseas player: Carl Hooper Beneficiary: Richard Ellison One to watch: Duncan Spencer Last year: second (up four) THE white horse county were more the dark horses of the cham- pionship and it was surprising that not one of their players was called up for the senior or A tours last winter. Martin McCague, their big-hearted fast bowler, could win England recognition this summer and it was perhaps with his success in mind that the county signed another lively Western Australian Duncan Spencer. Ellison, Alan Igglesden and Chris Penn all start the season fit, which must be something of a record, but once again the county's primary strength will be the consistency of their top-order batting. They should prove that last season, when they also reached the final of the Benson and Hedges Cup, was no fluke. Arrivals: Duncan Spencer, Dean Headley. Departures: Graham Ker- sey (Surrey). Rating: Lancashire Captain: Neil Fairbrother Overseas player: Wasim Akram Beneficiary: Gehan Mendis Player to watch: Peter Martin Last year: 12th (down four) MANCHESTER United are on the brink of their first league title for 26 years and now Old Trafford is beginning to build hopes of a first outright ch- ampionship for 59 years. Perhaps too much is being read into the return of Wasim Akram, a world-class fast bowler but one who has appeared in less than half the 88 championship matches played during his four seasons at the club. The form and fitness of his new-ball partner Phillip DeFreitas, is also causing concern and much will depend on the seam support from Martin and Glen Chapple, a Yorkshire-born fast bowler who played for England Under-19 in India last winter. The spinners also need to improve their haul. Mike Watkinson is like- ly to concentrate on spin in support of Alex Barnett. A powerful batting line-up is unlikely to disappoint. Arrivals: Wasim Akram, Nathan Wood. Departures: Graeme Fowler (Durham), Paul Allott, Danny Morrison. Rating: Leicestershire Captain: Nigel Briers Overseas player: Winston Benjamin Beneficiary: James Whitaker One to watch: Ben Smith Last year: eighth (up eight) THE TEAM with no stars were the over-achievers of last season and, until the fast bowler David Millns broke down in August, were challenging Essex for the title. Their seam bowling will again be their main strength on a responsive Grace Road pitch, with Millns and Benjamin backed up by Gordon Parsons, Vince Wells and Alan Mullally. But in four-day cricket they will be punished for the lack of a quality spinner, something which particularly irks their cricket manager Jack Birkenshaw, who was keen to sign Pakistan's Mushtaq Ahmed before Somerset stepped in. Adrian Pierson, from Warwickshire, will try to fill the gap with Laurie Potter. Their batsmen struggled last season on bowler-friendly pitches but Whitaker will hope to rediscover his form in his benefit sea- son and Smith is ready to come good. Arrivals: Adrian Pierson. Departures: Martyn Gidley, Robert Gof- ton, Chris Hawkes, Andrew Roseberry. Rating: Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)