2008 County predictions

[feverpitch]

How does everyone predict the season going?

I see the CC being between Sussex, Yorkshire and Lancashire, though Somerset could provide a surprise challenge if Caddick is at his best.

Predictions? Players to watch?

Only a couple of weeks left now!

This may be of interest. 2008 county previews for Sussex, Essex, Yorks and Hamps at the moment. (Do pm if you'd like to contribute one for your county)

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by feverpitch

I see the CC being between Sussex, Yorkshire and Lancashire, though Somerset could provide a surprise challenge if Caddick is at his best.

Feverpitch, you have missed the obvious team in Durham.

They finished a very close second last year and with the signing of Chanderpaul they will have a significantly strengthened batting line up. With Harmison, Plunkett and Onions leading the pace attack they should have no problem bowling teams out.

My only fear is that at times the batting can be a bit brittle. Hopefully Chanderpaul can help out there and adress the temas only real weakness.

[feverpitch]

Yes I was thinking about them before. But they've lost their best player - Gibson; their batting is still rather weak; and Chanderpaul will be unavailable for a fair amount through IPL, West Indies and Champions Trophy.

[pie_chucker]

They may have lost Gibson, but the bowling should be more than strong enough.

I still have worries about the batting but early season we will still have DiVenuto, Benkenstein and McKenzie up the order and after the 20/20 we will get Chanderpaul.

Edit: In some ways I hope Durham aren't one of the fancied teams. Remember what happened in the FP final last year. Hampshire were dead certs to win - after all they had KP and Warne and we all know what happened there.

[feverpitch]

McKenzie? Have you signed him as a locum?

[pie_chucker]

We've got McKenzie for the first part of the season, Albie Morkel for the 20/20 then Chanderpaul after that.

[feverpitch]

Pretty handy trio of overseas players that. But your batting, save for Divenuto and Shiv/McKenzie, is not too special. Still I agree that, if your seamers really catch fire, you have a good chance.

[Rachael]

Benkenstein scored 1278 runs at 55.56 with 3 centuries and 8 fifties last season... and the first XI looks OK.

Have I got this right...

MJ Di Venuto
MD Stoneman / G J Muchall / W R Smith / GR Breese
KJ Coetzer
S Chanderpaul / McKenzie
*DM Benkenstein
P Collingwood
+P Mustard
LE Plunkett
PJ Wiseman
M Davies
G Onions / S Harmison

I'm not quite sure how the side would cope on a two-spinner track where seamers are a complete waste of space... but the side should certainly be in the mix at the end of the season.

[pie_chucker]

Thats not too far away from the team that i expect them to play. I wouldnt expect Colly to play too much though I would hope he's too busy scoring runs for England.

A 4 pronged pace attack of Harmison, Plunkett, Onions and Davies would be pretty strong but I don't think they will play much together. For the sake of variation and the fact that Benkenstien is a handy medium pacer I would imagine Durham will go in with 3 seamers + Benkenstein + Wiseman. Probably Davies would be the unlucky one to miss out and slotting in when Harmison plays for England.

Wiseman is a handy spinner, he got 31 wickets last year at a touch under 30, which is not bad considering most of the wickets he had to play on. I admit he's not earth shattering but he can do a decent enough job. Rachael, you are right though if we had to play 2 spinners we may struggle .

[cantplaycantalk]

I think we probably will see all 4 seamers play most of the time.
Davies can average around the 20 mark per wicket even as 2nd change, he has in two of the previous 3 years where he stayed fit long enough to get a decent average. In the CC Harmison who I expect to be free for the rest of the year will probably do likewise. Onions now looks a much improved bowler and Plunkett is effectively an all-rounder.
Last year Coetzer showed real promise with the bat, and Mustard will be looking to show more in the CC with the hope that he can make himself next cab off the rank for the test job should Ambrose falter.

So we will most likely line up

DeVenuto
Stoneman
Chanderpaul/McKenzie
Coetzer
Benkenstein
Muchall/Ben Harmison
Mustard
Plunkett
Onions
Harmison
Davies

With Wiseman in once the greentops fade for whoever is not performing.