register to 888sport
888sport time:

Featured Sport News

Cricket back on the menu

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 09/04/2009

The 2009 LV County Championship gets underway on April 15 with cricket betting favourites Durham hoping to retain the first division title won for the first time last summer.

The team from the north east held off a strong challenge from the likes of Nottinghamshire and Somerset to clinch their first-ever county crown and director of cricket Geoff Cook has been busy trying to bolster his squad over the winter.

England all-rounder Ian Blackwell has arrived from Taunton and should prove a valuable recruit in all forms of the game, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul will return mid-season to give vital experience in the middle order.

Somerset's own hopes will be hit by the loss of Blackwell and the opening partnership of Marcus Trescothick and captain Justin Langer will again be key to their hopes.

Meanwhile, classy right-hander James Hildreth will hopes to impress and perhaps force his way into the England reckoning.

Lancashire will hope to mount a stiff challenge, but the releases of veteran pair Stuart Law and Dominic Cork may prove to be a mistake, although the arrival of former England coach Peter Moores should provide a boost.

Notts will be hoping to make up for last season's narrow miss by going one better, but the possible loss of spinner Graeme Swann to regular England duty is likely to be a major hurdle to their ambitions.

Hampshire's hopes of glory lie in the hands of leg-spinner Imran Tahir and his early arrival from South Africa could get the south coast county off to a much-needed strong start.

Yorkshire are under the charge of Anthony McGrath following the retirement of Darren Gough and the new skipper will be looking to Jacques Rudolph to provide a barrow-load of runs in the middle order.

Sussex begin the post-Chris Adams era under the leadership of Mike Yardy and it looks like a period of rebuilding is beginning at Hove, following a spell of unprecedented success.

The first division is completed by newly-promoted duo Warwickshire and Worcestershire, with the latter's side having an unusual look due to the retirement of New Road legend Graeme Hick after more than two decades of service.

Warks, however, may make a major impact back in the top division under the charge of former England stalwart Ashley Giles and the signing of New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel looks like an astute deal.

Relegated Surrey are expected to dominate division two, with Mark Ramprakash expected to score a hatful of runs against weaker attacks, while an off-field revamp has seen the likes of Chris Adams and Graham Thorpe added to the coaching set-up.

Kent and Essex should push Surrey all the way and with only two promotion places up for grabs, Division Two should provide a tense tussle to the wire.

online betting