Championship Climax
With four rounds of fixtures to go, Nottinghamshire, Somerset and Yorkshire appear to be battling it out between themselves to become Cricket’s County Champions in 2010.
In Division Two, Sussex’s dominance should see them promoted as Champions with either Glamorgan (possibly), Gloucestershire (probably) or Worcestershire joining them in Division One for 2011.
The gap between the two divisions widens every year with some teams like Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire looking like pereennial members of the second tier of English cricket. Middlesex may become another if they don’t arrest the decline in their fortunes, having spent only four seasons in the top tier since the two-divisional Championship came into being in 2000. They have now been out of the top tier in each of the last four seasons. Surrey, one of the other iconic names of English County Cricket, appear doomed at the bottom of the second division for a second successive season. Despite huge investment in playing and coaching resources, and an enviable, annual turnover in excess of £20million, (which dwarfs all their rivals), they have been unable to arrest a decline in their playing fortunes for several years now.
Kent and Essex were promoted last season and may be relegated at the first time of asking – a fate which befell Worcestershire the year before and several other teams including Warwickshire recently. One of the difficulties facing relegated Clubs is the desire for players to want to play in Division One to enhance their England credentials. Unless a County is able to produce a conveyor belt of talent from their own development system, losing good players is not an option. The prospect of relegation looks increasingly like a potential ‘meltdown’ for certain clubs’ cricketing future, whatever their heritage.
New age Counties like Durham and Hampshire, have stolen a march over some their more famous rivals at a time when the landscape of Cricket is changing rapidly. For any Club stuck in a time warp, the consequences may be severe. Players demands are increasing financially and also from an achievement perspective. Players want to win trophies more than playing for a particular club and are prepared to move to chase the glory. The loyalty between players and clubs is a thing of the past and the sport is moving towards the footballing culture of a purely results-driven industry, with little job security for Coaches entrusted with player development. Twenty20 is playing a bigger role in a player’s career and the riches on offer from the Indian Premier League (IPL) are such that English players want to succeed in T20 Finals Day to market themselves for an IPL contract as much as they want to win the County Championship.
Kent's Vince Wells, Geraint Jones, Paul Carter, Darren Stevens, Joe Denly and John Shepherd at a London County Captains Golf Day
Kent are facing severe financial difficulty after three poor years commercially, and with it, the probability of losing several key players. It may be a long time before they return to the upper echeleons of County Cricket if they get relegated and lose the calibre of players needed to get them promoted again at the first attempt. It’s a sad reality of professional sport in 2010 that only those with the necessary financial muscle will be able to survive in an increasingly money-led world.
Relegation from Division One looks a likely proposition for Warwickshire and Essex, with Kent also looking precariously placed just above them presently. If reports are true, Yorkshire are among a number of other clubs facing financial difficulty too. It is a worrying time for many employed in Cricket, and for people who care about the County game.
Nottinghamshire will be regarded as Championship favorites, based on their experience of winning before, and the fact that Trent Bridge is a tough place for opponents to come and play well. The ball swings and seams, and Nottinghamshire have some very good bowlers aswell as some destructive batsmen who can change the course of a match in one session.
Somerset, who have never won the County Championship in their 120-year history, have a pitch at Taunton which tends to produce drawn matches. This may prove to be their downfall plus a match away at Durham to finish the season which could be challenged by the weather.
Yorkshire have a talented young team but will probably have to do without seamers Ajmal Shahzad and Tim Bresnan who are likely to be involved in England’s upcoming ODI Series v Pakistan – an unfortunate case of a County being punished for producing home grown England players. However, it will offer other promising young cricketers from ‘the broad acres’ to stake a claim for a place in the first team and the chance to weave their name into the fabric of the Club’s history should they win the title.
At this stage of the season, the fixture list can play its part in the Championship pennant’s final destination. Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire have to play each other still, and any team due to play away to Lancashire may be thwarted by the rain as the season draws closer to autumn.
A fixture against one of the teams in freefall such as Warwickshire who have been unable to bat with any conviction at all this season may be a huge advantage as they may not have the collective resilience to put up too much resistance if they fall behind again in a match.
My money is on Nottinghamshire to win, but I have a sneaky feeling for one of my old clubs, Somerset, who appear to be playing some very good cricket at this critical stage of the season.
Indian spinner Murali Kartik’s performance will be key as they have two matches at Taunton, where seam bowlers traditionally find wicket-taking difficult. Somerset have the batting depth and firepower to score quickly, or chase down a target, with Captain Marcus Trescothick in prime form after his double century at Colchester against Essex last week, and James Hildreth looking a quality player too.
It would be wonderful to see Somerset break their Championship duck, and if they do, I am sure they will win it again and again like Sussex did after their first-ever success in 2003. Currently, only Somerset and Northamptonshire have been unable to be crowned County Champions, despite over 100 attempts each.
Somerset have an excellent infra-structure (on and off the field) built by Director of Cricket Brian Rose looks capable of under-pinning future success. They have some very talented young players like James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter plus Jos Buttler and Arul Suppiah, all of whom will have realistic aspirations of succeeding at international level in due course, and a superb ground development to be proud of. Their crowds are amongst the best, both in terms of numbers, and loyal, vocal support.
Most importantly, Somerset are well led. Brian Rose and Chairman of Cricket Vic Marks guide the Cricket policy and strategy, while Coach Andy Hurry and Captain Marcus Trescothick lead the way on a day to day basis on the field. Trescothick is passionate about Cricket, and Somerset in particular. To be the Club’s first-ever Captain to lift the Championship trophy will be a treasured moment in a stellar career for the popular left-handed opening batsman, and a fitting tribute to one of Somerset’s favorite sons. If they can win it, Australian legend, Justin Langer, deserves his share of the credit in turning Somerset’s fortunes around when he joined the County as Captain four years ago, and instilled a greater professionalism in the team’s approach.
Somerset has had some of the game’s greatest overseas players from Greg Chappell, Vivian Richards, Joel Garner, Sunil Gavaskar, Martin Crowe, Steve Waugh, Jimmy Cook, Mushtaq Ahmed, Jamie Cox, Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith, and Justin Langer. None has been able to become Championship winner though. Can Murali Kartik write his name indelibly in the history of Somerset Cricket folklore?
If the good weather continues, and some more fascinating Cricket gets played, it can provide a wonderful climax to a Cricket season which has attracted much criticism for its convoluted schedule. However, a superb T20 Finals Day, and a thrilling County Championship run in, can silence the critics and keep Cricket lovers’ hearts warm throughout another forthcoming winter.
Can Somerset do it? I hope so…
