Marcus Trescothick and Somerset look set to take all the beating this summer
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The County Championship season begins on Friday and while it is surely asking a bit too much to hope it goes down to the wire as it did last season, when Nottinghamshire won the title on the last day, this year's competition promises to be hotly contested.
Bet365 make Somerset the favourites at 7/2, with Nottinghamshire and Durham 4/1, Yorkshire 6/1 and Lancashire 8/1, Sussex and Hampshire 9/1, Warwickshire 14/1 and Worcestershire the absolute rank outsiders at 80/1.
Now there are usually a few things to take into account when contemplating betting on the County Championship, with the two most important perhaps the number of England absentees and the ever mysterious British weather. Usually, the season begins with the kind of weather that would usually force you to put the heating on but the sun seems set fair for the opening fixtures and long may that continue.
It will be interesting to see how Somerset, the favourites, respond to the disappointment of last year when they were the best, most consistent side throughout the season only to fall short on the final day. My gut feeling is that they will respond well and that makes them worthy of their top billing alone.
Cambers' Calls
- Somerset to win County Championship - 7/2 bet365
- Yorkshire E/W for County Championship - 6/1 bet365
Moreover, they have made some good signings with Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka and West Indies' Kieron Pollard sure to be popular figures. The addition of Steve Kirby will only boost the attack and they will hope that James Hildreth continues his form with the bat to assist the ever excellent Marcus Trescothick at the helm. They are going to take an awful lot of beating.
Chris Read has a job on his hands if Nottinghamshire are to repeat their dramatic triumph of last summer. Ryan Sidebottom is gone and Stuart Broad, once he recovers full fitness, and Graeme Swann, are both sure to be away with England more often than not. However, success breeds success and there are sure to be some players who will step up and make the breakthrough for them this time round. David Hussey and Adam Voges will be solid overseas players but I am not sure they have quite the variety to get the job done.
If Durham are to contend, then it will be all about finding a way to get runs on the board. Their much-vaunted pace attack - Steve Harmison, Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions - remains probably the best in the country but they need to excel with the bat if they are to be up there. The Tests retirement of Paul Collingwood should help their cause.
Yorkshire, at 6/1, will welcome back Ryan Sidebottom and if he is fully fit and firing he will surely be of massive help in the early part of the season, before England could come calling and the national team may also pinch Tim Bresnan, Ajmal Shahzad and Adil Rashid. Anthony McGrath will be relied on for a lot of the runs, but Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth will be out to impress. They maybe don't have the strength in depth but they won't be too far away.
Further down the betting, Lancashire look short of both star names and solid county performers; Sussex look better than they were last season but may rely on the wickets of Monty Panesar; Imran Tahir could be the star performer at a Hampshire side who should not be overlooked and Wawrickshire will miss Tahir and their England stars Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell. Worcestershire look out of their depth at 80s.
It's a mightily precarious thing betting on the County Championship so early in the season as so many things change in the weeks and months but certainly right now, I would not put anyone off backing Somerset at 7/2 while Yorkshire, at 6/1, could be the best of the rest.
Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.
Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondent
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Simon Cambers
Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondant Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondant
