2 https://i.imgci.com/espncricinfo/espncinew.png https://www.cricinfo.com/ https://www.cricinfo.com/ Visit Cricinfo.com for up-to-the-minute cricket news, breaking cricket news, live cricket commentary, ball-by-ball commentary, cricket video, cricket audio and features. (c)Cricinfo en-gb First-class cricket in England has been bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked for the last few seasons. And the one just concluded was truly special https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/137100/137149.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/533147.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/533147.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-533147 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT With no money and no major home ground, Lancashire battled against the tide to secure their first Championship title in 77 years https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/137100/137149.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/532598.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/532598.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-532598 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT It's grand when you can watch a game without the aid of Alexandre Dumas, isn't it? https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/118300/118306.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/530388.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/530388.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-530388 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT After more than 20 years on the county circuit, Paul Nixon is leaving the game on a high https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/135700/135735.2.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/530118.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/530118.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-530118 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT Jos Buttler's thoughtful manner is at odds with the dynamic, explosive brand of batting that has turned heads on the county scene for the last two seasons and has now led to further honours in the international arena https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/121100/121184.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/england-v-india-2011/content/story/529982.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/england-v-india-2011/content/story/529982.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-529982 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT It's only fair that the county game receives some of the praise for its part in England's success story. The Championship to provide the foundations for the international side https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/134900/134958.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/529950.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/529950.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-529950 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT County cricket doesn't have a transfer system but it may not be far away as more players are being enticed to new clubs https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/102600/102633.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/526789.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/526789.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-526789 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT The guiding principle of Law 7 with regard to pitch preparation is simple: conditions should be as similar as possible for both sides throughout the match - and there can be no argument that this has not been achieved https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/134900/134969.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/524514.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/524514.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-524514 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT The ECB have agreed to end the English season early to open a window for the Champions League but is it right given they have no stake in the event? https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/109300/109314.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/523993.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/523993.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-523993 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT As we pass the halfway point of the county year, George Dobell talks to four county coaches about the key features of the season so far https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/102400/102495.5.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/522370.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/522370.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-522370 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT Pollard disappointed, but there was a Dilscoop, and sitting at The Oval on a summer's evening is its own reward https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/134600/134615.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/521476.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/521476.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-521476 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT The Railways ditched and the queues were long, but Kent and Surrey's fans enjoyed the cricket and dealt with all the inconveniences with humour https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/133200/133275.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/520907.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/520907.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-520907 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT The Friends Life t20 is well under way, but crowds are not flocking to the action which raises question about how the ECB have managed the format https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/134000/134054.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/519534.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/519534.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-519534 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT Lime-green clothing can confuse one, can't it? And who's more fun - fans of Surrey or Essex? https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/134000/134010.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/518939.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/518939.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-518939 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT And other tales from the rained-out game between Surrey and Glamorgan https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/118100/118174.4.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/518683.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/518683.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-518683 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT A look into Adrian Shankar's past, and at Northamptonshire's success https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/133400/133431.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/517588.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/517588.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-517588 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT The ECB needs to trust its product if the very sanctity of cricket in the country is to be preserved against the ever-encroaching demands of international cricket https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131200/131271.2.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/514362.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/514362.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-514362 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT A curious signing by Nottinghamshire and an impending court case for Giles Clarke have left some tricky questions needing answers https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/132500/132557.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/513681.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/513681.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-513681 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT It's been a thrilling start to the county season, but do the fluctuating standards and performances suggest an underlying weakness in the competition? https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131600/131620.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/511892.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/511892.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-511892 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT The county championship's off to a good start, and there are even snazzy new hand dryers in the toilets at The Oval https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131300/131302.3.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/510498.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/510498.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-510498 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT As the 2011 season gets underway, a county cricket watcher recalls his first year travelling the Sunday League grounds of 1980s Britain with a press pass-wielding father https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131200/131217.2.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/509890.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/509890.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-509890 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT Another English begins under the cloud of financial problems, scheduling issues and strange qualification rules. But despite it all, the Championship can be an enthralling competition https://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/130000/130074.jpg https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/509908.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/509908.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-509908 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT It took many by surprise when Jade Dernbach was called into England's World Cup squad, but his development over the last 12 months has been rapid and he's eager for more honours https://p.imgci.com https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/509786.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/509786.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-509786 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT Last season Ryan Sidebottom played a key role in Nottinghamshire's Championship success but he is now aiming to end his career back with his Yorkshire roots https://p.imgci.com https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/509529.html?ex_cid=OTC-RSS https://www.cricinfo.com/county-cricket-2011/content/story/509529.html https://www.cricinfo.com/story/-509529 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:53:33 GMT