Is county cricket anti-spin?

Rob Steen: The Championship's spinner-unfriendly attitude is affecting England

The watchers watched

Jarrod Kimber spends a day at the Kia Oval, sampling the habits and conversations of the average County Championship crowd

Crane's emergence invites heady expectations

Alan Gardner talks to an 18-year-old Hampshire legspinner with a big future

'The next step hopefully is to play the World T20'

Thirty-five-year-old Michael Klinger still hopes to play for Australia

'I have no idea where the courage came from'

In unpublished interviews conducted before his death, Brian Close spoke about body blows, and captaining Viv

The embodiment of a Yorkshireman

David Hopps: Brian Close was courageous, outspoken, and bloody-minded

England news

Rashid battles to prove his worth

One-day stage has Test debut as the prize | Lyth bares his soul on Facebook

Royal London Cup quarter-finals

Gloucs find their voice after Bracewell departure

Dawson and Harvey oversee progress

A priceless peek into the county cricket story

In so far as the County Championship has a single history, Stephen Chalke strives mightily to tell it through a visually wonderful book. By Paul Edwards

For the love of county

The Cricket Monthly: To celebrate the County Championship's 125th anniversary, here's Daniel Brigham on the five most memorable seasons

Bairstow keeps England ambition burning

Out of favour following his involvement in England's Ashes whitewash, Jonny Bairstow is in the form of his life. And he may be about to get another chance. By David Hopps

England news

Footitt eyes up England's left-arm vacancy

Tim Wigmore: looks at the career of Mark Footitt, the left-arm quick who is the surprise name for the Ashes training camp

The Yorkshire Academy: elitism that dares speak its name

One minute Matthew Fisher is bowling at Headingley, the next he's back to learning. Like Root and Adil Rashid, he's a product of the Yorkshire Academy. By Paul Edwards

English cricket should bemoan Hales' IPL jaunt

George Dobell: Lack of faith in England's T20 tournament is perverse

How long will they keep turning up?

Nicholas Hogg: The seasoned fans of the county game still show up, but something like the KP episode might leave the younger lot disillusioned

NatWest T20 Blast

Overseas influx ensures the biggest Blast yet

Tim Wigmore compares the counties' overseas contingent in the NatWest Blast

NatWest T20 Blast

Blast promises to break 1m barrier

Expectations high for crowd surge

England's swinger becomes a swimmer

Matthew Hoggard, who is taking to the water for charity, talks about the 2005 Ashes, current fast-bowling stocks and whether an old rival should take charge of England

Can Tymal Mills fill England's bowling vacuum?

Sussex's new signing has shown enough promise to be the left-arm tearaway the country needs. By Andrew Miller

The lost wicketkeeper

He was one of the most admired young keepers in England but Michael Bates is currently without a county. By Alan Gardner

County news

County ins and outs 2015

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