Surrey on the hunt for historic three-peat

With Callum Parkinson and Colin Ackermann arriving to add to the spin stocks and middle-order batting respectively, as well as Australia seamer Scott Boland joining for the first half of the season, they look well equipped to shake up Division One.

One to watch: Top-order batter Ben McKinney made a handful of first-team appearances last year and will be pushing for further opportunities. England's captain and top-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup over the winter, McKinney has been in the Durham system since the age of 10. Impressed on the pre-season tour of Zimbabwe, scoring his maiden first-class fifty. Alan Gardner

Bet365: 12/1

Last season: 2nd in Division One
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer, Dean Elgar
Ins: Jordan Cox (Kent)
Outs: Alastair Cook (retired), Dan Lawrence (Surrey), Aron Nijjar, Josh Rymell, Eshun Kalley, Will Buttleman (all released)

It's been several seasons now since Essex were indisputably the best red-ball team in the country, but they continued to punch above their perceived weight in running Surrey close in 2023. It remains to be seen whether Tom Westley's men can remain quite so competitive in the wake of two seismic departures, and yet - on paper - they seem to have landed a pair of incredibly worthy stand-ins for Alastair Cook and Dan Lawrence.

Dean Elgar, the former South Africa captain, is about as close to a Cook clone as exists in the world game, while the young thruster Jordan Cox regards the ambition around Chelmsford to be a step-up from the stagnation he had been feeling down at Canterbury.

On the bowling front, Essex's title challenge will once again be spearheaded by their holy trinity of Sam Cook, Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer, the prolific South African spinner who played a pivotal role in Elgar's recruitment. Such a streetwise attack is the main reason they are the bookies' likeliest challengers to Surrey, who they kept pace with until the penultimate round last year.

One to watch: It's been said so often before, but this could be a crucial summer for Sam Cook, Essex's new vice-captain and a man with complete command of his brief as a stump-threatening fast-medium seamer - as shown by a first-class record of 265 wickets at 19.94, including 48 at 19.60 in the 2023 campaign. At the age of 26, time is still on Cook's side if he's to make his Test debut - especially if England are thinking seriously about succession-planning. Andrew Miller

Last season: 3rd in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
Head coach: Adrian Birrell
Captain: James Vince
Overseas: Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas, Michael Neser
Ins: Ali Orr (Sussex)
Outs: Aneurin Donald (Derbyshire), Ross Whiteley (Derbyshire), Mason Crane (Glamorgan, loan), Scott Currie (Leicestershire, loan), Jack Campbell, Harry Petrie (both released)

Hampshire have been thereabouts for three years now with a hat-trick of third-place finishes. They matched the eight wins of champions Surrey and defeated them in the last game of the season in 2023, having also beaten second-placed Essex in the penultimate match. But by that time it was too late with a mixed bag of earlier results proving costly. That said, they won one more match than Essex and finished just four points behind them, backing up their credentials.

They have a vastly experienced team including proven wicket-takers Kyle Abbott, Keith Barker and Mohammad Abbas, as well as captain James Vince and Liam Dawson, the latter having shelved all England ambitions to pursue silverware with Hampshire and franchise opportunities. Add in the prospect of young right-arm quick John Turner, who has already caught the eye of England selectors, with five wickets from his two Championship games last year including a best of 3 for 23 against Essex in July, plus the recruitment of a highly rated young opener from south-coast rivals Sussex (see below), and Hampshire appear to have the ingredients for success. They just need to put it all together.

One to watch: Ali Orr was a revelation at Sussex after making his debut in 2021. An injury-hampered 2023 season and departure to a new club will no doubt leave him keen to make an impact once more, which could be very exciting for Hampshire fans yearning for a boost at the top of the order. Valkerie Baynes

Bet365: 10/1

Last season: 8th in Division One
Director of cricket: Simon Cook
Head coach: Matt Walker
Captain: Daniel Bell-Drummond
Overseas: Wes Agar, Beyers Swanepoel
Ins: Matt Parkinson (Lancashire), George Garrett (Warwickshire), Michael Cohen (Derbyshire)
Outs: Jordan Cox (Essex), Michael Hogan (retired), Alex Blake, James Logan (both released)

Kent will want to stay up in much more convincing style than last season, where a nail-biting wait of more than an hour on the result of Nottinghamshire versus Middlesex to learn their fate left nerves shredded. Having lost the enterprising Cox to Essex and not recruited voraciously they may come to rely on the usual suspects for runs in the reliable Ben Compton and exciting allrounder Joey Evison, along with captain Daniel Bell-Drummond and Zak Crawley (when available). If Jack Leaning can improve on his 563 runs at 25.59 last season, it's a plus.

Bowling-wise, they've signed ex-England legspinner Matt Parkinson from Lancashire looking for "a new challenge and environment" after a successful loan spell in the 2023 One-Day Cup and he brings a wealth of experience and match-winning ability with him. The relatively inexperienced George Garrett and South African-born Michael Cohen boost Kent's seam-bowling stocks, while Wes Agar is back from Australia for a good chunk of the season and he showed what he could do last year with 21 Championship wickets, including a best of 5 for 63 against Northamptonshire. But they will need all departments firing if they are to go from holding on by their fingernails to serious contenders.

One to watch: Jaydn Denly, the 18-year-old nephew of Kent stalwart Joe, made his debut in last year's One-Day Cup and went on to tour India with England's U19s and play in the U19 World Cup in South Africa. A first-class debut this year would be another significant step in his development and Kent's future planning. VB

Bet365: 22/1

Last season: 5th in Division One
Director of cricket: Mark Chilton
Head coach: Dale Benkenstein
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Overseas: Nathan Lyon, Tom Bruce Ins: Mitchell Stanley (Worcestershire)
Outs: Matt Parkinson (Kent), Danny Lamb (Sussex), Rob Jones (Worcestershire), Richard Gleeson (Warwickshire), Jack Morley (Derbyshire, loan), Dane Vilas (retired)

Lancashire managed 55 points fewer than champions Surrey last season, drawing five games out of five at Emirates Old Trafford, and their disappointing mid-table finish prompted an overhaul over the winter. Glen Chapple's long association with the club has come to an end, with Dale Benkenstein an intriguing choice as his successor after overseeing Gloucestershire's winless Championship season in 2023. With several homegrown players leaving over the winter, they look like a team in transition.

The most eye-catching arrival is Nathan Lyon, whose signing prompted plenty of column inches before he has even played after Tom Hartley's breakthrough on England's tour to India. Brendon McCullum is among those hoping that Lyon will not block Hartley's opportunities - though Cricket Australia's decision to limit Lyon to seven games should play in England's favour.

Tom Bruce, the journeyman New Zealand batter, has also signed across formats and will effectively replace Dane Vilas, who left the club at the end of last season. Phil Salt made a couple of hundreds last summer but will be unavailable for most of the Championship campaign due to England and IPL commitments.

One to watch: George Bell's young face belies a tough competitor and a true allrounder: he took a Championship wicket with his offbreaks last summer but will compete with Matthew Hurst for the wicketkeeping gloves in Salt's absence. Bell was part of the England team that reached the Under-19 World Cup final two years ago and spent his winter playing grade cricket for Bankstown in Sydney - this could be his breakthrough season for Lancashire. Matt Roller

Bet365: 8/1

Last season: 6th in Division One
Director of cricket: Mick Newell
Head coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas: Dane Paterson, Will Young
Ins: Jack Haynes (Worcestershire), Josh Tongue (Worcestershire), Dillon Pennington (Worcestershire)
Outs: Stuart Broad (retired), Samit Patel (Derbyshire), Jake Ball (Somerset)

Another season of transition at Trent Bridge, with the exit of a core of seasoned campaigners, including the captain Steven Mullaney, who is the new player/coach of the second XI. Despite his own modest campaign in 2023, Haseeb Hameed takes over as red-ball skipper, while Joe Clarke's T20 captaincy is his first taste of leadership since the infamous WhatsApps scandal that has cast a pall over his career.

Notts' new blood comes in the form of a trio of Worcestershire imports in Josh Tongue, Dillon Pennington and Jack Haynes, all of whom have international aspirations having played key roles in their former club's promotion. Tongue is already firmly on England's radar, perhaps all the more so since Stuart Broad's retirement, but with no Test cricket until July, his desire to make a strong impression could make him a shrewd investment. On the batting front, Ben Duckett will doubtless offer a taste of early season Bazball, while New Zealand's Will Young provides a stamp of overseas class for the first block of Championship matches.

One to watch: Of all the attributes that earned Peter Moores two shots at the England head coach role, it was his ability to work with young batters that really stood out. In Haynes, he has at his disposal a richly promising strokemaker whose first three first-class hundreds came in consecutive matches at the start of the 2022 season. Despite a tougher campaign last time out, he still bookended his season with two further centuries. At the age of 23, time is very much on his side to take the next step up. AM

Last season: 7th in Division One
Director of cricket: Andy Hurry
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Overseas: Matt Renshaw
Ins: Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: George Bartlett (Northamptonshire), Steven Davies, Jack Brooks (both retired), Cameron Bancroft (Gloucestershire)

It was a familiar story for Somerset in the Championship last season, with their batting line-up's inconsistency resulting in a third consecutive mid-table finish. James Rew, who turned 20 in January, was the third-highest run-scorer in Division One but found limited support, and the early-season absence of Tom Kohler-Cadmore - who is running the drinks for Rajasthan Royals - will put further pressure on the rest of Somerset's batters to fire.

Tom Abell has resigned the captaincy in order to focus on his own form, with Lewis Gregory taking over after spearheading their T20 Blast triumph last summer. Matt Renshaw, the spare batter in Australia's Test team, will return for the first couple of months of the season to cover for Kohler-Cadmore's absence, with George Bartlett and Steven Davies both moving on over the winter.

England will be watching the progress of Somerset's spinners closely. Jack Leach underwent surgery after sustaining a knee injury during their victory in Hyderabad and his likely absence in the early stages should open up Shoaib Bashir's opportunities in the early summer. If not, head coach Jason Kerr has signalled that he is open to loaning Bashir out in order to ensure he gets regular gametime.

One to watch: Tom Lammonby was 20 years old when he hit centuries in three consecutive Bob Willis Trophy fixtures in 2020, including the final against Essex, but has only managed three more since then and is yet to average above 30 in a full County Championship season. A stylish left-hander, he is brilliant to watch when in top form; Somerset will hope that he can reach those levels more consistently this year. MR

Bet365: 11/1

Last season: 1st in Division One
Director of cricket: Alec Stewart
Head coach: Gareth Batty
Captains: Rory Burns
Overseas:Kemar Roach, Sean Abbott
Ins: Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Outs: Dan Moriarty (Yorkshire)

The news that Alec Stewart will leave his post at the end of the summer gives extra motivation to a side who have had plenty over the last few years. A tilt at a third consecutive County Championship title - something no county has achieved since Yorkshire in the 1960s - will come with even more feeling in 2024, which should alarm the rest, who have collectively managed just three wins against Surrey in the last two campaigns.

The return of Sean Abbott and Kemar Roach bolsters homegrown expertise, characterised by Jordan Clark, whose 48 wickets - joint-top for the club with Dan Worrall - and 427 runs were the backbone for 2023's triumph. Along with Jamie Overton, who is eyeing up a spot in England's T20 World Cup squad, they are not lacking for high-calibre bowling allrounders.

Dan Lawrence's arrival from Essex, the most high-profile county transfer in recent times, allows Surrey to boast a front six of Test experience even with Will Jacks at the IPL. Jacks' absence will also allow Lawrence to ramp up his bowling, but it is with the bat he will seek to make the most noise as he continues a two-year-long knocking at the door of Ben Stokes' Test side. Such is the talent within the squad that allrounder Aaron Hardie's withdrawal from a two-month stint at the behest of Cricket Australia was met with a shrug.

One to watch: The wicketkeeping berth is the one clear Test spot up for grabs after England's 4-1 defeat in India, with Jamie Smith already attracting attention. An engaging stroke-maker, even against the red ball, last season's 736 runs came at a strike rate of 65.30. The one stumbling block is that England incumbent Ben Foakes is Surrey's designated keeper, but noteworthy scores from Smith can more than cover for that. Vithushan Ehantharajah

Bet365: 13/8

Last season: 4th in Division One
Performance director: Gavin Larsen
Head coach:Mark Robinson
Captain: Alex Davies
Overseas: Hasan Ali
Ins: George Garton (Sussex), Richard Gleeson (Lancashire)
Outs: Ethan Brookes (Worcestershire), Henry Brookes (Middlesex), George Garrett (Kent), Manraj Johal (released)

Warwickshire's ability to sustain a title push for as long as they did last season owed plenty to the wise old men of their attack. Chris Rushworth (37) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (34) bagged 107 dismissals between them. With neither showing any signs of tailing off and the reliable Ed Barnard likely to pick up where he left off following 29 wickets in 2023, the bowling should take care of itself, especially if they are able to squeeze a combined 10 games out of Chris Woakes and Hasan Ali around their international obligations.

The batting, however, remains a live issue given the club did not seek reinforcements in the offseason despite managing the third-fewest bonus points in the division (18). Sam Hain made it beyond 700 runs (just) and Will Rhodes was the only other batter to pass 600. The former was responsible for three of the county's seven centuries, and the former eventually decided to relinquish the captaincy after averaging a lowly 30.90. Alex Davies picks up the armband, but he, along with the likes of Rob Yates and Dan Mousley, must pick up the slack if Warwickshire are to avoid a less flattering position come September.

One to watch: Part of the Edgbaston set-up since 2021, Durham University graduate Michael Booth hails from Zimbabwe and was a former age-group cricketer at KwaZulu-Natal Inland in South Africa. A fast bowler with good pace and skills, as well as being a handy lower-order batter, Booth made his county debut last summer in the One-Day Cup. VE

Bet365: 7/1

Last season: 2nd in Division Two
Director of cricket: Ashley Giles
Head coach: Alan Richardson
Captain: Brett D'Oliveira
Overseas: Jason Holder, Nathan Smith
Ins: Josh Cobb (Northamptonshire), Rob Jones (Lancashire), Tom Taylor (Northamptonshire), Ethan Brookes (Warwickshire), Yadvinder Singh (SACA)
Outs: Jack Haynes (Nottinghamshire), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire), Pat Brown (Derbyshire), Mitchell Stanley (Lancashire), Taylor Cornall (released)

Worcestershire enjoyed a smooth path in returning to Division One for the first time since 2018, securing the two points needed on a weather-hit second day of their final fixture of 2023, against Yorkshire. The next challenge will be to stay there after their previous stint in the top-flight was short lived. Losing three key players to Nottinghamshire, including England bowler Tongue, could raise concerns but Rob Jones' arrival from Lancashire will bolster the batting line-up. Allrounder Tom Taylor adds to their seam-bowling options after joining from Northamptonshire, although he was being monitored for shoulder and knee problems after a friendly fire collision with team-mate Ben Gibbon while taking a return catch in a Seconds Championship match earlier this week. Gibbon suffered a concussion in the incident.

In Jake Libby Worcestershire had the third-highest run-scorer of Division Two last year, with 1153 runs at 57.65 and a highest score of 198, while Joe Leach was the joint-third wicket-taker. Winter flooding means Worcestershire are not expecting to play at New Road until May 24, when they host Nottinghamshire, with their first two home games to be played at Kidderminster.

One to watch: Former West Indies captain Jason Holder has arrived for the first five games of the season on a quest to win back his Test place through domestic red-ball cricket so he'll have plenty to prove ahead of his return home for the T20 World Cup. He's at Worcestershire for a good time, not a long one, so it will be intriguing to see if he can make the most of it. VB

Bet365: 28/1