PPP County Championship Preview (2 June 1999)

2 June 1999

PPP County Championship Preview

Frank Wheeldon

Derbyshire beat Northants then did not play in the last round of matches. Yorkshire have won their last two. Recent meetings: 1998: Yorkshire by 111 runs. 1997: Derbyshire by nine wickets, Kim Barnett and Tim Tweats added 417 for third wicket, the highest partnership in the championship for Derbyshire. 1996: drawn, Yorkshire's 561 was a record at home in this fixture. A deer on the pitch stopped play on the third day. Team news: Derbyshire have fitness checks on several players. Their leading run-scorer is Michael Slater with 342. In form for Yorkshire is Craig White, who took 6-74 against Durham.

Durham have lost their last three. Somerset lost against Surrey with one ball left, having beaten the champions in previous match. 1998: Somerset by 10 wickets (finished third day). 1997: Somerset by eight wickets. 1996: Rain-affected draw. Team news: Durham, unchanged, will rely on Jon Lewis with the bat. Somerset had four batsmen who scored 50-plus in the last match.

Essex (13) v Hampshire (1) (Ilford)

Essex last won in April, have lost twice since but drew last match. Hampshire have won last four. 1998: Hampshire by an innings and 111 runs. 1997: drawn, rain. 1997: Essex by four wickets, Hampshire scored 539, their highest against Essex. Team news: Essex have included Nasser Hussain (subject to availability after Buckingham Palace reception for World Cup teams) and Tim Hodgson. Stuart Law is the country's leading run-scorer. Hampshire will field the same XI as against Notts.

The draw with Essex ended Gloucestershire's run of four defeats. Lancashire's only win of the season was against Notts. 1998: Lancs by an innings and 35 runs (finished third day; Martyn Ball and Jon Lewis added record 83 for Gloucestershire's 10th wicket). 1997: drawn with Lancs' last pair at the wicket, Jack Russell recorded his 1,000th dismissal. 1996: drawn. Team news: Gloucs unchanged, with Matt Windows, scorer of a century against Essex, included. Lancs hope to include Muttiah Muralitharan and Andy Flintoff after World Cup duty.

Kent have just one win this season and drew with Leicestershire in last match. Surrey have won three in a row and are the only side in the competition undefeated. 1998: Surrey by an innings and 30 runs (finished third day). 1997: Kent by five wickets (finished third day). 1996: drawn. Team news: Kent will give fitness tests to Matthew Fleming and Steve Marsh, Ed Smith and Simon Willis stand by.

Leicestershire have had one draw and one defeat in last two matches. Glamorgan lost to Worcs after wins in the two previous games. 1998: Leicestershire by 140 runs. 1997: drawn, no play on two days. 1996: drawn, Tony Cottey and Ottis Gibson added a Glamorgan record of 211 for the seventh wicket. Team news: Vince Wells will replace Leicestershire's injured captain, James Whitaker, and, for Glamorgan, Steve Watkin is out with a back injury. Robert Croft and Andrew Davies are added to the squad.

Northants have one win from five matches. Notts have lost once in their last four matches. 1998: drawn, no play final day. 1997: Notts by three wickets. 1996: Rain-affected draw. In this fixture Notts scored 527, the record highest score for any side losing by an innings margin. Team news: In opposition could be Vasbert Drakes (Notts) and Devon Malcolm (Northants), who both have 24 wickets this season.

Sussex drew with Middlesex, having won their previous match, their one win to date. Worcestershire won for the first time this season, against Glamorgan last week. 1998: drawn, Graeme Hick scored his 100th hundred. 1997: Worcestershire won by an innings and 35 runs. Sussex lost 17 wickets on the third day and scored less than 75 in three consecutive innings. 1996: Worcestershire by an innings and 14 runs. Team news: Sussex's Jason Lewry plays his first match of the season, replacing Alex Edwards, and Graeme Hick is in the Worcestershire squad.

Warwickshire have won their last two matches. Middlesex have had a draw, a defeat and a win in their last three. 1998: drawn, Brian Lara scored 226, a Warwickshire record v Middlesex. 1997: Warwickshire won by eight wickets, no play first day. 1996: Rain-affected draw. Team news: Middlesex, unchanged from the team who played Sussex, will face Ashley Giles, who scored a century and took five wickets in an innings against Oxford University.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph