PPP County Championship Preview (9 July 1999)

9 July 1999

PPP County Championship Preview

Frank Wheeldon

Last 4 matches: Derbyshire, W L D W. Somerset, W L L D.

Recent meetings: 1998, Derbyshire won by 72 runs. 1997 and 1996 matches drawn. 1995, Somerset won by 79 runs after following on. Peter Bowler, having joined Somerset from Derbyshire, top-scored with 138.

Team news: Derbyshire's Karl Krikken resumes behind the stumps having missed five matches with hamstring problems and Michael Deane replaces Kevin Dean. Andy Caddick returns for Somerset in place of Matthew Bulbeck. Form players: Derbyshire's Robin Weston, with a batting average of 53.85 and a century in each of the last two matches. For Somerset, Caddick has 50 first-class wickets.

Last 4 matches: Durham, L W D L. Notts, L L D W.

Recent meetings: 1998, Durham won by 8 wickets. 1997 and 1996 matches drawn. 1995, Durham won by an innings and 14 runs. Four times in the last six years this match has lasted only three days.

Team news: Durham, with so many players out of form, will not name their side until today. For Nottinghamshire, wicketkeeper Chris Read returns after his England Test debut and Alex Wharf replaces out-of-form batsman Mathew Dowman.

Form players: Simon Brown is Durham's leading wicket-taker with 32 at 23.38 and in opposition is Vasbert Drakes, with 40 at 19.05.

Last 4 matches: Glamorgan, L D L D. Essex, L W D D.

Recent meetings: 1998, Glamorgan won by 216 runs. 1997, Glamorgan won by 7 wickets. 1996, Glamorgan won by 7 wickets. 1995, Essex won by 147 runs.

Team news: Glamorgan will play the same eleven that lost to Hampshire. Paul Prichard returns for Essex after injury, in place of Darren Robinson, and Nasser Hussain is back at the expense of Tim Walton.

Form players: Darren Thomas, of Glamorgan, has taken 31 wickets so far this season and will be up against Stuart Law, who has scored four centuries this season and has an average of 69.33.

Last 4 matches: Middlesex, L W D D. Northants, L L D L.

Recent meetings: 1998, match drawn. 1997, Middlesex won by an innnings and 57 runs. 1996, Middlesex won by 26 runs. 1995, match drawn. Northants' last victory in this fixture was in 1994 when the winning run was scored off the final ball of the match.

Team news: Mark Ramprakash and Phil Tufnell are added to the Middlesex side who played Derbyshire. Northants, without the injured Rob Bailey and Mal Loye, call up Kevin Innes, David Roberts and Alec Swann.

Form players: Justin Langer, Middlesex's overseas player, has 675 runs at 56.25. Matthew Hayden, his counterpart, has 719 at 59.91.

Last 4 matches: Worcestershire, W W D W. Kent, W D D L.

Recent meetings: The 1998 and 1997 matches were drawn. 1996, Worcestershire won by 192 runs despite a Dean Headley hat-trick. 1995, Worcestershire won by 61 runs. Kent have never beaten Worcestershire in a four-day match.

Team news: Worcestershire have added Abdul Hafeez and Philip Weston, who missed six matches with a foot injury, to the side who beat Northants. Kent add Dean Headley to the eleven who played against Warwickshire.

Form players: Tom Moody, who scored 126 runs for once out in his first match of the season, will face Min Patel, who has 34 wickets at 22.28.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph