My Favourites for the Upcoming County Cricket Season

County Championshp:

5. Yorkshire. My fifth favourites are Yorkshire because although Adil Rashid could be in and out of the England team this year, Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hoggard are back after being dropped from the England team and could play a big part in their title challenge this year.

Tim Bresnan and Jacques Rudolph are getting better as they are getting older but both are still under 28. A big loss this season is former captain Darren Gough so after losing him morale could be a bit low.

4. Somerset. My fourth favourites are Somerset because they have a lot of batting fire power in Marcus Trescothick, Justin Langer, James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter they also have all rounders who are all decent batsmen.

Somerset also have many spin bowlers even after Ian Blackwell has departed Arul Suppiah, Omari Banks I also think now Blackwell is gone we could be seeing a lot more of young Michael Munday.

One weakness Somerset have is their lack of pace bowlers Andrew Caddick now 40 Charl Willoughby now 34 and Alfonso Thomas who is not a full time bowler.

3. Hampshire. My third favourites are Hampshire one reason is their lethal bowling attack Chris Tremlett, Imran Tahir, Dimitri Mascarenhus and the new boy Dominic Cork.

Hampshire also have a very strong batting lineup, Michael Carberry, John Crawley who maybe 37 but still averages over 40 and when they are not on international duty they have Marcus North and Kevin Pieteren who both average over 44.

But the key to their challenge this season will be Imran Tahir because he is their main spin bowler so they are counting on him to take wickets.

2. Nottinghamshire. My second favourites are Nottinghamshire because They have 1 of the best bowling attacks in England Ryan Sidebottom who might be back for a while now he has been dropped from England, Stuart Broad who will be vital when not on international duty.

Charlie Shreck and Darren Pattison who are adequate replacements also Mark Ealham can take wickets. Nottinghamshire also have two decent spin bowling all rounders in Graeme Swann and Samit Patel. Their are pretty much no weaknesses in their squad apart from they will have a few international call-ups through the upcoming season.

1. Durham. Finally my favourites to win the county championship are Durham, I have chosen Durham as my favourites because they are the current LV county championship holders and they have in my view the best batting line-up in England.

With Dale Benkenstein, Paul Collingwood, Shiv Chanderpaul and Michael Di Venuto all average over 40 and several more average over 30.

They also have a good bowling attack in Graham Onions, Liam Plunkett, Mark Davies, and Steven Harmison in the pace department and Gareth Breese and the new boy Ian Blackwell they also have a reliable pair of hands behind the wicket in Phil Mustard.

So I cannot see a weakness in the team because even if a few players are on international duty they have very good back up players.

So that is my top five favourites for the LV county championship