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In an extraordinary outburst, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has pointed a finger at the English cricketers for their role in the batting collapse that cost England the ODI at Oval and said the board was investigating a conspiracy, involving “august cricket bodies”, to defraud Pakistan and Pakistan cricket.In a prepared statement read out to ESPNcricinfo – and repeated on Pakistan TV channels – a day after the ICC started a formal investigation into Pakistan’s win in the third ODI at The Oval, he also launched thinly-veiled attacks on the ICC, some cricket boards and the media.”This is not a conspiracy to defraud bookies but a conspiracy to defraud Pakistan and Pakistan cricket,” Butt said. “We have taken it in hand to start our own investigations. We will shortly reveal the names of the people, the parties and the bodies involved in this sinister conspiracy and we also reserve the right to sue them for damages.”There is loud and clear talk in bookie circles that some English players have taken enormous amounts of money to lose the match [the third ODI]. No wonder there was such a collapse.”When asked by this reporter whether the board had any proof of the allegations regarding English players, Butt responded with a question: “Did you ask the other people who made allegations against our players whether they had any proof? What did they say? We have thought about this properly and we have positive proofs here before us just like they say they have also.”Butt then concluded his statement: “We feel the media in certain countries is biased and not fair. We feel august cricket bodies are also involved in this conspiracy, which will damage the great game of cricket.”The statement is an extension of the one the board released late on Saturday indicating its unhappiness with the way the ICC handled the Oval allegations. Nobody in the Pakistan board was informed by the ICC that an official investigation was being launched; the chairman, the team manager and the captain only learned of it through media reports.An ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo they tried to contact Butt all through Friday but his phone was unavailable. “On Saturday morning [after the ICC press release was sent out] we came to know that Mr Butt was in Dubai. Haroon Lorgat [the ICC chief executive] sought out and met Butt in Dubai on Saturday evening and discussed matters of mutual interest,” he said.However, there is no indication that the ICC tried to contact anyone else in the PCB, nor tried to reach Butt – who was in New Delhi after meeting the ICC president Sharad Pawar – through any number other than his Pakistan mobile.The PCB also seems unhappy with the official implication that Pakistan’s batsmen were under the scanner. Though the ICC didn’t point the finger at Pakistan in their statement – though did so in their report – the subsequent statement from the ECB confirmed that no English players were involved.”One statement from a very august official of the ICC said no, only Pakistan players were involved,” Butt said, though he refused to elaborate.Butt also refused to give more details of the nature of the board’s investigation, though he said it had already begun. “I will be revealing names of people and organisations who are involved in this, so I don’t want to comment more on the investigations just now. Details will come out only once our investigations are complete.”Butt’s comments may well signal the final nail in the coffin of the PCB’s relationship with the ICC, if they have not completely broken down already. Under Butt’s tenure, the two have clashed consistently. In 2009, the PCB threatened to take the ICC to court after Pakistan was removed as a venue from the 2011 World Cup, following the Lahore terror attacks on Sri Lanka in March. The dispute was resolved out of court but tensions have simmered consistently since.They boiled over again in the aftermath of allegations of spot-fixing during the fourth Test at Lord’s. The ICC provisionally suspended the three players at the centre of the scandal, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, after the Pakistan board refused to do so. At a press conference in Lahore soon after he returned, the board chairman expressed his unhappiness with the ICC’s decision while a police investigation was still ongoing against the three.Butt then went to Delhi to discuss the investigation and allegations with Sharad Pawar, the ICC president. He travelled on Saturday to Dubai, the ICC HQ, though it is unclear whether he has met with officials there. He said, however, that he would raise these issues at the next ICC meeting, on October 11.

Cricket’s most lucrative club competition, the $6.5m Champions League Twenty20, begins in less than ten days with organisers assuring “robust” anti-corruption and security measures. It will be the first multi-nation tournament to be held following the sting operation that led to the ICC’s first-ever use of its provisional suspension clause to suspend the three Pakistan cricketers suspected of spot-fixing.In the aftermath of the sting, seven international cricketers have so far come out and said they had been contacted by illegal bookies, the latest being the Australian David Warner, who said a group of men he found suspicious had approached him in New Delhi last year during the first edition of the CLT20.This year the tournament is being held in South Africa from September 10 to 26, and Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa and a CLT20 governing council member, said that the organisers would be working with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Securities Unit, “as we would for any major event like a World Cup. The governing council and ICC have put the same plans in place as they would for any event”.Dean Kino, another member of the CLT20 governing council, told ESPNcricinfo that a full allotment of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption officers would be present during the tournament, which is not an ICC event. In addition to the ACSU and regular ground security, the South African firm Nicholls, Steyn & Associates will be on duty at the event dealing with security and anti-corruption issues. Four security agents will be present at every game, between three and four security officers will be attached to every team, and there will be a similar number at every hotel.Kino said the spot-fixing controversy had not caused fresh concerns for the Champions League. “In case of players breaking the code, the same strictures would apply as they do in the ICC’s anti-corruption code”. The CLT20’s code of conduct opens with a 14-point list of offences related to betting, gambling and speculation, bringing the game into disrepute, contriving a result or occurrence of a “cricket event” and “not performing on merits”.”No single player who takes the field in our tournament will not have been educated about corruption and the code of behaviour,” Kino said.In July, Sir Paul Condon, the outgoing head of the ACSU, told Cricinfo in an interview that Twenty20 cricket represented “the biggest challenge to the integrity of cricket for probably 10 years”.According to Condon, the Twenty20 format’s “familiarly heady cocktail of party atmosphere, entertainment, cricket and celebrity” caused some of the “bad old faces who were involved in match-fixing a decade ago to reappear at grounds and hotels to try and get involved again”.Condon brought the security issues around Twenty20 cricket to light when he made a verbal presentation to the ICC executive board last year about IPL 2009 in South Africa. The event had been held without the involvement of the ACSU but the ICC’s security men picked up information about the event from their South African contacts.A senior ICC official who attended the Condon presentation told ESPNcricinfo that the security chief said IPL 2009 had “all kinds of people entering dressing rooms and the use of mobiles and laptops in there, which normally should be forbidden”. The BCCI had asked the ICC for “proof” after which a formal document was sent from the ICC to the Indian board. The ACSU was then included in the conduct of IPL 2010, which was given a clean chit by Condon’s men. There were still security loopholes, however, due to the IPL’s big ticket after-parties where, according to an ICC official, “anyone who could buy tickets, even if they cost $1000, could walk in. The protective environment was just not there.”The IPL after-parties may be banned next year but former India Test cricketer Atul Wassan said several IPL cricketers had told him that they had been approached by strangers trying to befriend them by talking about “making good money”.Wassan refused to name the cricketers making this statement but told ESPNcricinfo, “these are guys who know me well, youngsters in the IPL, assured of a spot on their teams… the people who came up to them were trying to build relationships that they could milk when the player became a star”.Wassan agreed with the claim that Twenty20 cricket attracted illegal betting syndicates looking to make use of the rapid pace and frequent fluctuations in every match. “Never mind only the IPL, any pronto cricket or club cricket is a sitting duck for the illegal betting business.”

ScorecardMichael Carberry is not pinning his hopes on an England re-call despite his good form this season•Getty Images

Michael Carberry doubts that his Test career will extend beyond the single cap he earned with England in Bangladesh in March but his current form may persuade the selectors to prove his pessimism to be misplaced. Hampshire’s 29-year-old opening batsman made a hundred in each innings against Durham at Basingstoke last week but played down his prospects of a recall by declaring: “That ship’s sailed.”Elaborating, he continued: “I’m not ruling it out altogether but the way things have panned out, I don’t think I’ll be in an England shirt for the time being. Opportunities might come round again but I’m relying on injuries.”Carberry was overlooked when Eoin Morgan was chosen for the opening Test of the summer against Bangladesh in May and it was that snub that persuaded the left-hander to take the gloomy view that he must be too far down the pecking order to make a recall likely in the immediate future.Yet he was one of the players England selector James Whitaker wanted to monitor on day one here and, while he fell short of adding a sixth century of the season to his recent record, Carberry continued to provide food for thought after another failure for Alastair Cook at Edgbaston.He was foxed in the end by Somerset’s in-form Murali Kartik, whose arm ball he nicked into the gloves of Craig Kieswetter after playing back in anticipation of turn, but had made 71 to help Hampshire battle to 130-2 after being put in on a green pitch.His 68-run partnership with Michael Lumb for the second wicket followed a 62-run alliance with Jimmy Adams for the first, although his co-opener had led something of a charmed life, surviving a chance to second slip off Charl Willoughby only four balls into the day and another at square leg on five two overs later, when Jos Buttler made a rare drop.Buttler had to pull on the wicketkeeper’s gloves for half an hour when Craig Kieswetter went off for treatment on a hamstring problem but England’s Twenty20 wicketkeeper was deemed fit enough to continue and held a catch off Peter Trego as Adams ran out of luck soon after resuming.Lumb looked rather more secure in reaching 42 but then gave a return catch to the impressive Kartik off a leading edge, sparking a mini-collapse for Hampshire from 180 for 2 to 186 for 5.Kartik had 19-year-old Vince groping about in the crease as three deliveries in a row beat the bat before striking with another that went straight on – a beautiful piece of bowling that illustrated that the youngster still has much to learn, for all the fanfares that have accompanied his recent progress.Alfonso Thomas was then rewarded for some penetrative but until then luckless pace bowling when Neil McKenzie was given out lbw despite being well forward, leaving Sean Ervine and Dan Christian to set about rebuilding before heavy rain forced an early finish at a cost of 18 overs.These sides may meet again in the Twenty20 Cup final on Saturday but Kevin Pietersen will almost certainly not feature, despite being made available by England coach Andy Flower.The England batsman regained some form with his 80 in the second Test at Edgbaston but Giles White, the Hampshire coach, confirmed that Pietersen, who has already announced that he will leave the county at the end of the season because he wants to be closer to his home in Chelsea, is unlikely to be picked.Hampshire passed up on picking Pietersen when England released him for a Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Kent last month, explaining that they would rather work on the development of other players with international prospects, such as Lumb, Carberry, Adams and Vince.”I suspect there will be no change in our policy,” White said.Somerset, who have won four of their last six First Division matches to raise their hopes of landing the title for the first time in their history, will overtake Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire at the top of the table with a win in this match.

Kenya were no match for Netherlands as the hosts stormed to a 117-run win in Voorburg . A century stand between Alexie Kervezee and Tom Cooper set Netherlands to 229 before a combined effort from the bowlers sunk Kenya to 112 within 30 overs.Kervezee and Cooper came together after Thomas Odoyo struck in the fifth over, and the pair added 123 for the second wicket. Kervezee progressed at more than a run-a-ball, hitting 11 fours and a six before he was trapped in front by a delivery from James Ngoche which turned in sharply. Kervezee, unfortunately, fell eight short of his century. Ngoche struck again soon after when he sent back the captain Peter Borren. Cooper and Wesley Barresi then added 53 to lift the hosts but the lower order failed to put together partnerships as Kenya struck quickly. Jimmy Kamande ran through the lower order to finish with 4 for 36.The chase got off to a rocky start as Kenya lost their top three for 32. The fourth wicket pair of Collins Obuya and Rakep Patel added 48, but that was the best stand Kenya could manage. Obuya’s dismissal in the 20th over, bowled by Cooper, sparked a collapse as Kenya lost their last six wickets for 23 runs. Netherlands recorded their first win after losing narrowly to Scotland on Thursday.Rain in Rotterdam forced the game between Afghanistan and Ireland to be pushed to the reserve day after Ireland completed their 50 overs. Andrew Poynter top scored with 78, supported by useful contributions by Kevin O’Brien and Trent Johnston to push the score to 237 before rain intervened.Afghanistan held the initiative initially as their seamers, Khaliq Dad and Shapoor Zadran, made early inroads to reduce Ireland to 27 for 3. But Ireland recovered via two seventy-plus stands spearheaded by Poynter. Kevin O’Brien departed for 44 before Andrew White joined Poynter to add a quick 73 in 12 overs. Johnston then made a cameo unbeaten 42 off 28 balls to lift the score to 237. Hamid Hassan, who claimed the wicket of Poynter for 78, took 3 for 53.Scotland and rain were the victors in Amstelveen as Canada fell short by 69 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis Method. Chasing 237, the Canada batsmen weren’t quite up to the mark, losing wickets at regular intervals and by the time rain forced a long interruption, they were well behind the par score.The win was set up by half-centuries by Richie Berrington and Neil McCallum, who became Scotland’s most-capped player. Umar Bhatti bowled a tight spell of 2 for 29 in ten overs to keep the top order in check before Berrington and McCallum took the initiative away. The pair added 124 for the third wicket before Rizwan Cheema bowled Berrington for 67. McCallum remained unbeaten on 89, hitting seven fours and four sixes.Early strikes by the Scotland seamers put Canada on the back foot when they began their chase. Rain intervened after ten overs with Canada 49 for 2. They stumbled further on resumption as the seamer Gordon Goudie removed Hiral Patel and Geoff Barnett in one over. When rain intervened for the second time, after 21 overs, Canada were in deep trouble at 79 for 6. They were already 80 behind the par score and Scotland had all but sealed the game. Just when it seemed as if the umpires would call it off and award the victory to Scotland, the rain stopped and the covers were off. The match was reduced to a 26-over contest and the target revised to 196. Canada had just five overs in which to get an improbable 117 and the lower order, led by Calvert Hooper did the best they could to narrow the deficit.On his record, McCallum said: “I don’t play for records and I wasn’t aware of it until I was told after I batted. If you play for any length of time then those things will follow and it’s gratifying. But the main thing is that the team is playing well.”On the match, he added: “We knew Canada would be a difficult game and by deciding to bat first we knew we had to give ourselves a chance by getting a total to defend. Myself and Richie Berrington managed to put a partnership together. In the dressing room we always talk about getting 100-plus stands and it was good that we did just that.”It was a totally different surface from the one we played against the Dutch on Thursday. We knew it wouldn’t be easy up front but we still opted to try and put a total on the board and all the batsmen did well in tough conditions. The top order had to work so hard to take the shine off the ball and keep wickets intact and Richie and I took advantage when the hardness went off the ball.”Scotland take on Ireland on Monday. “We’re very pleased with the way things are going at the moment. We took a lot of confidence from the way we played against India A last week and although the Dutch game on Thursday could have gone either way we’ll take that win, and this performance against Canada sets us up nicely for our match with Ireland,” McCallum said. “It’s a cliche but we’ve not looked beyond this match at this stage. We’ll just take each game as it comes, do the basics well if we can, and if we can do that then the rest should take care of itself.”

ScorecardCameron White steadied Australia after a top-order wobble with a composed hundred•PA Photos

Cameron White hit 106 in a 176-run stand with Mike Hussey to rescue Australia from a top-order wobble as the visitors secured a hard-earned five-wicket victory against Middlesex, captained by Adam Gilchrist, at Lord’s. After being made to sweat by Ireland on Thursday this wasn’t a comfortable outing, either, as a rusty attack was taken for 273 before the reply slipped to 64 for 4.A little over a month ago Hussey played one of most extraordinary innings imaginable to take Australia home in the World Twenty20 semi-final against Pakistan in St Lucia, while White also played a vital hand in a run chase that seem impossible. The outcome of this match held far less significance and, having steadied the innings from the early wobble, the pair constructed their stand with consummate ease against a weak bowling line-up with the honourable exception of Tim Murtagh.Knowing the opposition were short of depth the pair didn’t worry about the run rate and instead ticked over with good running, collecting the boundaries when they were on offer. White went to his hundred from 114 balls before miscuing to mid on, but Hussey ensured there were no late alarms along side Steven Smith.”I’ve played a few games here, a couple for Australia and a few for Somerset when I played county cricket and never got a hundred,” White said. “Although it was only a practice match or warm-up match, it’s not every day is it you play here and it was nice to get some runs at Lord’s.”Middlesex to their credit bowled very well at the start. It was good to win from that position and obviously Mike Hussey batted beautifully as well.”However, Australia will not be able to sit entirely comfortably heading into Tuesday’s opening ODI against England. A number of bowlers still appear short of work and here it was only Doug Bollinger who impressed with 3 for 24 from eight overs as Owais Shah made 92 following Gilchrist’s 38. Scott Newman ensured a positive end to Middlesex’s innings with 55 off 40 balls.Australia’s chase had started with a flurry of boundaries before Tim Paine fell in extremely unfortunate style as Murtagh spilled a return catch off Shane Watson but parried the ball into the non-striker’s stumps. Runs continued to flow at a rapid rate as Robbie Williams bowled too full until a more conventional run out ended Watson’s innings as David Warner, his Twenty20 opening partner, hit direct from point.A mini-collapse was officially underway when Michael Clarke followed his five-ball duck against Ireland with a two-ball nought as he was trapped lbw by Murtagh, who repeated the dose to add the notable scalp of Ricky Ponting to his list as the Australia captained shuffled across his crease. At 64 for 4 Australia were in a hole, but Hussey and White have faced far tougher situations in their careers.The early interest in the match surrounded Gilchrist coming up against his former team-mates and he briefly showed the power he used to unleash with straight sixes off Clint McKay and Shane Watson. But he fell playing a Twenty20-style scoop which flew to deep square-leg leaving Shah to control the innings.Shah has been discarded by the England set-up following the Champions Trophy having struggled to fit into the ethos of fitness and fielding excellence, but he had actually been a consistent run-scorer in the one-day format. He came to the crease in the first over and was set for a hundred before picking out long on in the 47th over. There were three solid stands; 67 with Gilchrist, 88 for the fourth wicket with Neil Dexter – Middlesex’s next captain once Gilchrist departs – and 63 for the fifth with Newman as the pair took advantage of the final Powerplay to boost Middlesex’s total.The match started with 13 Australian cricketers on the field, but Warner couldn’t see out the first over when he drove without footwork at the impressive Bollinger and was well caught by Paine diving to his left. Gilchrist’s departure was soon followed by Dawid Malan, who fell in similar fashion as he tried to clear the leg side and sent a spiralling top edge to Paine as the wicketkeeper sprinted to take the catch at square leg. Shah and Dexter produced a solid stand of 88 for the fourth wicket as Ponting gave all his bowlers a work out.Smith, the legspinner, was expensive during his seven overs while McKay continued to struggle. Dexter became Bollinger’s third wicket but Newman, who has struggled for runs this season after his move across the river from Surrey, struck the ball sweetly when the field came in. As Australia’s reply stuttered Gilchrist will have had hope of turning over his mates, but he will also have appreciated the skills of White and Hussey. Come Tuesday at The Rose Bowl he’ll only be supporting one team.

Javed Miandad’s nephew Faisal Iqbal has accused the PCB of unfairly targeting him after being left out of the team that will play six tests in England this summer. “I’m really disheartened,” Faisal told the . “They have given me the shock of my life by discarding me without any due reason. It’s pure victimisation and nothing else.”Faisal last played for Pakistan on the disastrous tour of Australia, where he averaged 24.25 in the first two Tests before being replaced for the third Test. His exclusion from the England tour has left him disheartened and he claimed his shabby treatment would serve as a deterrent to young players coming through the system.”I’ve played as a replacement player for the last nine years,” he said. “I’ve scored even in difficult conditions though the chances I was given were few and far between. I’m young and fit and have matured now but they have just discarded me without any fault of mine. Such treatment of players like me, who are loyal to their country, will dishearten the next generation of cricketers.”He also argued that he turned down lucrative contract offers from the ICL because of his love for his country, unlike some of the players named in the squad. “I just wanted to play for my country and give my best for it.” Faisal has played 26 Tests for Pakistan since making his debut in 2001 against New Zealand, averaging a tad under 27 with one century and eight half-centuries

Shahid Afridi hasn’t played a Test match in four years•Associated Press

“I feel Afridi is the right choice for Pakistan. Although he is fit to lead in one-dayers and T20s, I have my doubts in Tests. But right now, PCB has no choice. They are short on options.”

“Afridi has the quality to unite the team. But he will have to work for it.”

“I think the board should have done this much earlier. I don’t know why they delayed it. I would also urge the PCB to name Salman Butt as vice-captain for the Asia Cup and England tour.”

“I think Afridi can follow in the footsteps of Imran Khan, who not only united the team in the 1980s and 90s but also won a lot of matches for the country.”

“It is a strange decision and one that could badly backfire because Afridi has not been a regular Test player and his last Test was in 2006. So how can the board give him the captaincy for two very tough series against Australia and England.”

“The board has taken its decision but it is a debatable one. It is a big gamble. I think Shahid will be really tested in England as he has been out of the Test side for four years now.”

England batsman Eoin Morgan has been in sparkling form so far in the ICC World Twenty20 but coach, Andy Flower, is keen to prevent him from being stereotyped as a limited-overs player. “I have said before I wouldn’t want to pigeonhole the guy because there are all sorts of things he could achieve in his career and he has only just started it,” Flower told reporters in Barbados. “Whether he goes on to play Test cricket or not we don’t know, but he’s obviously a guy who is good at handling pressure, has got a good brain on him and he’s very talented.”After a poor run of form for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL (an average of 11.66 in four games with a top score of 17), Morgan has bounced back in the World Twenty20, top-scoring with 55 off 35 balls against the West Indies before rescuing England with an assured 45 from 37 balls against Ireland. His average in the shortest version of the game now stands at 55.40 against 36.54 in first-class cricket.”He is an interesting character.” Flower said. “He brings a lot to our changing room; he obviously brings a lot to our side when he has got the bat in his hand.”A lot of his practice time is based on doing the basics really well. Obviously, he has practised his innovations and he’s comfortable doing them, but one of the strengths of those innovations is that he is unpredictable.”Ireland’s captain, William Porterfield, is convinced Morgan – whom he captained before Morgan decided to play for England – has what it takes to succeed at the longest version of game. “He has the ability to do it against the best and I think he can definitely go and play Test cricket. He has the ability and mentality, he can switch from one form to the other; he’s going to go places.”

Much will be expected of Steven Finn after his England debut•Getty Images

Middlesex

Captain Shaun Udal Coach Richard Scott Overseas Iain O’Brien (NZ), Adam Gilchrist (Aus – T20), David Warner (Aus – T20)
Given the docile nature of the Lord’s pitch these days it’s lucky Middlesex possess a potent and varied seam attack. Steven Finn had the pace and bounce to leave optimistic England fans dreaming of Ashes success this winter but he needs to prove himself with plenty of wickets for Middlesex first. Iain O’Brien should offer the smart, whole-hearted support that makes his early retirement from international cricket a real loss for New Zealand. It’s the batting, however, that Middlesex desperately need to shore up and Owais Shah – ruthlessly discarded by England – and Eoin Morgan must fire. The MCC link has helped to attract Adam Glichrist for the Twenty20 Cup, giving the batting line-up an almost IPL glitz. SD
Key man Steven Finn – You only have to look at Steve Harmison to see how devastating height and bounce can be in county cricket and if Finn can stay fit and on the fringes of international duty, his wickets alone could win matches.
Keep an eye on Eoin Morgan – Is now the lynch pin of England’s limited-overs sides and could, alongside Shah and Glichrist produce riches in the shorter formats, but if wants to fulfil his ambitions for Test cricket, he needs Championship runs.
Winter surprise Their attempts to sign Sachin Tendulkar. It didn’t happen. Neither did Yuvraj Singh. Eventually they got David Warner.
Silverware? Promotion is a real chance and they are a decent bet for the Twenty20.

Northamptonshire

Captain Nicky Boje Coach David Capel Overseas Elton Chigumbura (Zim)
The smaller clubs with no Test ground to prop-up the balance sheets have a difficult task attracting and keeping star players. Which makes the BCCI’s decision to prohibit Virender Sehwag joining for the Twenty20 all the more gut-wrenching. With Monty Panesar gone to Hove and Johan van der Wath unable to get a visa the bowling resources are looking sparse. Yet David Lucas had a vintage summer with the ball last year and David Sales and Mal Loye, who in another world could have been an England pairing, lend a solid feel to the batting.
Key man David Sales – Missed the whole of last season after knee reconstruction and will be desperate to make up for lost time. SD
Keep an eye on Jack Brooks – A lively and competitive pace bowler who rarely holds back.
Winter surprise Dipping into Zimbabwe to find their overseas player.
Silverware? Going to be very tough and it’s hard to see them challenging for honours.There is still plenty to prove for Samit Patel if he wants his England place back•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire

Captain Chris Read Coach Mick Newell Overseas David Hussey (Aus), Hashim Amla (SA), Dirk Nannes (Aus – T20)
They have been Durham’s closest rivals for the last two seasons – but last summer that was purely a statistic because the gap was too wide to be of significance. The core of the squad remains the same (barring Mark Ealham’s retirement) and this season they’ll want the young pacemen, Andy Carter and Luke Fletcher, to build on the positive impression they made last summer. Stuart Broad will be absent for most of the season – if not all – as will Graeme Swann, but they may seen more of Ryan Sidebottom. The overseas batsmen, David Hussey and Hashim Amla, should ensure decent totals while Dirk Nannes will add to their Twenty20 options. With the canny Chris Read and talented Samit Patel they should be a strong team in all formats. AM
Key man Samit Patel – Still shunned by the selectors he still to convince people that he can turn his career around. And it’s not all about runs and wickets, although plenty of both will go down well.
Keep an eye on Andy Carter and Luke Fletcher – Both were part of the England performance squad during the winter and can help take the burden off Charlie Shreck.
Winter surprise Better than expected financial results thanks to hosting the World Twenty20.
Silverware? Should be safe from relegation (if it matters this season) but may end up short of the top again. However, a one-day trophy is a real prospect.

Somerset

Captain Marcus Trescothick Coach Andy Hurry Overseas Murali Kartik (Ind), Cameron White (Aus – T20), Kieron Pollard (WI – T20)
Probably the most consistent team across all formats last season, but couldn’t quite hold on to secure a trophy and had to settle for a trip to the Champions League. It’s something of a new era at Taunton this season with Justin Langer having retired and handed the reigns to Marcus Trescothick, while Andy Caddick has finally called time on his career. They will also have to adjust their one-day plans after Craig Kieswetter’s rapid elevation to England colours, but the appearance of Cameron White and Kieron Pollard will mean no shortage of sixes come Twenty20 time. As ever in four-day cricket the question mark is their ability to take 20 wickets often enough and there will be a heavy burden on Charl Willoughby. But he needs some support; they’ll be crossing their fingers it’s a dry summer for Murali Kartik (if the BCCI allow him here). AM
Key man Marcus Trescothick – This year will have to balance captaincy with his run-scoring duties. Needs a huge season to give his weak attack enough to play with.
Keep an eye on Peter Trego – Enjoyed a decent tour with the Lions and wasn’t far away from a T20 call-up. Another good season and higher hours could still be on the offing.
Winter surprise The departure of Phil Frost, the long-serving groundsman, who was made redundant.
Silverware? Hard to see them dismissing teams twice in the Championship, but if Trescothick, White and Pollard fire they will be hard to beat in Twenty20.Rory Hamilton-Brown has been handed the Surrey captaincy despite just seven Championship matches•PA Photos

Surrey

Captain Rory Hamilton-Brown Coach Chris Adams Overseas Piyush Chawla (Ind), Rao Iftikhar Anjum (Pak), Andrew Symonds (Aus – T20)
It’s been a very busy winter for Surrey as they try to reconstruct the talent and aura that once made them the Manchester United of cricket. With the retirement of Mark Butcher, coach Chris Adams poached 22-year-old Rory Hamilton-Brown from Sussex and installed him as captain. How he handles the big egos in the changing room will be intriguing. The batting has been reinforced with Steven Davies’ arrival, while Piyush Chawla (should he arrive) and Garth Batty give balance to the attack. It’s a long road back for Surrey and Adams needs to see some returns on his vast investments. Can money buy success? SD
Key man Mark Ramprakash – Will always make runs but if he finds support and the rest of the team find inspiration from Rory Hamilton-Brown, Surrey’s revival could be quicker than expected.
Keep an eye on Chris Tremlett – One of the many winter recruitments and after his career stuttered to a halt at Hampshire he arrives with a point to prove.
Winter surprise It was less a surprise and more an elongated public courting, but Hamilton-Brown’s move from Sussex to The Oval as captain filled up the winter’s planning.
Silverware? Perhaps a season too early but there is a chance in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

Sussex

Captain Michael Yardy Coach Mark Robinson OverseasYasir Arafat (Pak), Dwayne Smith (WI – T20), Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL – T20)
The twin signings of Dwayne Smith and Tillakaratne Dilshan make Sussex strong contenders for defending their Twenty20 crown but for all their limited-overs success last season, they will be hoping to bounce back in the Championship. Having built their last three successful Championship campaigns (2003, 2006, 2007) on Mushtaq Ahmed’s legspin, they will be looking to new-boy Monty Panesar and young spinners Ollie Rayner and Will Beer to lead them straight back out of Division Two. If Murray Goodwin can improve on a disappointing year last season, where he averaged just 33.33, the batting still has a resilient edge. SD
Key man Murray Goodwin – Carried the batting at Hove for a number of years and it’s no surprise that his downturn in form coincided with a fall in Sussex’s fortunes in the Championship last year.
Keep an eye on Monty Panesar – His star faded last summer almost as quickly as it ascended in the years before. He starts afresh this summer at a county sympathetic to the craft of spin bowling and he should be pushing for a seat on the plane to the Ashes.
Winter surprise Shortly before the season started, Ed Joyce said he was interested in playing for Ireland again.
Silverware? They should be too good for Division Two and know how to win one-day matches. One of the favourites in the CB40 and Twenty20.

Warwickshire

Captain Ian Westwood Coach Ashley Giles Overseas Imran Tahir (SA)
A middling team from the Midlands in recent seasons. Solid but unspectacular – much in the mould of their coach Ashley Giles. They look a little short on class to make a tilt at the Championship especially if Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott are both needed by England in Tests. However, if pitches turn Imran Tahir will be a handful – he just needs enough runs to work with. Jim Troughton and Tim Ambrose must average more than mid-30s for that to happen. Darren Maddy’s pre-season face injury was hugely unlucky for a player who missed most of 2009, but he should be back for Twenty20 which rejuvenated his career three years ago. AM
Key man Imran Tahir – Will have a huge bowling burden and county batsmen have had trouble playing him in the past.
Keep an eye on Chris Woakes – Along with Steven Finn he is the most exciting young paceman around.
Winter surprise That they didn’t strengthen the pace-bowling department.
Silverware? Unlikely to be Championship contenders which leaves them another team better suited to the one-day game.How will Shakib Al Hasan take to county cricket?•Getty Images

Worcestershire

Captain Vikram Solanki Coach Steve Rhodes Overseas Phil Jaques (Aus), Shakib Al Hasan (Bang), Steve Smith (Aus – T20)
They only just avoided the wooden spoon last season and things didn’t improve at New Road during the winter. A glut of senior players jumped ship – Kabir Ali and Simon Jones heading to Hampshire, Steven Davies and Gareth Batty leaving for Surrey and Steven Moore disappearing to Lancashire. Add regular flooding and financial strife and the picture is not pretty at New Road. However in Vikram Solanki and new-man Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, Worcestershire have some hope of reviving their fortunes. They will need ageing seamers Matt Mason and Alan Richardson to stay fit. SD
Key man Vikram Solanki – Captain and the side’s best batsman, he needs a vintage year to give his side anything to bowl at.
Keep an eye onShakib Al Hasan – Impressed everyone with his unnervingly accurate left-arm spin and enterprising batting for Bangladesh against England over the winter.
Winter surprise Worcestershire spent most of the winter watching their players head off to other clubs. They did their best to prevent Kabir Ali from moving, but the paceman promptly boycotted pre-season training, leaving the Worcestershire management no option but to let another man go.
Silverware? The best they can hope for is some decent weather keeping hopes for a flirt with promotion in the Championship alive.

Yorkshire

Captain Andrew Gale Coach Martyn Moxon Overseas Tino Best (WI, TBC), Ryan Harris (Aus), Herschelle Gibbs (SA – T20)
Andrew Gale is Yorkshire’s sixth captain in 10 years as they continue a rebuilding phase that has gone on for a number of seasons. For the last two summers they have found themselves in the lower part of Division One and a similar fate could await this time. There’s no Matthew Hoggard to pound in with the new ball so much will be expected of Ajmal Shahzad when he returns from the World Twenty20, but the spin department is well stocked with Adil Rashid, David Wainwright and Azeem Rafiq. They have had a rough time of trying to secure an overseas player with Ryan Harris’s successful time with Australia and Daryl Tuffey’s injury meaning plans remain up in the air. AM
Key man Jacques Rudolph – Will be the fulcrum of the batting and his experience will be important to Gale as he learns the ropes.
Keep an eye on David Wainwright – Andy Flower wants a left-arm spinner who can bat. Wainwright ticks both those boxes although remains inexperienced.
Winter surprise Plucking Tino Best out of the Caribbean during their pre-season tour. A rematch with Andrew Flintoff would be fun at some point.
Silverware? Will do well to finish in the top of half of the Championship, but could be an outside bet in the one-day campaigns.

Nepal continued their impressive run with a crushing defeat over Fiji in Kirtipur. Sherad Versawkar and captain Pras Khadka led the batting effort and four wickets from Basanta Regmi sealed a 193-run rout that leaves Nepal two points clear at the top of Division 5. The hosts were tottering at 35 for 3 before Khadka and Versawkar built a 130-run stand that set-up the victory. Khadka made 75 from 91 balls, striking eight fours and two sixes before he was out to Inaisi Cakacaka. 21-year-old Vesawkar continued serenely, securing his first hundred and lifting the total to 267, remaining unbeaten on 105. The Fiji innings never got started with wickets falling regularly. Five of the batsmen made double figures but nobody more than 13 as Shakti Gauchan and Regmi collected six wickets between them to consign Fiji to a heavy defeat that leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table.Singapore kept themselves in with a chance of promotion to Division 4 with a 99-run victory against USA at Lalitpur. Jackie Manoj-Kumar was the match-winner with the ball as he took 4 for 23 including the key wickets of Lennox Cush and USA captain Steve Messiah (50). USA’s pursuit of 246 was put under immediate pressure when they lost Sushil Nadkarni to the first ball of the innings and they slipped to 49 for 4. Although Messiah tried to hold the chase together there was too much recovering to do and the defeat ended USA’s unbeaten record in the tournament. Singapore’s batting was anchored by a solid top-order effort which included Narender Reddy’s 51 from 72 balls, but the crucial late kick came from Pramodh Raju who clubbed 45 off 29 deliveries.Qamar Saeed’s sterling allround effort helped Bahrain edge a tense 27-run victory over Jersey in Bhaktapur. With his team struggling at 170 for 7 after 40 overs, Saeed clubbed an unbeaten half century, sharing a 94-run stand with Tahir Dar to carry the score to 264. It looked a daunting total but Jersey captain Ryan Driver, alongside dashing opener Dean Morrison set up a spirited run chase with a 70-run second-wicket stand. Driver almost carried his team to victory, working his way to a patient 80 but, with 63 needed in seven overs, he was run out by Yaser Sadeq. Riding on the high from his late-order rescue act, Saeed’s left-arm chinaman was the chief threat for Bahrain in the field. He bamboozled the Jersey middle and lower order, bowling Ben Stevens to emphatically seal the victory and secure career-best figures of 6 for 33.