Worcestershire season preview

County: Worcestershire

Ground: New Road

Director of Cricket: Steve Rhodes

Captain: Daryl Mitchell

2012 in a nutshell: Last season was a huge disappointment for Worcestershire, experiencing relegation to division two of the LV= County Championship, winning just one game, and finishing bottom in their Clydesdale Bank 40 group. Both aspects of their game weren’t at the level Steve Rhodes would have liked; summed up by Phil Hughes being the only batsmen to average 35 in the LVCC. The Friends Life t20 gave the side a much welcomed break and a considerable improvement on previous seasons, making it to the quarter final stage, only to lose out to Yorkshire at Headingly.

How they finished:

County Championship Division One: 9^th (relegation)

CB 40 Group A: 7^th (bottom)

Friends Life t20: Quarter Final stage

Ins: Graeme Cessford (2^nd XI), David Lucas (Northamptonshire) Michael Johnson (Western Australia), Thilan Samaraweera (Sri Lanka), Jacab Oram (FLt20)

Outs: Vikram Solanki (Surrey), James Cameron, Ben Scott (released), Phil Hughes (Australia)

Overseas Players:

Thilan Samaraweera recently retired from international cricket, with an average of 48.76 in Test cricket, displaying the quality that Worcestershire have captured. The 36 year old will bring much needed experience to the side, collecting 81 caps for Sri Lanka. Despite failing on the 2009 tour of England, Samaraweera has the game and technique to dominate the county circuit. There will be huge pressure on the Sri Lankan, coming in to replace Australian Phil Hughes, who impressed last season in all formats. Worcestershire will look to the middle order batsmen to guide the relatively young side back to division one at the first attempt. Samaraweera will be a huge influence on the productivity of their campaign and will hope to strike up positive relationships with the experienced batsmen Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali.

Michael Johnson has also agreed a deal for the 2013 season. The Australian wicket keeper who holds a duel passport and will not count as an overseas player, hasn’t played first class cricket since late 2011, representing Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield, but is seen as competition for Ben Cox. The 24 year old played for Kent 2ndXI last summer and will want to make his mark and break into the first team.

For the t20 competition Jacab Oram will link up with the club which will be a huge boost to their chances of making it through the group stage. The Kiwi is somewhat of an expert in the format, travelling the world playing it. He will improve the bowling with his medium pace and slower balls and the batting line-up with his big hitting.

Key player:

Moeen Ali will have a big role to play with bat and ball

Moeen Ali– The England Lion will have more responsibility on his shoulders this season with former skipper Vikram Solanki leaving new Road for Surrey. He will want to get back to business after a quiet 2012, averaging just 26.08 in the LVCC. Ali showed he had the quality to dominate division two in 2010, hitting 1260 runs at 48.46. If Ali collects those kind of figures Worcestershire could bounce straight back to division one. It’s not just the 25 year old’s batting that will be a threat, his off spin claimed 33 victims last season at an average of 27.30, but the bowling attack may lean on veteran seamer Alan Richardson once again.

The 37 year old collected 57 first class wickets at 19.52 in just 14 games, but Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes and captain Daryl Mitchell will be wanting younger members of the bowling attack to step up and support Richardson.

One to watch:

Ben Cox– The 21 year old will have the chance to claim the gloves a New Road, after the county released Ben Scott after three years service. Cox will have competition with the signing of Australian Michael Johnson, but has shown glimpses of his quality with the limited chances he has been given, making 61, as a 17 year old school boy in 2009 on debut against Somerset. In 17 county championship matches the youngster has claimed 44 victims with the gloves, while having a batting average of 17.28, and he will be hoping to development and improve on those stats.

How they’ll fare:

The losses of Vikram Solanki and Phil Hughes could have been a season defining moment, especially with their preseason training being disrupted by flooding at New Road, forcing them to move to Kidderminster’s Chester Road ground, practising under a marquee on the square.

The signing of Sri Lankan Thilan Samaraweera was crucial for their season and should give the team consistency with the bat as well as experience, which is what they missed last year. Worcestershire’s primary objective will be to bounce straight back up to division one of the county championship, which would be the fifth time in 11 campaigns. It won’t be as easy as past years with Lancashire, Kent and Hampshire all having the same ambition and it could go down to the wire between the four of them.

In the Friends Life t20, Jacab Oram is a huge addition to the side, as he has become a specialist in the format and they will be hoping to improve on last season’s quarter final defeat. It will be a struggle to get through the group stage this season and the same could be expected in the Yorkshire Bank 40.

Odds:

LV= County Championship 7/1

Yorkshire Bank 40 33/1

Friends Life t20 33/1

Redfern relishes his chance in the top flight

Dan Redfern is looking forward to the season ahead

Derbyshire’s Dan Redfern is relishing the chance to compete in the top flight of the County Championship, while creating history for the club.

Redfern,22, amassed 792 runs last season, helping the county pip Yorkshire to the Division Two title as they gained promotion to Division One for the first time in 13 years.

The left handed batsman insists the club are looking further than survival and the introduction of West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul shows the club’s ambition and goals.

“Being in Division One is where everyone wants to be,” Redfern told the Sentinel.

“It’s a massive chance for people to be noticed because the top division does attract more attention.

“We’d take staying up, of course, but we believe we can end higher than that.

“Our ambition is to become the best side that Derbyshire has ever fielded and I don’t see any reason why we can’t achieve that.

“Signing a player like Shiv is fantastic for the club and shows that we are developing as a county because we can attract a batsman of his calibre.”

Redern’s preseason hasn’t gone to plan after dislocating a finger on his right hand, on the opening day of their trip to Barbados.

The injury has kept the Derbyshire academy graduate out of action, missing all competitive cricket as the county look to iron out any problems.

“It was the first training session over there,”Redfern added.

“We were doing some slip catching and I took one on the end of my finger. It was dislocated and there is a small fracture in the joint as well.

“There were a few other counties out there, so I missed out on playing two-day games against Notts and Northants, plus a twenty20 tournament.

“It was frustrating, but I had some fitness work to do.

“I know I could have played in the matches, but the danger was if I was hit again, I’d need surgery and be out for a long time, which isn’t what I want.

“We’ve got a warm up game at Somerset next week, so hopefully I’ll be able to have a hit in that game and be ready for the first match.”

Derbyshire have a difficult start to life in Division One as they take on champions Warwickshire on April 10.

Derbyshire “fearless” on return to the topflight

Wayne Madsen has stated his side are in it to win it and have to be “fearless” upon their return to division one of LV= County Championship. 

Derbyshire are featuring in the top flight for just the second time, since the two tier split in 2000, following promotion last year.

Madsen’s men are the favourites to be relegated, but that isn’t going to affect his team’s mentality, as they will be approaching each match looking for victory. With only three points for a draw and 16 for a win, the South African realises what his county are up against.

Madsen said on the preseason trip to Barbados told the ECB: “You start the season looking to win it (the championship). There’s no point in us trying to just survive and stay in the division; if you do that, you’re going to be fighting at the bottom.

“We’re going to look to play positive cricket, fearless cricket exactly like we did last year and we’ll see where that takes us.

“You have to win games if you want to finish anywhere in the table and that’s what we did last year. We were able to win more games than anyone else, hence we won division two.”

Madsen wants his young side to build upon their championship winning season.

He continued: “We’ve started to get that winning mentality and the guys have learnt to finish off games, both with the bat and ball. That’s going to be a big asset to us.”

Derbyshire have added West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul to their side, who has 10,722 Test runs to his name and Madsen knows he is the “man to look out for.”

Despite the threat Chanderpaul will bring at the County Ground, Madsen is adamant his youngsters can’t be overlooked after their achievements last season.

“We’ve got a few youngsters coming through,” he added.

“Our bowling line up did particularly well for us last year and on the batting front we’ve got young Dan Redfern in the middle order and a few older heads at the top, who contributed last year and will be looking to do more of the same.”

Leicestershire have recruited Australian Joe Burns

Leicestershire CCC have confirmed the signing of Australia A batsmen Joe Burns, as their overseas player for the majority of the 2013 season.

Joe Burns signs for Leicestershire CCC

Burns has been in impressive form for Queensland in the last two seasons, topping the clubs batting averages in the Sheffield Shield in 2011/2012, scoring 781 runs at 41.10, as well as notching up 146 runs in three list A games.

Last season was equally exciting, scoring 900 across all three formats for Queensland, Brisbane Heat and Australia A. This included top scoring for the Heat with 43 in the KFC Big Bash final as they went on to beat Perth Scorchers. Overall the batsman records an average of 40.62 in 41 first class innings, scoring 1503 runs.

The 23 year old has already imposed himself on the top county bowlers, as he made 114 for Australia A last month against the England Lions, which boasted an attack of Stuart Meaker, Chris Wright, Craig Overton, Simon Kerrigan, Scott Borthwick and Rikki Clarke.

Burns speaking about his move to Grace Road said: “I’m very excited to get the opportunity to join Leicestershire for the 2013 season. In my discussions with the staff of LCCC, I feel this is a fantastic opportunity personally for myself and to continue to develop my cricket and to perform at the highest level.

“I’ve heard great things about the club’s setup and players and I am very motivated with the ambition of promotion in the county championship. I’m looking forward to joining up with the team in May and contributing to a successful and enjoyable season”

Burns will be welcomed at Grace Road on May 15, making his debut against Glamorgan in the LV=CC and will depart on August 30, which will see him play seven LV=CC games, 11 YB4o matches and the whole of the FL t20. He will appear as West Indian Ramnaresh Sarwan leaves for international commitments, but the 32 year old will return for the end of the season.

Leicestershire CCC Chief Executive Mike Siddall said: “We are delighted to have signed the up and coming batsmen Joe Burns. We are hoping he will have a similar impact at Grace Road as previous Australian overseas players, Brad Hodge and Michael Bevan. Joe is on the fringes of the Australian team and will be keen to impress during and Ashes year in England.”

Leicestershire CCC Head Coach Phil Whitticase said: “I am really pleased that Joe is joining Leicestershire. He is a talented batsman with a bright future ahead of him. His availability, before departing for the 2013 Champions League at the end of August, dovetails perfectly with Ronnie Sarwan and we expect both players to make a big impact during the season.”

Burns’ actions in Australia were rewarded as he won the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year Award and joined a long list of players, such as Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee and Shane Watson. Every player that has been honoured with the accolade has gone on to represent Australia in at least one format at the international level; Leicestershire will be hoping they are the beneficiaries of the promise he has shown.

Derbyshire travel to Leek as they take on Essex

Derbyshire look to broaden their fan base, moving away from the County Ground for the Yorkshire Bank 40 contest against Essex on Sunday 9 June.

The fixture will take place at Highfield, Leek, three years after an enthralling encounter between the same two counties, which saw 547 runs; with Essex winning by five wickets through D/L after the home side racked up 299-7.

Leek host YB40 match between Derbyshire and Essex

They returned to the Staffordshire Moorlands ground for a Friends Life T20 game against Warwickshire in 2011, which Derbyshire won by six wickets, Martin Guptill smashing 72 off 44 balls.

There was a break in their travels across the county border in 2012, but an eagerly awaited return is in prospect in the coming season, with the likes of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Wes Durston and local boy Dan Redfern available to make the visit.

Derbyshire Chief Executive Simon Storey said: “By taking this fixture to Leek we are making county cricket accessible to communities outside our usual catchment area.

“Leek will appeal to cricket fans from the Staffordshire Moorlands and Stoke-On-Trent as well as areas in Derbyshire, particularly, Ashbourne, Buxton and the Peak District, all of whom I hope will come out in support of the match.

“Having played matches at Highfield before, we know the facilities and infrastructure are in place to host a very successful match-day operation. It promises to be a very good for cricket supporters and families.”

Leek CC chairman Brian Mellor commented: “It’s a pleasure to host county cricket at Highfield and we’re looking forward to the opportunity of doing so again this summer.

“It will be a real treat for our members and the local community to see Derbyshire’s title winners, plus the new signing of (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul, in action at our venue.”

Lancashire sign Emirates sponsorship deal

Emirates have agreed a 10 year deal with Lancashire County Cricket Club that will make them the official stadium rights naming partner at Old Trafford.

As part of the deal the iconic stadium will now be named Emirates Old Trafford, and the airline’s brand will appear on the front of the club’s Friends Life t20 kit, as well as a number of marketing rights that will come into effect immediately.

The agreement is another huge move for Lancashire as they aim to redevelop Old Trafford after the Point was constructed and the square turned around, with the deal thought to be worth around £10 million.

“This announcement represents another major step in the redevelopment of Old Trafford,” said Michael Cairns OBE, Chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club.

“The intention to secure a naming rights partner was always on our list of objectives; however, it remained paramount that we secure a partner who was actively committed to cricket and its future while at the same time had significant interests in Manchester and the North West.

“The financial benefits of this deal are a core component of our long-term strategy for commercial sustainability. The partnership will support our intention to be regarded as one of the top county cricket clubs in the country and undisputed as a category A Test Match venue. We remain committed to providing the very best facilities for our members, players and spectators.”

The agreement broadens Emirates’ ties with cricket globally and nationally, as Lancashire County Cricket Club are not the first club to have made a deal with the Dubai based airline, as Durham gained sponsorship in 2010.

“This is an excellent opportunity to build upon our Emirates’ commitment to cricket, a sport that we have been associated with in the UK since 2002,” said Sir Maurice Flanagan, Emirates Executive Vice Chairman Emirates Airline and Group.

“We’re hugely looking forward to supporting Lancashire cricket and its fans both here and abroad, in what is a further significant investment by Emirates to the region. Cricket at Lancashire County Cricket Club is of the highest quality, it has a global reach and has produced legends in the sport and we are proud to be lending our name to such an incredible success.”

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