Betfair Official Blog

County Championship update

With nearly a third of the Liverpool Victoria County Championship season gone, the title battle in the first division is extremely tight. 10 points separates the top three teams and despite losing last time out, Yorkshire remain the leaders.

The Tykes have been County Champions just once since 1968, but have started the season as a rejuvenated outfit under the leadership of returning hero Darren Gough. They currently average 16.2 points per game and would expect to be crowned Champions if they maintain that form - Sussex triumphed last season with a points per game average of 15.13.

However, last week's slip-up at Durham, combined with a faltering Friends Provident campaign, has seen the White Roses win one of their last six matches.

They remain strong favourites in the winner's market, trading at 3.3, but with no fixture this week they might be overtaken by third placed Warwickshire. Gough's captaincy will be placed under pressure by the chasing pack, who are more experienced than Yorkshire in running title races.

The Bears are unbeaten from five matches played and they will be hoping for some decent weather when they take on Hampshire (fifth place and trading at 4.1 in the winner's market) at Edgbaston on Wednesday - rain has contributed to them drawing their last two.

Darren Maddy's men are also unbeaten in leading the North Conference of the Friends Provident Trophy, they can be backed at 4.1 to win that competition and at 5.7 to repeat their 2004 triumph in the Championship.

Warwickshire have been boosted by the recent signing of Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara - who hit 149 on debut - and the retention of in-form paceman Dale Steyn until June 21st. The South African has taken 19 Championship wickets at an average of 22.73 and will play against Hampshire and Worcestershire before joining the national team in Ireland.

Sussex and Lancashire, last year's top two sides, have had stuttering starts to the season and face each other on Wednesday as they bid to get back on track. They also contested last season's C&G Trophy final but have had dreadful campaigns this time around, although they have shown signs of improvement in the longer format.

Lancashire were partly foiled last term by poor weather, drawing nine of their 16 fixtures and they have continued in that fashion this season, winning once and ending level three times. They beat Surrey by seven wickets in their last completed match and sit in sixth place in the table. Punters expect the Red Rose county to move up the table - they trade at 4.3 to become champions for the first time since 1950.

Sussex thrashed Worcestershire by an innings and 109 runs last week, their second win of the season, and have moved into fourth place. Three of the holders' clashes have ended in winning margins of an innings which suggests a lack of consistency compared to last year, when they lost just twice.

Punters expecting a revival will have seen some encouraging signs in the Worcestershire victory. Murray Goodwin continued his impressive start with another ton - the Hove stalwart is the division's fourth highest run scorer - but more importantly Mushtaq Ahmed was among the wickets.

The prolific legspinner claimed eight Pears victims, taking his Championship tally to 24 for the season, the joint highest in the division. Mushtaq took 102 wickets at an average of 19.91 last term (41 more than anyone else in Division One) and Sussex will be hoping the current wet conditions give way to warmer weather that will help the Pakistani magician.

Sussex have been hit by an injury to the reliable Michael Yardy and the international call-up of Matt Prior, but they might nonetheless appeal at 8.4 in the winner's market. A 22 point deficit with the leaders can easily be overturned and as Champions in two of the last four seasons, they clearly have staying power.

Sussex had never won the Championship before 2003 and Durham will be eyeing a first-ever win in this their 125th anniversary season. They are currently second, despite having three players in the England team, and will be glad that the touted selection of Graham Onions (21 Championship wickets) didn't materialise.

Dale Benkenstein, Michael DI Venuto, Ottis Gibson and Paul Wiseman have all played international cricket and the two batsmen have been particularly productive, being in the top five of the Division One runscoring charts. The win over Yorkshire took Durham to within five points of the leaders and they are available at 7.4 to lift the trophy.

The two promoted teams from last season have struggled in the top flight and occupy eighth and ninth spots. Surrey and Worcestershire are both winless, although the Pears are 17 points adrift and will be preparing themselves for a relegation battle.

Surrey have failed to take advantage of Mark Ramprakash's prolific form - 676 runs at 135.2 - and have lost three and drawn two so far. The 2000 and 2002 Champions trade at 40 in the winner's market, but at this stage will be happy just to preserve their Division One status. They entertain Kent on Wednesday, who are just two points clear of their southern rivals.

Whoever drops out of the top division look like swapping places with Nottinghamshire. The Outlaws have won four and drawn one this term, hammering Essex by an innings and 112 runs last week.

They have a 21.5 point advantage over Somerset and can be backed at 1.35 to be promoted as winners. Should Stephen Fleming's men reach the top flight, their followers can expect an exciting season next year. Their finishing record in the last five years reads: promoted, relegated, promoted, Division One Champions, relegated.

Notts visit seventh placed Leicestershire on Wednesday. The division's most significant fixture is at Lord's, where third placed Middlesex will be hoping to breach the 14.5 gap on Somerset. They are available at 7.2 and 6.4 respectively in the winner's market and both enjoyed convincing wins last time out.

• Cricket
• County Cricket