The Cricket Draft – County Championship 2023: Week 1 hints, tips …

The Cricketer provides advice on who to have in your fantasy team in week one of the County Championship 2023

Hampshire v Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire mark their return to Division One with a trip to Hampshire, who ended third in the top tier, despite picking up the most wins in the division. The Division Two champions had three players in the top 10 run scorers last season, and will be hoping Ben Duckett, Haseeb Hameed, and Steve Mullaney can replicate their promotion form. They will face a tough test against a formidable Hampshire bowling attack, including Keith Barker, Kyle Abbott, and Mohammad Abbas.

Hampshire are undefeated in their previous six opening fixtures, including three successive innings victories to get the season started. The Cricketer’s Star Drafts Keith Barker – allrounder, GBP130k

Keith Barker ended last season as the third highest points-scorer in the Draft, and is a must-pick this year. Ben Brown – wicketkeeper, GBP112k Brown will earn you plenty of points with his runs and wicketkeeping skills, and is in good form following a century in a pre-season match against Gloucestershire.

Haseeb Hameed – batter, GBP121k Hameed could be useful as an alternative to Keaton Jennings (selected by 35%), given he is only selected by eight per cent of players, and scored just 20 less draft points than the Lancashire captain last season. Bargain Buys 

Brett Hutton – bowler, GBP74k Selected by only one per cent currently, Hutton made a good impression in the six Championship matches he played last season, taking 24 wickets at 26.29. Felix Organ – batter, GBP90k

Reliable for runs, given he scored just two ducks last season, Organ also chips in with his off-breaks, adding to his point-scoring potential. Matthew Montgomery – batter, GBP50k With Tom Moores struggling behind the stumps last season, and Ben Duckett looking set to make his maiden Ashes appearances, Montgomery could find himself behind the stumps, with more points on offer to his owners.

Injury list Neither side have any major injury problems heading into this fixture.

Lancashire v Surrey

The top two teams from last season go head to head in an important Division One fixture at Old Trafford, with both teams expected to yet again challenge for the title. The bookmakers have these two teams as the favourites for the title, with Lancashire coming out on top in the last game of the 2022 season.

However, this did not trouble Surrey too much, given they already had the title secured. This fixture sees Dom Sibley and Rory Burns rekindling their opening partnership for Surrey, with the pair likely to face a tough challenge from a certain Jimmy Anderson. The Cricketer’s Star Drafts

Tom Bailey – allrounder, GBP127k Despite breaching the 2,000 point mark last season, Bailey is only selected by four per cent of players, therefore offering a different option for someone stuck in a league full of Keith Barker. Keaton Jennings – batter, GBP124k

If you can’t beat them, join them is a perfect way to sum up Keaton Jennings, with it impossible to ignore his 2022 form despite 35 per cent of players selecting him. Jordan Clark – allrounder, GBP115k The absence of Will Jacks means Clark is now Surrey’s premium allrounder, who offers a good option for a squad in need of a batting allrounder.

Bargain Buys George Balderson – allrounder, GBP83k Balderson was a mainstay of Lancashire’s 2022 line-up, with the 22-year-old hoping to kick-on from a promising showing last season.

Tom Lawes – allrounder, GBP57k Another young player with great potential, Lawes could be called upon early this season to fill the bowling all-rounder void left by Jamie Overton’s injury. Steven Croft – batter, GBP83k

Heading into his 19th professional season, Croft is a good option for those looking for a consistent performer at an affordable price, given he played every match in 2022. Injury list Surrey find themselves without two of their finest allrounders, with Will Jacks and Jamie Overton both injured.

Lancashire have no injuries affecting their red-ball players.

Somerset v Warwickshire

Both sides will be hoping for an improvement on last season, which saw each threatened by relegation.  Somerset will be disappointed with last season’s showing, and will hope the additions of Sean Dickson and Tom Kohler-Cadmore can offer a start to a solution.  It may be a difficult start to a new dawn, with uncertainty surrounding the availability of captain Tom Abell.

The Cricketer’s Star Drafts Sam Hain – batter, GBP118k Hain is one of the County Championship’s most consistent performers, with 2022 the batter’s best red-ball season to date.

Ed Barnard – allrounder, GBP121k Making the short trip up the M5, Warwickshire have certainly improved the quality of their lineup with this signing, who scored an impressive 2,015 points last season. Craig Overton – bowler, GBP137k

Having fallen down the England pecking order, Overton should be available for every Championship match this season, which is an attractive proposition given he averaged 179 points per game last year. Bargain Buys  James Rew – wicketkeeper, GBP70k

The worst kept secret in Cricket Draft history, Rew offers a first-choice, top-quality wicketkeeper at a price that allows more investment in other areas of your squad. Kasey Aldridge – bowler, GBP60k Offering great value at just GBP60k, Aldridge took his maiden six-fer in the last game of the 2022 season, and offered a level of consistency in his performances, averaging 7.9 in the Draft’s form tracker.

Dan Mousley – allrounder, GBP74k The best is still yet to come from Mousley, who is highly rated at Edgbaston, and was unfortunate not to kick on due to injury after he burst onto the scene at the backend of 2020. Injury list

Tom Abell is an injury concern, with it still unknown whether the Somerset captain will recover from his side strain in time for the Championship opener. Tom Banton (broken finger) has been ruled out.

Middlesex v Essex

Middlesex’s first Division One match since 2017.  The Middlesex side looks a lot different than it did then, but Toby Roland-Jones and Tim Murtagh remain their best wicket-taking options.

Simon Harmer heads into 2023 once again as the Championship’s most effective bowler. The Cricketer’s Star Drafts Simon Harmer – bowler, GBP170k

A must-pick despite being the most expensive player in the Draft, Harmer’s 2022 total of  2,852 points was the second highest return. Toby Roland-Jones – bowler, GBP137k The top points-scorer in 2022 with 25 more than Harmer, Roland-Jones poses as much of a threat as he ever has, and sits just five wickets away from taking his first-class total to 500.

Ryan Higgins, allrounder, GBP124k Higgins returns to Middlesex in 2023 after five seasons at Gloucestershire, and offers certain runs and wickets to anyone looking for a different pick for one of their allrounder slots.  Bargain Buys

Max Holden – batter, GBP85k Holden was one of just three Middlesex players to play in every Championship match last year, and will be looking to improve on his breakout 2022 season where he scored 749 runs. Nick Browne – batter, GBP88k

Another batter that will offer points every week as he played every match last season, Browne is capable of impressive point hauls, as his 234 not out against Somerset in 2022 shows. Ben Allison – bowler, GBP81k Despite only playing three games, Allison scored 722 points last season, including a five-fer and an unbeaten fifty in the final game of the season against Northamptonshire.

Injury list Neither side has any injury concerns, with Will Sutherland replaced by Doug Bracewell as an overseas player for Essex following an issue with his back.

Kent v Northamptonshire

These two sides could only be separated by four points in the Division One table last season. Northants picked up one of their two 2022 victories away at Canterbury, and are relying on Gareth Berg and Ben Sanderson for wickets, despite their combined age of 74.

Luke Procter is their new captain, who will hope for success against a Kent side learning to live without Darren Stevens. New arrival 41-year-old Michael Hogan might soften the blow somewhat, as well as the availability of Sam Billings, who snubbed the IPL to enhance his Test chances.  The Cricketer’s Star Drafts

Ben Sanderson – bowler, GBP124k Sanderson has been indispensable for Northants, finishing as their leading wicket-taker in five of the last seven seasons, and will offer guaranteed wickets to the three per cent who have selected him. Sam Whiteman, wicketkeeper – GBP115k

Selected by only one per cent, Whiteman offers a differential pick, with the season-long overseas player having ended the Sheffield Shield as the eighth-highest run-scorer. Michael Hogan – bowler, GBP106k Claiming 681 first-class wickets is no mean feat, with the new signing hoping he can repeat the post-40 form of a certain Darren Stevens.

Bargain Buys  Tawanda Muyeye – batter, GBP58k Muyeye’s 85 against Somerset was a sign of what he can do, and with a price of just GBP58k the Kent batter is certainly worth a punt.

Ricardo Vasconcelos – wicketkeeper, GBP90k A consistent performer heading into his fifth season in county cricket, runs are to be expected, with Vasconcelos offering a cheaper and reliable wicketkeeper option. Injury list

Emilio Gay is a big loss for Northants, Nathan Gilchrist’s absence will be a problem for Kent.

Sussex v Durham

Sussex have done well to secure Cheteshwar Pujara for another season, with the Indian star captaining the Hove side under new boss Paul Farbrace.  Ollie Robinson has overcome his fitness issues to make himself essential to England’s plans, and will use the start of the Championship as Ashes preparation.  Ali Orr is an exciting young opener, and will look to prove himself against Matthew Potts, who finds himself out of the England side despite his exceptional first Test summer.

Durham will look to move on from some high-profile departures, and may rely on Ben Raine repeating his form from 2022. The Cricketer’s Star Drafts Matthew Potts – bowler, GBP140k

Potts has proven a popular choice amongst players, with 27 per cent selecting him for a repeat of his 2022 form, which saw him average over 200 points per match. Tom Haines – batter, GBP112k Relieved from his captaincy duties to focus on his batting, Haines could prove good value for many, especially if he betters his average form rating of 7.8, and breaks the 1,000 run mark.

Ben Raine – allrounder, GBP121k Forty-seven wickets at under 26, as well as a maiden first-class century batting at No.8 marked an incredible 2022 season for Raine, who offers a cheaper alternative to several other allrounders. Bargain Buys 

Tom Alsop, wicketkeeper – GBP85k Alsop excelled with the bat last season, scoring four centuries, bettered in Division Two only by Pujara, therefore offering a chance of big runs for a reasonable price Oli Carter – wicketkeeper, GBP78k

Carter is set to be the man in possession of the gloves at the start of the season, offering extra dismissal points alongside his batting, where average 41.93 last year, making him a good differential to James Rew. Liam Trevaskis, allrounder, GBP79k The 23-year-old chipped in with both bat and ball in his 11 appearances last season, seeing an average form rating of 7.6 in a 2022 season that included two fifties, and a five-fer.

Injury list Neither side have any injury concerns for this match.

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire will look to bounce back from their relegation as they play their first Division Two match since 2019. A disastrous 2022 saw Gloucestershire finish bottom of Division One with two wins, with the performances of Zahar Gohar and the emergence of the Price brothers the only real highlights.

Ryan Higgins has left, with Marchant de Lange joining from Somerset.  Glamorgan missed out on promotion by just nine points, and will be hoping they can adjust to the loss of Michael Hogan with strong performances once again from Sam Northeast, Chris Cooke, David Lloyd, and Andrew Salter. The Cricketer’s Star Drafts

Zafar Gohar – allrounder; GBP131k The only Gloucestershire player to break the 2,000-point mark last season, Gohar offers an excellent choice for someone looking for a different allrounder, albeit with his bowling the strong suit. James Bracey – wicketkeeper, GBP112k

Bracey is always improving as a keeper with 40 catches in 2022, and an expectation of better batting returns in Division Two making for a good choice for your squad. Andrew Salter – allrounder, GBP96k Salter’s average form rating of 8.0 for the 2022 season combined with his cost of just GBP96k makes him a hard choice to ignore for your squad depth.

Bargain Buys Eddie Byrom – batter, GBP74k The former Somerset man consistently performed well in his eight appearances in 2022, racking up 588 runs at 49 and as a result averaging over 100 points per game, all for GBP74k.

Miles Hammond – batter, GBP81k Hammond is almost the perfect squad player having scored more than 800 runs, as well as offering consistency having played every match last year. Tom Price, allrounder – GBP90k

Price offers the perfect option for someone looking for a cut-price allrounder to pair with Keith Barker, having scored over 1,200 points in just eight appearances. Injury list Glamorgan have no injury worries, with David Payne out until the T20 Blast for Gloucestershire.

Derbyshire v Worcestershire

Both these sides ended the 2022 season in something of a limbo.

For Derbyshire, Wayne Madsen and Anju Dal enjoyed stellar seasons, but they will need support to see a real challenge for promotion.  Worcestershire will be strengthened by the arrival of Azhar Ali, despite the loss of Ed Barnard to Warwickshire. It is imperative that young players such as Dillon Pennington and Jack Haynes build on their break-out season.

The Cricketer’s Star Drafts Anju Dal – allrounder, GBP103k Dal’s 2022 season stats speak for themselves, with 957 runs along with 34 wickets offering a quality alternative to Keith Barker, whilst saving GBP27k.

Brooke Guest – wicketkeeper, GBP100k A good option for people who are looking for a budget wicketkeeper, especially given his 52 dismissals alongside his 923 runs. Joe Leach – bowler, GBP118k

Leach is only owned by two per cent of players, so is a good option as a differential, considering his form rating of 8.3, alongside his average of 179 points per game. Bargain Buys Dillon Pennington – bowler, GBP90k

Worcestershire’s top wicket-taker, and top point scorer in the draft last season, Pennington offers the perfect option to strengthen your squad without breaking the bank. Josh Baker – bowler, GBP58k Another poorly kept secret in this year’s Draft, Baker broke the 1,000 point mark last season despite costing just GBP58k this season, seeing him chosen in 24 per cent of squads.

Matthew Lamb – allrounder, GBP57k Lamb is one of the best bargains in this year’s Draft, offering the perfect allrounder backup option given he will get more game time at Derbyshire than he did at Warwickshire last season. Injury list

Dillon Pennington is an injury doubt for the first match, so if you have followed the advice given in this piece and selected him, make sure he is on the bench.

Yorkshire v Leicestershire

It was a torrid season for Yorkshire both on and off the pitch last season, resulting in their first relegation since 2011. A rebuild has begun at the club, seeing the shrewd acquisitions of Ben Mike from their first opponents, as well as Shan Masood and Matt Milnes.  They will play a key role, alongside Jordan Thompson, Ben Coad, and Matthew Fisher.

First up in Division Two is Leicestershire, last year’s bottom club, with new captain Lewis Hill hoping to turn things around, supported by Callum Parkinson, Louis Kimber, and England’s youngest debutant in all three formats, Rehan Ahmed. The Cricketer’s Star Drafts Jordan Thompson – allrounder; GBP112k

The 2022 season saw Thompson claim his 100th first-class wicket on his way to ending the season as the White Roses’ top wicket-taker, earning 1,464 points in the process Wiaan Mulder, allrounder, GBP130k One to seriously consider for your side despite the price tag, Mulder was influential in the majority of his eight appearances, averaging over 162 points per match.

Dom Bess – allrounder, GBP118k Yorkshire’s top point-scorer in 2022, Bess’s average form of 8.1 despite playing every match makes him a hard option to ignore. Bargain Buys

Jonny Tattersall – wicketkeeper, GBP86k A new contract showing his importance to the side, and will be given the gloves at least whilst Bairstow is on England duty, makes Tattersall a potential differential pick given his 885 points despite playing just seven games in 2022. Louis Kimber – batter, GBP74k

Selected by just one per cent of players, Kimber, who is highly rated at Grace Road, will be looking to build on a break-out 2022 season which saw a maiden first-class century. Lewis Hill – wicketkeeper, GBP86k Hill averaged over 100 points a game last year, and will thrive under the pressure of his leadership role.

Injury list Jonny Bairstow is injured for Yorkshire. 
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