Warwickshire
Chances: Still topping the table, but have faltered of late after an impressive start. Haven’t won in five games (admittedly the rain can take some share of the blame) and looked uninspiring in the recent draw against Middlesex. Playing it safe from here might just do the job but they’ll need to rediscover some of their early season form to cross the line in first place.
Key man: Chris Woakes has been in fine fettle with both bat and ball since returning from injury, and along with fellow allrounder Rikki Clarke he’ll be pivotal if Warwickshire are to hold onto first place. Promising signs for the youngster after a century against Surrey last month and a four-wicket first innings haul against Middlesex in their last match.
Run-in: Thorny. As well as facing a Middlesex side who posed them some questions recently, Warks also play second-placed Nottinghamshire twice in what might prove significant speed-bumps blocking their path to a first title since 2004.
Chances: Still topping the table, but have faltered of late after an impressive start. Haven’t won in five games (admittedly the rain can take some share of the blame) and looked uninspiring in the recent draw against Middlesex. Playing it safe from here might just do the job but they’ll need to rediscover some of their early season form to cross the line in first place.
Key man: Chris Woakes has been in fine fettle with both bat and ball since returning from injury, and along with fellow allrounder Rikki Clarke he’ll be pivotal if Warwickshire are to hold onto first place. Promising signs for the youngster after a century against Surrey last month and a four-wicket first innings haul against Middlesex in their last match.
Run-in: Thorny. As well as facing a Middlesex side who posed them some questions recently, Warks also play second-placed Nottinghamshire twice in what might prove significant speed-bumps blocking their path to a first title since 2004.
Nottinghamshire
Chances: Have a game in hand over nearest placed challenger Sussex, and so are in prime position to pounce if Warks slip up. Like the leaders they have not been in prime form recently and need a positive result soon. Plenty of the side were around in 2010 for their last title so this team has winning the league in its muscle memory.
Key man: Andre Adams – could it be anyone else? Standing atop the wicket-taking table as the only man to have passed 50 Championship wickets so far this year, the gnarled Kiwi’s incisive right-arm swing is crucial to any threat from Notts.
Run-in: A chance to rack up some points with games against languishing Surrey and Durham; the final week’s game against Warwickshire could be a title-decider.
Sussex
Chances: Looking for their first title since the back-to-back 2006 and 2007 triumphs, the boys from Hove have come on strong with two wins out of their last three. Though they’ve played more games than the rest of the field, their momentum could take them all the way, especially if influential players like Monty Pansear stay in their present groove.
Key man: Ed Joyce kept his head to score an unflustered ton against Worcestershire on a pitch that troubled many and, having recently replaced Mike Yardy as skipper, is now producing innings captains are made of. He and opening partner Chris Nash will need to maintain their excellent form if Sussex are to prosper.
Run-in: Twin matches against Somerset could see the two teams cancel each other out with draws, but a final game against Durham could provide a hefty bonus-point win to try and make up any gap.
Somerset
Chances: In contention but probably chasing a top-two finish at this stage rather than expecting first place. Have a powerful batting side but the lack of a genine pace bowler with over 30 wickets could prove a weakness, only partly mitigated by the sterling work being done by Peter Trego.
Key man: Has to be Nick Compton, who is currently plundering attacks from one end of the land to another and has amassed a far bigger pile of runs than anyone else in the country. If he keeps this up Somerset might have a shot.
Run-in: Chances to unleash the full force of Compton for batting bonus-points against Durham and Worcestershire are tempered by tough contests against Sussex.
Middlesex:
Chances: Slim at best. Sitting in fifth place, 11 points separating them from Somerset, it will take a concerted effort, some stunning individual performances and no shortage of luck to pull off a smash-and-grab job on the County Championship.
Key man: With the gulf in points what it is, Middlesex will need wins to tilt at the Championship and the man to deliver them is Tim Murtagh. Approaching 50 wickets at an average just over 20 he’s their biggest bowling weapon.
Run-in: Have more games which they’ll expect to win than the other contenders, with Surrey, Worcestershire and Lancashire all still to come. Lose their next game at Sussex though, and the walls come tumbling down on any push.
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