Andy Wilson's county round-up.
Derbyshire
Coach: Colin Wells
Captain: Dominic Cork
Overseas: Michael Di Venuto (Aus)
Play Lancashire: May 31-June 3 (Old Trafford), July 7-10 (Derby)
Big changes at the Racecourse Ground with Michael Slater, Phil DeFreitas and Andrew Harris, amongst others, leaving to be replaced by the Tasmanian opener Michael Di Venuto, who impressed with Sussex last year, and veteran duo Rob Bailey and Tim Munton. Steve Titchard is still there, but Cork is the key man.
Durham
Coach: Norman Gifford
Captain: Nick Speak
Overseas: Simon Katich (Aus)
Play Lancashire: May 11-14 (Riverside), July 19-22 (Old Trafford)
Mancunian Nick Speak takes over as captain from David Boon, who has returned to Australia. Durham have signed Simon Katich, a young Western Australian batsman, to replace Boon as their overseas player, but their strength will again be in pace bowling, with Steve Harmison tipped for an England call-up
Hampshire
Coach: Jimmy Cook
Captain: Robin Smith
Overseas: Shane Warne (Aus)
Play Lancashire: May 24-27 (Southampton), June 7-10 (Liverpool)
Scouse cricket lovers are in for a treat in June as Shane Warne, recently voted one of the five cricketers of the century by Wisden, heads for Aigburth with his new Hampshire team. By then Lancashire will already have made their last visit to Northlands Road, before Hampshire move to a new ground on the outskirts of Southampton next year.
Kent
Coach: John Wright
Captain: Matthew Fleming
Overseas: Rahul Dravid (India)
Play Lancashire: April 26-29 (Canterbury), August 17-20 (Old Trafford) Lancashire's first Championship game of the season will see Saurav Ganguly up against his India team-mate, and great personal friend, Rahul Dravid, who Kent have signed to replace Andrew Symonds as their overseas player this year. They have also signed wicket keeper Paul Nixon, who always did well against Lancashire for Leicester.
Leicestershire
Coach: Jack Birkenshaw
Captain: Vince Wells
Overseas: Anil Kumble (India)
Play Lancashire: May 3-6 (Old Trafford), August 22-25 (Grace Road)
Another of Ganguly's India team-mates, tall leg-spinner Anil Kumble, will lead Leicester's bid to recapture the Championship pennant they lost to Surrey last year. Phil DeFreitas has also returned to his first county, and South African seamer Billy Stelling is exempt from the overseas quota because of his Dutch connections in the same way as Lancashire's new Aussie Joe Scuderi counts as Italian.
Somerset
Coach: Dermot Reeve
Captain: Jamie Cox
Overseas: Jamie Cox (Australia)
Play Lancashire: July 12-15 (Taunton), September 8-11 (Old Trafford)
Somerset may suffer more than anyone from the new England contracts as Andy Caddick, who took 71 Championship wickets in almost 600 overs for them last summer, seems certain to be rested between Test Matches. That could lead to some interesting rows between England coach Duncan Fletcher and Somerset's Dermot Reeve, as well as more chances for Boltonian Jason Kerr.
Surrey
Coach: Keith Medlycott
Captain: Adam Hollioake
Overseas: Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan)
Play Lancashire: August 2-5 (Foster's Oval), September 13-16 (Old Trafford)
What price Lancashire and Surrey battling it out for the title in the last game of the season at Old Trafford in September? Adam Hollioake's team are the favourites to retain their title, and that's not surprising with Saqlain Mushtaq back with his mystery balls, and Graham Thorpe looking to regain his England place.
Yorkshire
Coach: Martyn Moxon
Captain: David Byas
Overseas: Darren Lehmann (Australia)
Play Lancashire: June 29-July 2 (Old Trafford), July 28-31 (Headingley)
It was the usual story for Yorkshire last summer. In the running for everything midway through the season, they collapsed spectacularly and hilariously and ended up with nothing -- although they did beat Lancashire in the NatWest Trophy quarter-finals. David Byas is now the longest-serving county captain, but he won't be seeing much of Darren Gough this year thanks to the central contracts.
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