I won't do a county cricket only thread, I believe there's that other competition starting on Friday too in India.

I would be pretty confident about Yorkshire's chances in the CC this year if we'd kept Jacques Rudolph - his runs are going to be very hard to replace, we've had a few young players step up in the last couple of years so it might have to be time for another, it'll be interesting to see how Joe Sayers fares after his year out.

Bowling wise the signing of Ryan Sidebottom should help us cover the likely international call-ups for Bresnan and Shahzad, Hannon-Dolby and Moin Ashraf started to make an impact at the end of last season so hopefully their progress will continue.

I won't predict us to win it, because it will obviously be Lancashire's year

Hopefully England's loss will be Yorkshire's gain, and Rashid's development further increases with us, I'm still dismayed how he doesn't feature for England infront of say, Tredwell. But agree with everything said above, especially that of Rudolph. Been the standout man during his team at YCCC, extremely hard to replace.

Somerset will be the team to beat again in all forms of the game. The ridiculous early start and the amount of championship games played early in the season could once again mean the weather plays a big part in deciding the early pace-setters.

You sound like a Lancastrian

Anyone for a fantasy IPL, incidentally? Got bored yesterday afternoon and picked a team. If you did the world cup one, you're already registered

Anyone for a fantasy IPL, incidentally? Got bored yesterday afternoon and picked a team. If you did the world cup one, you're already registered

The England selection room is haunted by the ghost of Chris Schofield, that's why mediocre country trundlers get selected ahead of Rashid.

Hopefully young Bairstow can develop a knack of turning starts into big innings as he gets more experience under his belt. A county average of over 40, but a high score of only 80-odd shows the ability to get starts but not to go on with them. Might help take some of the pressure off the top order to make up for the lost runs from Rudolph's departure.

I'm not worried too much about losing Bresnan and Shahzad for chunks of the summer to be honest. I can see England sticking with three front-line seamers in a four-man attack, and reckon Broad and Anderson are nailed on fitness permitting. I reckon the selectors will go back to Finn, or even Onions if he shows good form at the start of the season ahead of either of the Yorkshire lads.

A five-man attack of Sidebottom, Shahzad, Bresnan, Rashid and one other (subject to pitch conditions) could do some real damage in 2011.

The Headingley curators ought to be preparing raging bunsens with Rashid, Rafiq and Wainwright to pick from. Three quality spinners, all different styles. And they can all bat.

I've still to be convinced by Rafiq, although to be fair to the kid that's probably because I haven't seen that much of him. Seems to have a bit of attitude about him too, given his disciplinary issues with the England Under 19s in the summer.

Better that than churn out an endless series of probots. Besides, I'd get narky if people were questioning my ancestry. He's basically cricket's Obama, but with a nice, upright style of bowling that generates flight, bounce and turn.

John_D wrote:Anyone for a fantasy IPL, incidentally? Got bored yesterday afternoon and picked a team. If you did the world cup one, you're already registered I've had a go, sadly my poor knowledge of Indian domestic cricket may come back to bite me with this one.

John_D wrote:Anyone for a fantasy IPL, incidentally? Got bored yesterday afternoon and picked a team. If you did the world cup one, you're already registered I've had a go, sadly my poor knowledge of Indian domestic cricket may come back to bite me with this one.