While a little local T20 tourney grinds on in India, the County Championship got off to an interesting start this week. Most players, huddled in umpteen sweaters against the record-breaking low temperatures, may have been dreaming of the crowds and temperatures experienced in the IPL. However, this is where proper cricket was being played, and there were some fine performances to enjoy.
Sussex thumped Yorkshire by an innings at Headingley. Nash, Joyce and Brown made scoring look easy but the home batting side struggled against new signing Chris Jordan and Steve Magoffin. Tykes coach Jason Gillespie recognised that his side needed to find their rhythm quickly, although the return of both Root and Gale wil help. Down the road at Trent Bridge, title hopefuls Nottinghamshire also found that home advantage counted for nothing. Middlesex joined Sussex at the top of the table after a ten-wicket victory, for which they had Toby Roland-Jones (6-63), Neil Dexter (5-27) and John Simpson (97 not out) to thank. Notts' star-studded batting line-up looked anything but, and Michael Lumb bagged a pair.
Further north, Durham held on to beat traditional slow-starters Somerset in a low-scoring game. Onions and Rushworth destroyed Trescothick's side on day two but, despite a seam-inspired fightback, the 235-run target proved too tough on the last day. Perhaps the Cidermen would have enjoyed greater solidity had the ECB allowed Nick Compton to play. However, he will be absent for most of the summer so they had better get used to it. A shame Alviro Petersen didn't arrive in time, too. In the other Division One match, champions Warwickshire could beat neither Derbyshire nor the awful Edgbaston weather. They had the better of the early skirmishes, though, but a draw was the inevitable result.
In the second tier, there were no positive results but at least we had some centuries to admire. A last day washout deprived Hampshire of a near-certain win against Leicestershire, as well as Ned Eckersley's hundred. He was stranded on 99 not out but James Vince's 148 was the highlight. There were three big centuries at Chelmsford, two of them in Gloucestershire's first innings, where Dan Housego and Hamish Marshall shared a 280-run fourth wicket stand. Tom Westley's 163 in reply was rendered meaningless by the rain and bad light.
Lancashire are fortunate that Ashwell Prince has signed as a 'Kolpak' and his 181-run partnership against Worcestershire with Simon Katich shows how prolific the two international stars could be in the Red Rose middle-order. The weather was even worse here in Cardiff, and I wonder if the clouds will clear long enough to allow the Welsh side the chance to win. At all. Ever. In what play was possible, they were second-best to Northants. Andrew Hall's contributions with bat and ball were excellent as ever.
Next week, Surrey enter the fray at home to Somerset, with new skipper Graeme Smith very upbeat about their chances in 2013. I think he has very good reason, as the batting has been reinforced with immense experience. It must be hoped that this has a knock-on effect on how younger players behave off-duty, too. Kent make their first appearance at Leicester, and must be favourites to make a winning start. Sussex have a break so Middlesex will be looking to widen the gap at the top by overcoming promoted Derbyshire. I think Lord's will enjoy more successes this year.
