Somerset
and Essex shared the limited-overs trophies before their rain-hit head-to-head finale
in the Championship left Essex ahead on points. Their dominance was built on
bowling. Batting bonus points were very thin on the ground, and Somerset’s
highest first-innings total was a meagre 408. Only Yorkshire and winless
Nottnghamshire – for all their new signings (Duckett and Clarke) garnered fewer
batting points, and Essex were barely better. In Division Two, won easily by
the undefeated Lancashire, there was a more even balance. Apart from top and
bottom, it was a remarkably fluid competition, in which eight counties occupied
the promotion places at some point during the season. But who were the individuals
who shone on the county circuit, and who makes my 2019 County Team of the Year?
Openers:
In
recent years, Surrey have dominated this position but their nightmare season
allowed others to challenge. Leicestershire’s red-ball specialist Hassan Azad
was the top scorer in the second tier, Adam Lyth and Daniel Bell-Drummond added
useful T20 bowling contributions to their respective batting CVs and Zak
Crawley caught the eye for Kent. However, two unsung openers were
straightforward choices. At 30, Billy Godleman has found himself swimming in
the Division Two backwaters for Derbyshire but 2019 saw him maturing into a Big
Fish. Four-day cricket is his major strength and yet he anchored many a 50-over
and T20 innings while others blazed away. His overall run aggregate of 1,982 was
the highest in all county cricket.
In
the top flight, Dominic Sibley was a revelation. Released by Surrey two years
ago, he enjoyed a sizzling summer of first-class cricket for Warwickshire. The
leading Championship run-scorer, he struck five centuries – two of them ‘doubles’
- averaged just shy of 70, and at Trent Bridge a fortnight ago scored 215 not
out and 109. England are watching him closely.
Middle-order:
Last
season’s county star Joe Denly was largely absent from Kent on international
duty, with James Vince also missing early games for Hampshire. Ian Bell was
injured, James Hildreth improved his One-Day Cup totals at the expense of his
four-day form, which proved costly for Somerset. However, his team-mate, 20
year-old Tom Banton, appeared out of nowhere to power his side to the RLOC
crown. He was less useful in the Championship but in the short stuff he showed
no fear. Glamorgan had a superb first-half of the Division Two season, buoyed by
runs from Billy Root and Marnus Labuschagne. The latter contributed 1114 runs
in only 10 matches before carrying forward his form into the Australian side.
Sams
Northeast and Hain were consistent across all competitions for Hampshire and
Warwickshire/Birmingham, Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck some beefy innings in the
Yorkshire cause, and Tom Westley, with Alastair Cook, made sure the Essex
attack had something to bowl at. However, my number five must be Dawid Malan.
Middlesex had a bumpy ride in 2019 but he made over 1,000 Championshp runs and
almost 500 in the Blast.
All-Rounders:
My
old favourite Darren Stevens seemed to be coasting into retirement for Kent
when, in the penultimate fixture at Headingley, he crashed 237 at more than a
run a ball then took 5-20. Too little, too late for my Team of the Year, but Kent
are surely rethinking their decision to release the man who claimed 51 first-class
scalps at under 18 apiece, aged 43 or not.. By contrast, Somerset’s Lewis
Gregory was cruising to a place in my 2019 XI until injury intervened just as
the Blast was beginning. He missed the whole of August, dammit. Liam Dawson, Wayne
Parnell (in one-dayers) and Toby Roland-Jones were reliable but I’ve picked two
Division Two all-rounders.
David
Wiese was a fine late-order hitter for Sussex, who was explosive with bat in
hand against the white ball and very useful bowling with the red one. However
this was Ryan Higgins’ year. Primarily a Championship performer, he made no
fewer than seven Teams of the Week, claiming almost 1,000 runs and 50 wickets
to help Gloucestershire gain an unexpected promotion from Division Two. The
Zimbabwe-born product of Berkshire and Middlesex is still only 24, and it will
be interesting to see how he fares against superior opposition in 2020.
Wicket-keeper:
20
year-old Ollie Robinson took the Kent gloves with great aplomb in the Championship,
Ben Brown had a good start with the bat for Sussex and John Simpson and Ben Cox
were consistent across the summer. However, for the second successive year, my
wicketkeeper of the year has to be Lancashire’s Dane Vilas. Not only did he
claim more victims behind the stumps than anyone else but he also scored more
runs in all competitions than anyone bar Godleman. The Red Roses must be
grateful for his efforts in getting them promoted at the first time of asking.
Bowlers:-
Until
injury struck, Jimmy Anderson also featured prominently in Lancashire’s early
fixtures, taking him to within touching distance of 1000 career first-class
wickets. Robinson (Sussex), Rushworth (Durham) and Craig Overton (Somerset) enjoyed
another solid summer but late developer Ben Sanderson pips them all for the
wickets which took Northamptonshire back into the top flight. Yet even he is
eclipsed by Hampshire’s South African import Kyle Abbott. He was amongst the
leading wicket-takers in all three formats, capping off an already great season
with phenomenal match figures of 17-86 last month which destroyed Somerset’s
title bid.
Prolific
spinners were few and far between. Jeetan Patel picked up another 64 wickets
for Warwickshire under the radar, Nathan Sowter took plenty for Middlesex in
the 50-over tournament and Moeen Ali put his England woes behind him with some
tasty cameos in the Blast but Kolpak-er Simon Harmer takes the biscuit. He was
at his best in the crucial clashes at the end of the season, with superb spells
on the T20 Finals Day and five-fors in each of his last three Championship
matches, including a 7-58 against Surrey. His wickets ultimately proved
decisive in Essex’s double trophy success.
To conclude, based on stats and my Teams of the Week, my County Eleven of 2019 is:-
Sibley (War), Godleman (Der), Banton (Som), Labuschagne (Gla), Malan (Mid), Vilas (Lan +), Wiese (Sus), Higgins (Glo), Abbott (Ham), Harmer (Ess), Sanderson (Nor);
12th Man: Hain (War)
