Kent and Middlesex leading chasing pack

The English county season begins on Wednesday with the opening round of Championship matches before the Friends Provident Trophy starts on Sunday. Twenty20 will again light up the summer and there's also the final year of Pro40 action. Cricinfo takes a look at each team's chances for 2009. Click here for Division One.

Derbyshire

Last season's high-profile signing of Rikki Clarke proved a spectacular failure as he left for Warwickshire mid-term and Derbyshire's own campaign never really took off. However, John Morris is doing his best to work with limited resources and with Chris Rogers as captain he shouldn't have problems with upheaval (unless Rogers is summoned for the Ashes). Sustaining a Championship promotion challenge will be a tough ask with the bowling attack available, but the one-day game is clearly their priority after the late signing of 40-year-old Stuart Law. His experience should help some of the talented young players emerging.
Crowd puller Graham Wagg - Can hit the ball a long away and bowls lively left-arm swing.
Keep an eye on Mark Lawson - Once rated higher than Adil Rashid, before losing form and confidence. Can a change of county rekindle his career?
Behind the scenes Only one more season of sun stopping play with the square being turned for the 2010 season.
Bottom line If the young allrounders can fire along with the experience of Langeveldt and Law, a one-day trophy isn't out of the reckoning.

Essex

There is more than a hint of Gloucestershire-style revolution about Essex with the powerful one-day side that is developing. Graham Napier bagged many of the headlines last season, but the team is crammed with match-winners - none more so than the hugely unlucky James Foster. Pakistan's lack of international action means Danish Kaneria should be available all season, so a Championship promotion push is on the cards, especially if it is a warm summer, but the real incentives for success are in the one-day format, both from an individual and team perspective.
Crowd puller Graham Napier - His Twenty20 pyrotechnics earned him an IPL contract and he also joined the Lions tour in New Zealand. Next step is an England call, but Essex fans will want to see plenty of him.
Keep an eye on Tom Westley - His Durham UCCE coach, Graeme Fowler, is raving about the allrounder, and he now needs a long run in his county team.
Behind the scenes Problems with the redevelopment plans have come as a blow.
Bottom line Pick any of the one-day trophies and they could be Essex's. Will be interesting to see priorities with the Championship.

Glamorgan

It's a long climb back up for Glamorgan after they have hit real lows over the last couple of seasons. On and off the field there have been problems at the club and everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed that the Ashes Test is well received. From the team's point of view it's a slow rebuilding process for Matthew Maynard, and it's hard to see where the match-winning performances will come from - except in the case of the evergreen Robert Croft. If Mark Cosgrove is motivated he could be an excellent signing, but 20 Championship wickets will be a struggle.
Crowd puller Herschelle Gibbs - will be worth watching in the Twenty20.
Keep an eye on Tom Maynard - Has shown flashes of talent; now he needs Dad to give him a run in the team.
Behind the scenes The county's big day is July 8 - the opening day of the Ashes series, as Sophia Garden hosts its first Test.
Bottom line Matthew Maynard has admitted there's no quick fix, so reaching the knockout stages of a one-day tournament would be a success.

Gloucestershire

It's been all change at the top with Alex Gidman replacing Jon Lewis as captain and the return of John Bracewell to the club that he helped bring sustained success to in his previous stint. However, don't expect the glory days of regular Lord's finals and one-day silverware to return overnight. Bracewell, though, should feel right at home again especially with three New Zealanders in the ranks. The Championship has been a lost cause in recent times and last year they failed to register a single win. The only way is up in that one.
Crowd puller Steve Kirby - Gives his all, and sometimes a little too much, in all forms of the game.
Keep an eye on Vikram Banerjee - A spinner needs to stand up, and the left-armer could be the best bet.
Behind the scenes Can Gidman gel with the occasionally abrasive character of Bracewell in the way Mark Alleyne managed?
Bottom line If Craig Spearman and Hamish Marshall fire, limited-overs runs shouldn't be in short supply, but the Championship will be another struggle.

Kent

Kent are probably still wondering how they failed to win a one-day trophy in 2008 after reaching two finals, on top of slipping up in Pro40 promotion and getting relegated. No wonder Robert Key had had enough by the end of September. So they start in Division Two of the Championship for the first time, but much of the focus pre-season was on the signing of Stuart Clark. His Australia call-up will leave the ECB suits with a wry smile on their face. Still, Kent have a strong attack, with a clutch of allrounders and aspiring England seamers (fitness permitting in the case of Amjad Khan) plus deep batting, and they should come straight back up. One-day cricket will be a mental challenge after last year's near-misses.
Crowd puller Joe Denly - England are still looking for a one-day opener to replace Trescothick. He could be the one.
Keep an eye on Sam Northeast - Needs a chance to convert those schoolboy runs into the professional game
Behind the scenes Plenty of money worries but delighted to have kept the services of Graham Ford.
Bottom line Too many match-winners to stay in Division Two, and the best one-day opening partnership in the country.

Leicestershire

A number of Kolpak players have been released as the county put their faith in some homegrown talent, although there are still plenty of foreign faces at Grace Road. Their Twenty20 success dried up in 2008 and the young players are going to have to learn on their feet. Paul Nixon will rally his troops with boundless enthusiasm, but other than HD Ackerman, Boeta Dippenaar and Nixon, there is a real lack of proven class. Iain O'Brien will have to impart his wisdom during his early-season stint if they aren't to become Championship whipping boys.
Crowd puller Paul Nixon - One of the best players of the reverse sweep-turned-hit in the county game.
Keep an eye on Josh Cobb - Making rapid progress as a batsman.
Behind the scenes Differences between chairman and chief executive over the signing of Australians, but Andrew McDonald won't arrive until 2010.
Bottom line Trying to create a blend of youth and experience, homegrown and overseas talent. Victories will be hard to come by, but the process is important.

Middlesex

After ending their trophy drought with the Twenty20 Cup, Middlesex now need to build on their one-day resurgence and push for Championship promotion. They have been astute in their overseas signings - a batsman, Phillip Hughes, early season, then a spinner, Murali Kartik, later on - even if Hughes' signing has ruffled feathers. He should help make up for the loss of Ed Joyce's runs for the first couple of months, and the pace attack shouldn't be underestimated even though Dirk Nannes' departure is a loss. Shaun Udal has turned 40 but is playing with the fun of a 25-year-old.
Crowd puller Tyron Henderson - A one-day match-winner with bat and ball.
Keep an eye on Dawid Malan - His challenge is to maintain the progress from last season
Behind the scenes Angus Fraser has left journalism behind to guide his county's fortunes.
Bottom line Need their quicks to stay fit to push in the Championship, but their Twenty20 formula should serve them well again.

Northamptonshire

The loss of Lance Klusener and Johan Louw has reduced the Kolpak quotient slightly, but Northamptonshire are now going to find it even harder to compete. Ideally they need pitches to spin so that they can make the most of Monty Panesar when he is around, and the experience of Nicky Boje. They haven't been shopping over the winter, so will need the established names to help bring on some of the young talent.
Crowd puller David Sales - Should have played for England but missed the boat. Can make run-scoring look amazingly easy.
Keep an eye on Alex Wakely - Time for a young batsman to step forward, and Wakely is one with plenty of talent.
Behind the scenes A quiet winter at Wantage Road.
Bottom line Their Championship prospects rest on how much they see of Panesar. Promotion unlikely, Twenty20 offers hope of something better.

Surrey

Surrey had to look themselves in the mirror at the end of last season. What they saw wasn't good. They'd slumped to relegation and had an ageing, patched-up side. Things aren't going to improve quickly, but there was a realisation that changes had to be made. Alan Butcher paid with his job (Mark remains, and barely played last year), while Chris Adams will bring a no-nonsense approach to a dressing room that often thinks highly of itself. They looked near and far for new players. Michael Brown is a good signing from Hampshire, but they are short in the spin department.
Crowd puller Andre Nel - Especially priceless when "Gunther" shows up. Opposition batsmen prepare for some verbals.
Keep an eye on Chris Jordan - Continues to gather rave reviews and, fitness permitting, should get the opportunity to prove them.
Behind the scenes A big clear-out after relegation, with Adams and Gus Mackay taking charge off the pitch.
Bottom line Runs shouldn't be much of an issue, but Nel and Pedro Collins will have to take plenty of wickets.