2016 County Championship season: Yorkshire out for Division One hat-trick

Sussex favourites to bounce back from Division Two

In Division Two, Sussex are the 15/8 favourites to go straight back up as champions, while fellow relegated team Worcestershire joint-second in the market with Essex at 4/1.

All three counties feature on the opening weekend, against respective opponents Northamptonshire, Kent and Gloucestershire.

Leicestershire, 7/4 favourites to finish bottom, open against Welsh outfit Glamorgan the following week and can build on their two victories last season after managing none the previous two. Derbyshire face Gloucestershire in week two as well.

England stars in action for early season

A number of England stars will be available for their counties too, with the first Test of the summer not until May 19th when they face Sri Lanka.

That means Yorkshire will be able to call upon the quintet of Adil Rashid, Jonny Bairstow, David Willey, Gary Ballance and Liam Plunkett, on top of their already strong squad, though Joe Root won’t be available until May 1st.

The likes of England Test captain Alastair Cook (Essex), James Anderson (Lancashire), Mark Wood (Durham), James Taylor, Samit Patel (both Nottinghamshire), James Vince, Liam Dawson (both Hampshire), Jason Roy, Mark Footitt (both Surrey), Steven Finn and Nick Compton (Middlesex) are all able to play in their sides’ openers.

Though, Stuart Broad, Alex Hales (both Nottinghamshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Moeen Ali (Middlesex) and Chris Jordan (Sussex) will wait a bit longer to represent their clubs this season.

County Championship opening fixtures

Division One

Durham v Somerset (April 10th)
Hampshire v Warwickshire (April 10th)
Nottinghamshire v Surrey (April 10th)

Lancashire v Nottinghamshire (April 17th)
Middlesex v Warwickshire (April 17th)
Yorkshire v Hampshire (April 17th)

Division Two

Worcestershire v Kent (April 10th)
Northamptonshire v Sussex (April 10th)
Essex v Gloucestershire (April 10th)

Glamorgan v Leicestershire (April 17th)
Gloucestershire v Derbyshire (April 17th)
Sussex v Essex (April 17th)

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