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 [url=http://t20fantasy.espncricinfo.com/fantasy/fantasyleague/user/game_home.html?game_id=93fantasy IPL[/url, 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.

I've had a go, sadly my poor knowledge of Indian domestic cricket may come back to bite me with this one.

Likewise, bit of a guessing game with a couple of selections but should be good for a larf.

Created RLFans PL. Think the PIN is 118814. Someone give it a whirl and let me know

Not working for me I'm afraid mate.

Lancashire to do a little bit better than a lot of people are predicting I think. Playing 7 out of 8 home CC games on outgrounds could/should lead to result matches and if we win 4 of them then we should be safe at least.

As we've said for the past X number of years, the batting is far far too light but (and if its a big but) Horton and Moore get the runs they are capable off, thus taking the pressure off the likes of Croft, Chilton, Brown, Cross etc then we may surprise a few people. And I think/hope that Maharoof could well be a good signing seeing as he'll at least be here for the majority of the season instead of the odd week/month or so.

If/when we don't win it it's because of the weather

Bugger knows then. Whoever wrote this obviously learned about writing software from iTunes

......and so it begins. Yorkshire's first match team sheet looks a little batting light to me or am I missing something







Yorkshire: Lyth, Sayers, Root, Gale (C), Bairstow (W), Brophy, Rashid, Pyrah, Sidebottom, Patterson, Ashraf


Only 4 out and out batsman???

Bats down to eight does that line-up.

Rashid on and in the wickets instantly

I realise it bats long but there are still only 4 specialist batsman

Happy enough with the morning session after being asked to field, 2-8 off 6 overs for Adil Rashid turned it round.

Harsh on young Bairstow, who averages over 40 in the Championship...

Top of the league. Only div 1 side with a bonus point by lunch.

Let them off the hook a bit at the end, but a decent day in all.

Excellent day for Lancs considering Sussex were 115-1 at one point just after lunch.
No doubt we'll just about scrape to 200 today though!

pre season friendly today - lovely morning, forecast good.

Meanwhile in Hyderabad, Warney brings himself on and his first ball is an unplayable zooter. Genius.
Looks like he's had a bit of a facelift as well, which is bizarre.