What’s new?
An extensive review of the county cricket schedule last year resulted in no change to the structure and a small reduction in the number of T20 Blast matches, so it’s another packed schedule for county cricketers again this summer with the 178-day season starting on April 3 and ending on September 27.
The big change this season will be the introduction of replacement players for injury, illness or significant life events. The points system will remain the same as last year with 16 points for a win and eight for a draw. Batting and bowling bonus points will be available in the first innings.
Nottinghamshire, led by their captain Hameed, centre, have a strong squad and can defend their title from last seasonPhilip Brown/Getty Images
There is an added frisson to the early rounds with a number of England spots up for grabs after the disastrous Ashes campaign and the subsequent review by the ECB, which concluded that the national team need to take more notice of performances in the County Championship and mend the “disconnect” that has emerged with the counties.
Division One: Surrey favourites to challenge formidable Notts
Nottinghamshire enter 2026 as the hunted after a clinical title-winning campaign last year. They have received a massive boost with Ben Duckett withdrawing from his Indian Premier League deal to play county cricket and focus on his England Test career. Duckett’s availability for the early rounds, alongside their captain Haseeb Hameed and a formidable seam attack, means they are in a strong position to defend their title.
Pope is expected to be a regular for Surrey after he was dropped by England during the AshesPhilip Brown/Getty Images
Their primary challengers are Surrey, who are the favourites to win the competition under the returning director of cricket Alec Stewart. Surrey are expected to see a lot more of Ollie Pope this summer after his struggles during the Ashes, during which he was dropped from the England side.
Somerset, still searching for an elusive first title, have a well-balanced side with the Rew brothers —James and the emerging Thomas — providing a middle-order engine room. Essex continue to rely on the relentless “metronomes” Sam Cook and Jamie Porter, now bolstered by the eye-catching signing of the South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who adds middle-order depth.
Yorkshire enter the season with high expectations under the captaincy of Jonny Bairstow, who leads a squad featuring new overseas recruits Logan van Beek and Jhye Richardson. Sussex have handed the captaincy to Ollie Robinson but after a difficult winter with off-pitch financial issues — which means their strong team are likely to break up after this season — it is perhaps a case of now or never if this squad want to win the title.
Woakes significantly bolsters Warwickshire’s attack after his retirement from international cricketMI News/Shutterstock
Warwickshire have strengthened their bowling by signing Nathan Gilchrist and Jordan Thompson and will have the services of Chris Woakes, who has retired from international cricket. Hampshire have a new head coach in Russell Domingo and have a wealth of talented young players who now have enough experience that they should be stepping up another level after a forgettable 2025. Kyle Abbott spearheads the seam attack while the teenager Ben Mayes caught the eye with the bat at the Under-19 World Cup and should be given opportunities.
Leicestershire return to the top flight but will be without the vital runs and experience of their club captain Peter Handscomb, who will miss the entire 2026 season for family reasons. They have been boosted by the signing of the Australian Ashes-winning opening batsman Jake Weatherald. Glamorgan, the other promoted side from last season, have added to their squad with the signing of Sean Dickson and will have the Australian quicks Ryan Hadley and Nathan McAndrew for part of the season.
Division Two: Fearsome Durham set for heavyweight battle with Lancs
Division Two looks intriguing this season after the relegation of Durham on the final day of 2025. They are expected to bounce back immediately, and have retained a classy core of Alex Lees, David Bedingham and Matthew Potts. Their fearsome seam attack has been bolstered by the signing of West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach. They face a heavyweight battle with Lancashire, who started last season very badly but have made some astute signings as Ajeet Singh Dale and Paul Coughlin join the seam attack to support James Anderson, who continues to defy time.
Derbyshire have emerged as the “dark horse” of the division under Mickey Arthur; the marquee signing of Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas and the arrival of the England spinner Shoaib Bashir have given them a competitive bowling attack.
Roach will add some star quality to Durham’s push for promotionTimes photographer bradley ormesher
Middlesex will be looking to exorcise the ghosts of 2025, when they missed out on promotion by just 11 points, though they must now rely on their homegrown talent to fill the gap left by Stephen Eskinazi’s move to Leicestershire. Kent have undergone something of a “reset”, bringing back Sam Northeast as captain to provide stability to a side that struggled with injuries last summer.
Gloucestershire enter a new era with club legends Jon Lewis and Mark Alleyne at the helm, hoping James Bracey’s prolific scoring can finally drag them back into the top flight. Northamptonshire remain a gritty outfit, welcoming Calvin Harrison to lead a spin-heavy attack.
Bashir will hope to play his way back into the England side at DerbyshireWilliam WEST/AFP/getty IMAGSE
Worcestershire face a significant rebuilding job; after winning only once in the top flight last year they enter the new season in a period of transition, looking to stabilise their squad and blood new talent in the second tier. They are very reliant on Jake Libby, but have been boosted by the return of Adam Hose after his horrible injury in last year’s Hundred.
Overseas players
The calendar means high-calibre international players are rarely available for the entire six months of the County Championship, even if they are prepared to accept a lower salary for more work than they can get in franchise tournaments. Most of the highest-quality players are not available early in the season because they are at the IPL, and later in the year there are international series.
Hampshire were hit with the late withdrawal of their seamer Jayden Seales after he was denied a no-objection certificate by Cricket West Indies, who wanted to manage his workload. This is an increasing problem for counties: a deal is agreed, but then the national board decide otherwise. It happened to Lancashire last season when Nathan Lyon’s involvement was severely restricted by Cricket Australia.
Swanepoel has not yet been given permission by Cricket South Africa to play for WorcestershireHarry Trump/Getty
Worcestershire are sweating on the outcome of an investigation by Cricket South Africa into their overseas signing, the all-rounder Beyers Swanepoel, who may be denied permission to play after an extraordinary event in which he left the South Africa One-Day Cup final partway through the match to get his flight to the UK. He is yet to receive permission to play at New Road.
Gloucestershire will again have the Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft for all formats and D’Arcy Short is a strong signing for the T20 Blast. Marcus Harris, another Australian, will play for Lancashire for some of the season, while Nottinghamshire have the South African Kyle Verreynne for the championship as well as Fergus O’Neill, who ripped up trees at the start of last year before returning to Australia for visa reasons.
Surrey have secured the experienced Indian spinner Rahul Chahar for the final eight matches of the season, while Yorkshire have Richardson for the first block of matches and Will Sutherland for the Blast and two championship games in June.
What about England players?
Most of England’s Test squad will be available for some matches in the early part of the season in the build-up to the Test series against New Zealand in June. Ben Stokes had intended to play several matches but his return has been delayed until May after suffering a fractured cheek when he was hit by a ball while standing near the Durham nets. The seamers Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Potts will certainly play a number of rounds in the first block of matches, although their workloads will be managed. Jofra Archer is at the IPL and Mark Wood remains injured with no sign of an imminent return.
Duckett has withdrawn from his IPL contract to focus on his Test career – and boost Nottinghamshire’s title defenceDarrian Traynor/Getty IMAGEs
Joe Root and Harry Brook will play three or four matches for Yorkshire in May, while Zak Crawley is expected to play most of the early rounds for Kent as the struggling opener looks to keep his place in the Test side. Surrey will also have the services of Jamie Smith for most of the early rounds but he won’t keep wicket as they have Ben Foakes in their ranks.
Jacob Bethell won’t be seen at Edgbaston until much later in the season because he is at the IPL along with Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Jordan Cox, Jamie Overton and Will Jacks. Sam Curran was due to be there too but has withdrawn through injury and his rehabilitation may come in a match or two for Surrey.
England places are up for grabs, so who is in the running?
The Glamorgan and England Lions opener Asa Tribe is one of the standout names who could take either Crawley or Duckett’s opening spot. Durham’s Ben McKinney was touted as an option for the Ashes and remains in the running. His Lions opening partner Tom Haines, of Sussex, is a consistent performer, so too is McKinney’s Durham team-mate Emilio Gay, who scored four championship centuries last summer.
Sussex’s James Coles is highly rated and has just secured an enormous Hundred deal — he can also bowl spin, but there are no obvious openings in England’s middle order at present. Smith’s place as wicketkeeper seems to be safe, but if England look elsewhere it may be to one of the Rew brothers at Somerset — Thomas is touted as the more naturally talented but has very little experience in first-team cricket.
Tribe is one of a number of opening batsmen who will be eyeing a spot in England’s Test sideHuw Evans/Shutterstock
In the spin-bowling department there are not many options, but Nottinghamshire’s Farhan Ahmed and Northamptonshire’s Harrison are being closely watched. It remains to be seen whether England want to move on from Bashir or keep the faith with the young spinner, whom they felt they couldn’t pick in Australia.
In the seam-bowling stocks, Essex’s Cook had a disappointing Test debut against Zimbabwe but remains on England’s radar and they have kept in constant communication with him, while the Sussex captain Robinson continues to be a decent option, particularly for English conditions.