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Stage set for new era in County cricket

The start of a new era in English county cricket begins on Friday with promotion and relegation introduced to the championship for the first time, coinciding with an influx of some of the world's top players.

Die-hard championship spectators will be able to see the talents of Australia's Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar for the first time in county cricket. With tough penalties being introduced for sub-standard pitches and a loan system for English qualified players under the age of 25 unable to gain a regular first-team place, it adds up to a fascinating new season.

Derbyshire will remain an unknown quantity following their relegation into the championship's second division. They have lost the vast experience of Phil DeFreitas but have replaced him with Warwickshire's Tim Munton.

Australian batsman Michael Di Venuto, recruited after a successful season with Sussex last year, takes over from Australian Michael Slater as their overseas player.

Securing Durham's status in the championship's top division will be David Boon's legacy in his final season. But the challenge of keeping them there passes among others to the Tasmanian's overseas replacement Simon Katich, who has been recruited from Western Australia to add some Australian guile to their challenge.

Essex's ability to bounce back from a thoroughly disappointing season last summer will depend on whether they can overcome the loss of Nasser Hussain, who will be absent for most of the year on England duty. Glamorgan's recruitment of left-handed Australian opener Matthew Elliott as their new overseas player and Jeff Hammond - who established an excellent reputation at both South Australia and Eastern Province in South Africa - as their overseas coach, should help overcome the loss of Jacques Kallis and Duncan Fletcher.

Gloucestershire could find it difficult to hit the one-day heights of last season when they won both knockout trophies yet won only two championship matches all last summer. Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey returns this summer and they will need a greater contribution from him in the first-class game.

The Shane Warne factor should not be underestimated both on and off the pitch, and if he can work his magic in Southampton, Hampshire could be a good bet to land their first silverware in eight years. The addition of left-arm seamer Alan Mullally should help their pace bowling resources.

Kent chose India's Rahul Dravid, one of the finest players of spin in the world, as their overseas player to replace Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.

Lancashire's decision to go for Indian batsman Sourav Ganguly, their first batting overseas player since Clive Lloyd, make Lancashire an unknown quantity, despite last year's runners-up spot in the championship for the second successive season.

Leicestershire are another county disrupted by the comings and goings during the close season, with both Mullally and Paul Nixon moving on. They have responded by bringing back veteran all-rounder DeFreitas and Kent batsman Trevor Ward, while Indian spinner Anil Kumble will add class to their attack.

Mark Ramprakash's decision to stand down from the captaincy should help provide a little more continuity for Middlesex, especially because he is likely to be absent most of the summer with England. Middlesex have opted for Australian Justin Langer to replace him.

Two of their youngest talents will carry the hopes of a Northamptonshire revival on their shoulders, with off-spinning all-rounder Graeme Swann and batsman David Sales both appearing to have bright futures.

Notts have scoured the world and other counties to strengthen their squad and introduced seamers Andy Harris and David Millns to supplement the talents of Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar, who is unlikely to arrive until May. Captain Jason Gallian also has Darren Bicknell and John Morris to strengthen his batting line-up, and in Paul Franks possess one of the most talented young all-rounders in the country.

How Somerset overcome the loss of Andrew Caddick to England after he has claimed 176 championship wickets in the last two seasons will be the main dilemma occupying coach Dermot Reeve this season.

Surrey, deserved champions for the first time in 28 years last summer, should be among the front-runners again this time having lost only Alec Stewart to the England set-up. Having made significant progress under Chris Adams' captaincy and secured the talents of Australian all-rounder Michael Bevan for the coming season, Sussex should be in the running for at least one of the one-day trophies.

Condemned to the second division on the final day of last season, Warwickshire, the team of the early 1990s may struggle to recapture their place in the championship's top division. South African Allan Donald can be relied upon to take his share of wickets, fitness permitting, but a vast improvement is needed in the batting if they are to mount a challenge for silverware.

Worcestershire are another county likely to suffer with England's central contracts capturing captain Graeme Hick, depriving them of his consistent run-making. Steve Rhodes is vice-captain and will deputise in Hick's absence but will at least have the vast talent of Glenn McGrath to call upon.

Yorkshire should regularly be among the silverware but often fail to deliver - although they reached the final of the Benson and Hedges Cup last season. They have been hampered more than most with England's central contracts, losing Michael Vaughan, Craig White and Darren Gough.