With the new County Championship season starting on Wednesday fanatix looks at how the sides will fare in Division One.
Derbyshire
Captain: Wayne Madsen
Coach: Karl Krikken
Once considered to be the whipping boys of Division Two, Derbyshire took the second tier by storm last year and won the title under the guidance of coach Karl Krikken.
Although they are the bookmakers favourites to go down in 2013 the acquisition of experienced West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chaderpaul will go a long way to helping their cause.
The side face a difficult away tie to Division One champions Warwickshire in their first match back in the top flight since 2000.
Durham
Captain: Paul Collingwood
Coach: Geoff Cook
Durham have lost some big players this season with former England stars Ian Blackwell, Michael Di Venuto and Liam Plunkett all leaving the club.
The appointment of Paul Collingwood as captain reinvigorated the side last season as they slipped towards relegation and if paceman Steve Harmison is back to his best they could seriously challenge for the title.
The county host last year’s runners-up Somerset in their first match.
Middlesex
Captain: Chris Rogers
Coach: Richard Scott
Many believed that a finish of third in last year’s Division One flattered Middlesex after a fairly inconsistent season in many departments.
The county have secured the signing of exciting young seamer James Harris from Glamorgan however, with the 22-year-old billed as a future England star.
Middlesex travel to Nottinghamshire for their first County Championship outing of 2013.
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