Here's all you need to know ahead of the 2016 season...
Sunday 10 April 2016 10:09, UK
Just days after the heartbreak of England's World Twenty20 final defeat, our attentions turn to a summer of domestic cricket with the first set of Specsavers County Championship fixtures on Sunday.
We could almost have copied last season's opening gambit, but not wishing to be lazy it is Yorkshire who have a massive target on their back in Division One.
Andrew Gale's side start the season looking for a four-day treble, but the top division this season looks as strong as it ever has, with the promoted sides just adding to it.
Can anyone stop the double champions?
YORKSHIRE
2015: Champions
2016 prediction: Champions
Sky Bet odds: 6/4 fav
Chances in a tweet: Quality from top to tail in an experienced squad. Two four-day defeats in two years and few would say a 'three-peat' is impossible.
What's new? Barring the signing of David Willey, who will give Yorkshire a huge boost in white-ball cricket at the very least, it's much the same on the field at Headingley, although a couple of players being on the outside of England's squad (Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance) could make them even stronger than the last two summers - a scary thought! If Kane Williamson had been available for more than three games, it might well have been too much for anyone to overcome.
Wicket-taker: Jack Brooks might have missed his chance to play for England now, but that will be to Yorkshire's benefit. With Tim Bresnan missing the early part of the season because of injury, Brooks will have to be on his 2015 form when he claimed 74 wickets.
Century-maker: Ballance also appears to be out of England's plans for the moment, and again that will aid his county. A full summer could mean a huge haul for the left-hander.
Young player to watch: Karl Carver (off-spinner)
SURREY
2015: Division Two champions
2016 prediction: Second
Sky Bet odds: 8/1
Chances in a tweet: Impressive in regaining top-flight status last summer and have splashed the cash on trying to put in a challenge for even higher honours.
What's new? New division, new set of opponents and new challenges for a number of young players. Surrey have also brought in Mark Footitt, veteran West Indies bowler Ravi Rampaul and talented South African pair Mathew Pillans and Conor McKerr to show their intentions not to just tread water after their promotion.
Wicket-taker: Left-armer Footitt makes the move over from Derbyshire and will anchor an attack that could be the best in the country. He's as quick as they come, and the Kia Oval pitch will play into his strengths. Surrey have plenty of seam options but could do with having Zafar Ansari back as quickly as possible from a nasty thumb injury that denied him an England chance over the winter.
Century-maker: Rory Burns made huge progress and should be a mainstay at the top of the Surrey order again in 2016. He was the only Surrey batsman to pass 1,000 runs last summer but doesn't face the same pressure that others who reach that mark might as there is such strength in depth at the Kia Oval.
Young player to watch: Sam Curran (all-rounder). Once his A-Level studies are out of the way of course!
SOMERSET
2015: Sixth
2016 prediction: Third
Sky Bet odds: 12/1
Chances in a tweet: Exciting times ahead with Chris Gayle to look forward to in the T20 but much more expected, and should be forthcoming, in the four-day game.
What's new? Three big-name signings - Chris Rogers for first-class cricket and Gayle and Mahela Jayawardene in the T20 Blast - mean excitement and ticket sales are at a record level around Taunton. Add in T20 aces Roelof van der Merwe and Yasir Arafat, and Somerset will expect to be hoisting a trophy this summer for the first time since 2005.
Wicket-taker: We'll go with wicket-takers here, and Somerset's hopes could just rest on the Overton twins, Craig and Jamie. They need to stay fit and play more games than 2015 because consistently getting 20 wickets could be Somerset's biggest issue (once again).
Century-maker: Chris Rogers has an amazing record in county cricket, and now he is retired from the international arena, the left-hander could profit to a record degree in Taunton, where runs should remain easy to come by.
Young player to watch: Ryan Davies (wicketkeeper-batsman)
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
2015: Third
2016 prediction: Fourth
Sky Bet odds: 11/2
Chances in a tweet: Plenty of runs expected at Trent Bridge, even with England calls, but where are the wickets going to come from if the Bird is not the word?
What's new? Nothing much has changed at Trent Bridge in terms of personnel, apart from Jackson Bird's arrival. But home supporters will look forward to the prospect of seeing James Taylor, Hales and Stuart Broad boost their squad in the early part of the season. Mouth-watering stuff.
Wicket-taker: Notts had a lot of bowlers in the 40-wicket range last summer but they need someone to step up and get into the 60+ range. Jake Ball could easily do that after impressing for the Lions, but they will hope for more from Bird, who shone for Australia over the winter. He needs to stay fit, which has been an issue, but swinging conditions at Trent Bridge should suit.
Century-maker: Nottinghamshire had four batsmen pass 1,000 runs last summer but how much they can rely on James Taylor and Alex Hales in 2016 will depend on England. That means another good season will be needed from Riki Wessels, who is also one of the most exciting limited-overs players around as well.
Young player to watch: Luke Wood (left-arm seamer)
MIDDLESEX
2015: Second
2016 prediction: Fifth
Sky Bet odds: 15/2
Chances in a tweet: A lot to live up to after putting all kinds of pressure on Yorkshire in 2015 - now Middlesex's experienced squad has to try and improve on that.
What's new? James Fuller comes in from Gloucestershire to give Middlesex a seam-bowling boost, but they will have to get off to a quick start while international cricket's new man of the moment (at the age of 36!) Adam Voges is around. Worth remembering his Test average during the winter briefly climbed above Don Bradman's record of 99.94.
Wicket-taker: Last summer James Harris finally showed what he could do when fit, taking 74 wickets, and with Steven Finn likely to spend plenty of time with England, he'll be relied upon again.
Century-maker: Sam Robson struggled last season, averaging less than 30 as he tried to rebuild after being ditched by England. If Nick Compton spends time away, he'll have to do much more to ensure some competitive Middlesex totals.
Young player to watch: Stevie Eskinazi (wicketkeeper-batsman)
WARWICKSHIRE
2015: Fifth
2016 prediction: Sixth
Sky Bet odds: 6/1
Chances in a tweet: Ageing squad with less concerns over England calls but much improvement needed in all areas after a generally disappointing 2015.
What's new? Not a great deal has changed at Edgbaston with only Staffordshire wicketkeeper Alex Mellor added to the staff after playing some second XI cricket last year - he might push Tim Ambrose for game time, but other than that it will be pretty much the same squad as 2015.
Wicket-taker: Jeetan Patel. The former New Zealand all-rounder returns for another season at Edgbaston, and he has been consistently one of the best spinners in the county game for some time. Claimed 58 wickets last season to lead Warwickshire and needs a repeat…at least.
Century-maker: Ian Bell could just be finished with England, and that might be the boost Warwickshire need. Bell played only two games last season for his county and was their only player to average over 37. A telling stat.
Young player to watch: Sam Hain (batsman)
HAMPSHIRE
2015: Seventh
2016 prediction: Seventh
Sky Bet odds: 16/1
Chances in a tweet: Escaped by the skin of their teeth last season and it could be a similar story in 2016 unless group of talented youngsters step up.
What's new? Reece Topley comes in from Essex to boost Hampshire's attack but his impact in four-day cricket has been something of a disappointment, mainly because of injury. Most of the 'new' this season could be more regular roles for impressive youngsters like Mason Crane, Lewis McManus, Brad Taylor and Joe Weatherly.
Wicket-taker: Fidel Edwards deserved all the plaudits he received from Ageas Bowl regulars at the end of last season as his wickets helped keep Hampshire up. He played in only eight games but took more wickets than any of their other bowlers.
Century-maker: Michael Carberry probably has no more thoughts of an England berth, and that helped him pile up nearly 1,300 runs last summer. With James Vince, and possibly Liam Dawson, involved for England over the summer, he is going to be heavily relied on again.
Young player to watch: Mason Crane (leg-spinner)
LANCASHIRE
2015: Second Division Two, promoted
2016 prediction: Eighth, relegated
Sky Bet odds: 16/1
Chances in a tweet: Key batting losses will make life hard for Lancashire despite a number of young talents waiting in the wings for the future if they survive.
What's new? Scrappy left-armer Neil Wagner should join Kyle Jarvis to give Lancashire a decent opening seam pairing, but his is their only addition which will put pressure on their raft of spinning all-rounders and youngsters like Haseeb Hameed and Saqib Mahmood to learn on the job.
Wicket-taker: Zimbabwe-born Jarvis was one of the best seamers in Division Two last year and topped Lancashire's wicket-taking list despite missing the end of the season through injury. His skills are ideal for English conditions.
Century-maker: Alviro Petersen averaged more than 40 last year, but will need to do a good deal more in 2016 with more than 2,000 runs having disappeared from the squad after Ashwell Prince retired and Paul Horton left for Leicestershire.,
Young player to watch: Haseeb Hameed (batsman)
DURHAM
2015: Fourth
2016 prediction: Ninth, relegated
Sky Bet odds: 10/1
Chances in a tweet: Unless Ben Stokes is dropped by England (again) it could be a long summer for Durham, who have a few financial worries as well.
What's new? Nothing, nada, rien, nichts. They all mean the same thing. All the news at Durham, bar a few new corporate sponsors, has been bad - John Hastings' injury, their apparent failure to sign Kagiso Rabada or add any depth to squad that looks a little thin.
Wicket-taker: Chris Rushworth was fantastic last season, and his 83 wickets led the division. He'll need similar results, along with Graham Onions, especially with proposed overseas signing Hastings unlikely to play this season.
Century-maker: Scott Borthwick was meant to be England's next leg-spinner, but now he looks to be more of a batsman who can bowl a bit if conditions are helpful. He piled up 1,390 runs with 11 half-centuries last year and is exciting to watch.
Young player to watch: Jack Burnham (opening batsman)
