English county cricket 2014 - All that you need to know

County Season 2014

The county season for 2014 has begun and is still in it’s starting stage. It’s a fact that local players in English county have the best chance of improving on their cricket because this is the very platform, where foreign players love come as ‘foreign players’ into the side and either play a few matches or the whole season and alongside improving upon their own game and they surely serve as the perfect ‘guide’ to the local players, by sharing valuable tips and lessons.

Moreover, it’s the foreign players that give the league ‘the fan base’ that it requires. This county season will be no exception. Let’s talk about some foreign hat will make this year’s county season all the more exciting.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul: Someone who has been a regular, especially to the county championship. He’ll be seen playing for Derbyshire this year, helping them gain a ‘legend’ in their ranks, stabilizing their middle order. With very little cricket under his belt in the last few months, Chanderpaul will be keen to make amends during this year’s county season.

Graeme Smith: The father-like figure for South African cricket, who led them for over 100 matches in Test cricket, will be seen playing for the Surrey this year. Surrey is already considered a very strong side, for its strong base of local players and Smith will be an asset to this side – giving them the much needed leader that every side needs.

Saeed Ajmal: The spin-maestro from Pakistan, will be making the batsmen dance with his off-spinners and cheeky doosras. Ajmal will be a deadly combination with Worcestershire’s (team he’ll be representing) bowling line-up.

T20 Star Players

Glenn Maxwell is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world

Richard Levi will be representing Northants in the T20 cup (all matches) and 8 one-day games. Levi is known all throughout the cricketing globe for his explosive and dynamite batting. He is the record holder for the fastest century in T20Is, which came against New Zealand. He’s a match-winner and you might just see him winning matches for Northants with ease – courtesy of his hard-hitting batting.

Glenn Maxwell: If the last 2 IPL matches are to prove something, it’s that this guy may look thin but don’t you make aspersions, this guy can hit a ball as hard as any other cricketer in the world can. With a 95 and 89 already to his name, his IPL has begun on an excellence note and this will give him a much greater confidence, coming into the LVT20 championship in England. No doubt the pitches of England will be a little tricky as compared to UAE and India but for players like Maxwell, no pitch can stop them ‘on their day’.

Yasir Arafat: He may have not played for Pakistan in as many games as he would’ve liked but he is certainly making amends in county cricket, especially in the T20 format. He’ll be playing for Sussex and his team will be hoping for him to continue from his performances in the last few years. Arafat will hold the key for Sussex in the death-overs (16-20) where the batsmen have the license to go for the big shots and this is where, Arafat’s variations come into play and get the team the much needed BIG wickets.

Aaron Finch: First look at him and you know that this player can hit the ball hard, and he CAN. If there’s one player that has made a significant name for himself all throughout the cricketing world for his big hitting, it’s him. He’s been fairly consistent in the T20 matches that he’s played and besides, when he plays – the opposition really has no answer. Just last year, he torn apart the English bowling and scored a 150 – in a T20 match, which says a lot about this batsmen’ potential. Yorkshire will have their hopes very high from Finch this year.

There it is – A preview about the defending champions and some star players that you must lookout for in this year’s county season.

So then, which team are you supporting this year?