Three writers predict who will come out on top in the 2024 County Championship

I’m going for Essex to return to the pinnacle. Jamie Porter’s coming off his best season since 2018, Simon Harmer’s still unplayable and Dean Elgar is a pretty good replacement (upgrade even) for the retired gentleman farmer and knight of the realm who used to grace the top of the order

JOHN STERN

PHIL WALKER

WCM editor-in-chief

A better question might be who the hell can stop Surrey from completing their very publicly desired ‘three-peat’. The short answer is nobody. But that’s no fun, so let’s say that this is the year where weird things happen and nothing’s a sure bet, not even on a squad so large and polished that roughly 17 international seamers sit on the bench at any one time. Hampshire, short of runs last year, could be their most likely challengers, with Ali Orr a good signing, Nick Gubbins and the great James Vince in the middle order, and the talented opener Fletcha Middleton set for a breakout year. Elsewhere Lancashire and Notts will have their moments, but I fear neither has the seam-bowling depth; still, if Lancs are in the mix in September, Nathan Lyon could yet ‘do a Mushtaq’ and win it on his own. I can’t honestly see a sustained threat elsewhere, though promoted Durham, with their ebullient seamers and big hitters, are the great unknowns. Essex, lowly relegationavoiders at best this year, showed in 2017 that promotion need not mean you can’t win the big one at your first attempt. Teams to come up? Yorkshire and Northants. The latter have recruited cannily: Karun Nair will score the most runs in the country.