As the County Championship nears the halfway stage, the table is beginning to take shape.

Surprisingly it is the two counties that spent last year languishing in the depths of the Second Division that are topping the upper tier of the competition this time around.

Somerset’s most recent victory allowed them to overtake Nottinghamshire, who had been sitting at the top of the table since grabbing maximum points in their first encounter of the season. Last time Nottinghamshire won promotion they became county champions the following season. Could one of this year’s newly-promoted counties emulate that feat from 2005?

'If the Outlaws were to pull off victory in the County Championship, it would restore a lot of faith in the homegrown talent of the English game'


An early exit from the Friends Provident Trophy could boost the Outlaws’ LVCC1 hopes, with one less competition to focus on. The absences of Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad, run machine David Hussey, former skipper Stephen Fleming and opening bat Jason Gallian and occasional exit to the England ODI side of spinner Graeme Swann have somehow not had the detrimental effect those tipping Nottinghamshire for relegation had predicted.

Could the Outlaws be the unlikely victors?

It would not be the first time the side have followed promotion with a county championship title, having done so in 2005 before relegation beckoned in 2006. New signing, Grimsby born Australian (fully qualified for England) Darren Pattison has made quite an impression and, along with the wicket-taking machine Charlie Shreck has made short work of a fair few middle orders. It does not hurt, of course, that the bowlers have one of the world’s best glovesmen behind the stumps in Chris Read.

If the Outlaws were to pull off victory in the County Championship, it would restore a lot of faith in the homegrown talent of the English game. Unlike Kolpak-dependant County Champions Sussex and Co, Notts field an entirely non-Kolpak, England-qualified side, save for the one allowed overseas player  and this is shown by the club having more players in the England set-up than any other county.

Proving that overseas talent isn’t necessary to do well in the domestic game could encourage other counties to search for their own homegrown talent instead of importing it.

So, will the leaders of the first stage of the County Championship still be the leaders in the last? It is impossible to know for certain, but for now they are as well poised as anyone and could well be bringing domestic cricket’s finest prize back to Trent Bridge.