Cricket

County Championship Betting Preview And Predictions (2025)

5 months ago

| BY Sam Cox

First held in 1890, the County Championship is one of the oldest sporting competitions in the world.

Seemingly in a constant fight for relevance, the longest format has been marginalised by changes to the domestic schedule, forcing matches into the spring and autumn months.

In 2024, Surrey became the first team to win the County Championship three years in a row since Yorkshire in the 1960s. Surrey, unsurprisingly, are clear cricket betting favourites to win the title in 2025 ahead of Somerset and Essex.

Somerset are one of three teams – along with Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire – to never win County Championship Division One.

There have been some close calls in recent years for the Taunton-based side, including runners-up placing in 2016, 2018, and 2019, and a third-placed finish in 2024 amid plenty of live betting drama.

Division One

The rich continue to get richer atop the County Championship pyramid. Surrey added Matthew Fisher from Yorkshire, with the tall pace bowler coming off 27 wickets at 22.25 in Division Two last season. Surrey haven’t been significantly weakened this offseason and look by far the most talented team on paper once again.

All-rounder Nathan Smith provides yet more depth for the Oval-based team. While Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, and Ollie Pope are expected to be in England’s Test squads, Pope will be available between Test matches, and they have more than sufficient fast-bowling depth to cope with Overton and Atkinson missing games.

Somerset didn’t make any marquee domestic additions. Mark Henry was a significant overseas signing for the first County Championship window, though, with his nagging line and length bound to take plenty of wickets.

Will Smeed has re-signed a red-ball contract, while Archie Vaughan and Jack Leach form perhaps the best spin tandem in the country. It doesn’t look like James Rew will be snatched away for England duty just yet.

It’s hard to look past Surrey, such is their unmatched depth and quality. Somerset and Essex have a chance if everything goes right, but they will both need to hand Surrey rare defeats.

Division Two

Relegated with only three wins last season, Lancashire are the clear betting favourites to win Division Two. Marcus Harris was a smart addition to improve a batting lineup which, other than Keaton Jennings, struggled in the top division.

James Anderson is also expected to play a significant role between his media duties as he extends his career.

Anderson’s record has been remarkable in the County Championship in his occasional appearances over the last few years. He’s bound to torment Division Two batters in swing-friendly early and late-season conditions.

Kent, who were relegated with 99 points last season, share the second-shortest Division Two odds with Middlesex. While Bed Geddes might prove a shrewd acquisition for Middlesex, Kent look the stronger of the two teams on paper, particularly if they get the best of Zak Crawley as he searches for form before the Test summer.

Glamorgan are an interesting dark horse option at 10/1. Colin Ingram, Division Two’s top scorer in 2024, returns. Asitha Fernando and Shoaib Bashir give them a very good bowling attack for the first few matches of the season.