With the 2026 season starting this week, let's take a look at the teams competing for the Rothesay Division One County Championship title, breaking down key players, ones to watch and new signings.
This Part Two preview will focus on Surrey, Somerset, Sussex, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire.
Part One showcased Essex, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. Click here to read Part One.
Captain: Rory Burns
Head Coach: Gareth Batty
2025 finish: 2nd
2025 leading run-scorer: Dom Sibley (1,274)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Dan Worrall (32)
Championship titles: 23 (most recent in 2024)
Key winter moves: Experienced Australian all-rounder Sean Abbott has rejoined for a fourth spell at the club. Abbott, who turned 34 at the end of February and has 58 white-ball international caps, also played for Surrey in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Head coach Gareth Batty says Abbott, available for all cricket until the end of July, provides both on-field and off-field leadership. Surrey have also brought in India leg-spinner Rahul Chahar for the final eight games of the season. Chahar took 10 wickets on Surrey debut in last September’s win at Hampshire. His 8/51 is the best first-class bowling figures by a debutant for the club, breaking William Mudie’s 166-year-old record when he took 7/61 in 1859.
What we're looking forward to seeing: Surrey are on something of a quest this summer, having been pipped to the Rothesay County Championship title by Nottinghamshire last September. Although frustrated at being beaten by just 20 runs by Notts in what was in effect a title-decider at the Kia Oval in the penultimate round of matches, Surrey’s players and management accept they were not quite at their best last year in a bid for a fourth successive title. They are particularly relishing taking on Notts twice this season.
Aiming to catch selectors' eyes: Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson all start the season with much to prove after underwhelming performances in last winter’s Ashes series, but could both Dom Sibley and Dan Lawrence come again at England level?
Final thoughts: Alec Stewart’s return full-time last autumn to the director of cricket role he has held with such distinction at Surrey since 2013 – apart from an 18-month step-back to care for his late wife Lynn, who sadly lost a brave fight against cancer early last summer – has been welcomed by all at the Kia Oval. Players and staff know Stewart will provide the same fierce attention to detail and ‘overview’ leadership that helped to guide Rory Burns’ team to four championships between 2018 and 2024. Can they make it five titles in nine summers?
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Head Coach: Jason Kerr
2025 finish: 3rd
2025 leading run-scorer: James Rew (1,053)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Jack Leach (52)
Championship titles: 0
Key winter moves: With Ben Green, Kasey Aldridge, Josh Davey, Sean Dickson and Shoaib Bashir all having left to ply their trade at other counties, Somerset fans may have anticipated a glut of new signings. Instead, the club look set to give some of their younger players a chance and have recruited only seamer Josh Shaw from Gloucestershire to add experience to the bowling attack.
What we're looking forward to seeing: The impact Somerset’s less experienced players can have on a squad that could be stretched by injuries. Josh Thomas will be a candidate to open the batting, while Alfie Ogborne’s left-arm seam may offer variety to the bowling. England Under-19 captain Thomas Rew is still completing his studies at King’s College but clearly has the talent to increase batting options as the season progresses.
Aiming to catch selectors' eyes: James Rew was called into England’s squad as replacement for the injured Jordan Cox last May without getting a game. He had just become the youngest player since Denis Compton in 1939 to score 10 first-class centuries and went on to top 1,000 Rothesay County Championship runs in 2025. Sure to be on the selectors’ radar if he starts well.
Final thoughts: Jack Leach was Somerset’s most potent bowling weapon last season and it will be interesting to see what type of pitches the experienced left-arm spinner is given to bowl on as the summer progresses. The club have been penalised for surfaces offering excessive turn in the past but must capitalise on Leach’s skills to maximise home advantage.
Captain: Ollie Robinson
Head Coach: Paul Farbrace
2025 finish: 4th
2025 leading run-scorer: John Simpson (1,086 runs)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Ollie Robinson (39 wickets)
Championship titles: 3 (most recent in 2007)
Key winter moves: Sussex added three red-ball players to their Rothesay County Championship squad and have given themselves more options in two key areas: the top order and the all-rounder slot. Jack Leaning is back working with Paul Farbrace, the coach who knows him best, while Tom Price is a genuine all-rounder who will relish the step up to Division One. Seamer Dom Goodman has followed Price from Gloucestershire and will offer good back-up to Ollie Robinson and the other quicks.
What we're looking forward to seeing: James Coles is likely to get the chance to showcase his undoubted talent in the top four and it’s unlikely to faze him. Can the experienced Jack Leaning rediscoverer his best form after linking up with Farbrace again and how will Ollie Robinson, who now has the twin responsibilities of leading the seam attack and captaining the team, handle the extra responsibility? Tom Price adds beef to an already strong lower-middle order and is a potential match-changer with bat and ball.
Aiming to catch selectors' eyes: If Coles makes his England debut this summer it’s likely to be in one-day cricket after he picked up a £390k contract at The Hundred. But the 21-year-old has all the skills to develop into a Test batter too. He scored four centuries last season, his first in Division One, and is capable of kicking on this summer.
Final thoughts: Sussex start the season with a 12-point deduction for financial misdemeanours, but Farbrace thinks his squad is strong enough to be considered title challengers. Although opener Daniel Hughes is back from Australia, there will be no overseas bowler until Jaydev Unadkat arrives in June and that might stretch bowling resources in the first half of the season. But if they can keep their key players fit and utilise the squad depth, Sussex can improve on last season’s fourth place.
Captain: Ed Barnard
Head Coach: Ian Westwood
2025 finish: 5th
2025 leading run-scorer: Ed Barnard (922)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Ethan Bamber (43)
Championship titles: 8 (most recent in 2021)
Key winter moves: Warwickshire have acted decisively to strengthen a senior seam-bowling department which has leaned far too heavily on the excellent Olly Hannon-Dalby for too long. Jordan Thompson has arrived from Yorkshire, Nathan Gilchrist from Kent and Keith Barker is back from Hampshire. With Chris Woakes having retired from international cricket, the pace attack has an appealing depth, allowing for rotation to help keep all its members fit.
What we're looking forward to seeing: The Edgbaston faithful are looking forward to seeing Chris Woakes back in the Bears fold – the all-rounder has played just 12 Rothesay County Championship matches in the last nine seasons. Woakes’ appetite for the game remains high and he is hungry to make a big contribution to his beloved county. Seeing Woakes and Barker running in will evoke memories of 2012 glory!
Aiming to catch selectors' eyes: Ed Barnard – the all-rounder has hugely impressed in all departments since moving across from Worcestershire and more of the same must surely be rewarded with a call-up. He was also appointed captain just before the start of the season.
Final thoughts: Warwickshire’s squad enters the 2026 season in better shape than for several years. After all the recent transition, fifth in the Championship in 2025 was a decent effort in Ian Westwood’s first year as head coach. With some stability and experience in the ranks, and the transformed seam attack, his second could bring a serious challenge for honours.
Captain: Jonny Bairstow
Head Coach: Anthony McGrath
2025 finish: 7th
2025 leading run-scorer: Adam Lyth (1,173)
2025 leading wicket-taker: George Hill (51)
Championship titles: 2 (most recent in 2015)
Key winter moves: Australia Test quick Jhye Richardson’s signing for April and May – potentially into June – has turned heads, while his Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman has penned a three-year all-format contract. Batter-keeper Whiteman, Doncaster-born, is local-qualified. Seam-bowling all-rounders Logan van Beek and Will Sutherland join Richardson as early-summer overseas signings. The returning Sutherland is only available for two June matches alongside his Blast commitments. Dawid Malan, Matt Milnes, Jonny Tattersall and Jordan Thompson have departed.
What we're looking forward to seeing: Yorkshire, promoted in 2024, consolidated their Division One status last summer. After a slow start, three of their four wins came during the last seven matches, taking as many points as champions Nottinghamshire in that period. Now, it’s about pushing on to challenge the likes of Notts and Surrey over the full distance. They certainly have the firepower under captain Jonny Bairstow, with emerging talent such as George Hill, Will Luxton, Matthew Revis and James Wharton developing impressively.
Aiming to catch selectors' eyes: Top-order batter James Wharton, 25, recently earned his maiden Lions call-up on the curtailed Abu Dhabi trip. He has totalled 1,533 runs in 23 Rothesay County Championship matches across the last two seasons, including 2024 scores of 188 and 275. He contributed seven Division One half-centuries last season. An improved conversion rate could do wonders for him.
Final thoughts: A key factor in Yorkshire’s drive for success is always England availability. If Harry Brook and/or Joe Root can parachute in and rack up the runs ahead of the international summer beginning, then that could set the county on the right track for a first four-day title since 2015. That’s certainly the aim for coach Anthony McGrath, who tasted similar success in his Essex days.
