Middlesex's County Championship rivals assessed

The first block of seven fixtures between the Easter weekend and the middle of May will do much to shape the title race, meaning everyone is after that quick start to put them among the promotion frontrunners before the Vitality Blast hits town.

In the first of a two part analysis, we look at four of Middlesex’s rivals in the Division Two race.

There’s a lot to suggest Derbyshire are a county very much on the up. The men from the Peak District propped up the rest in 2024, yet under the astute leadership of Mickey Arthur finished third last season, missing out on promotion by just five points.