2013 county cricket season preview: Northamptonshire

David Willey was one of Northamptonshire's best batsman last year Credit: PA

LAST SEASON:

  • 8th (County Championship Division Two)

  • 6th in Group C (Clydesdale Bank 40)

  • 6th in Midlands/West/Wales Group (Friends Life T20)

TRANSFERS:

  • IN: Matthew Spriegel (Surrey), Steven Crook (Middlesex), Muhammad Azhar Ullah (WPDA), Ben Duckett, Rob Keogh, Christian Davis, James Kettleborough (academy)

  • OUT: Jack Brooks (Yorkshire), Niall O'Brien (Leicestershire), Chaminda Vaas, Ben Howegego, Rob White, Dave Burton (all released)

  • OVERSEAS: Trent Copeland (April-June), Cameron White (T20)

CAPTAIN:

Alex Wakely

STAR PLAYER:

Trent Copeland

YOUNG PLAYER TO WATCH:

Alex Wakely

ODDS TO WIN:

  • 16/1 (County Championship)

  • 33/1 (Yorkshire Bank 40)

  • 20/1 (Friends Life T20)

After last season's disappointing performances, Northants will be looking to string together a few more consistent performances and start moving up the table.

They have bought a number of players this year who will greatly add to their versatility. Steven Crook and Matthew Spriegel have both scored more than 1,000 first class runs while Crook has also taken more than 100 wickets. With David Willey and James Middlesbrook already in the side, Northants have a number of all-rounders to add variation to the lineup.

However, Northants look thin in the bowling department and will be relying on new signing Trent Copeland. Six foot six Copeland is one of a number of talented fast bowlers coming out of Australia and his combination of pace, bounce and swing could prove lethal in the early season conditions. If he's firing on all cylinders he should make up for his side's lack of depth.