The CricInfo Championship starts today with Surrey launching their bid to be the first team since the 1960s to win the title in three successive years.

Not since Yorkshire in 1967-69 have a county achieved the feat but Surrey must surely have an excellent chance of matching them.

Ladbrokes have installed them as 5/4 favourites, not surprising when you consider the strength of their squad. They are, in fact, potentially able to field an entire Test XI.

Tomorrow they entertain Kent at The Oval and will be optimistic of starting their season with a victory. Kent won only a quarter of their championship games last season and have since lost bowlers Dean Headley and Julian Thompson, both of whom have been forced out of the game with injury.

However, they have brought in exciting South African Test batsman Darryl Cullinan. He is averaging 44 in both Test and first-class cricket and Kent will be hoping he can continue that form this summer.

Kent skipper Matthew Fleming is hoping that playing Surrey first game will work in his side's favour. "There's never an easy time to play Surrey, but they've not had as much practice as they would have liked.

"Neither have we, admittedly, but we might catch them before they get into their stride. At this stage of the season it's more of a lottery so it doesn't matter who you play."

Tomorrow should see Surrey giving a first-class debut to Mark Ramprakash, who left Middlesex in controversial circumstances during the winter, and Ed Giddins who has joined them from Warwickshire. Ramprakash is seeking to restate his England Test claims and Kent could be the first to be on the receiving end of his ambitions. Alec Stewart amd Graham Thorpe will both be rested tomorrow, as dictated by their ECB contracts.

Lancashire, last year's runners-up, travel to Taunton knowing they probably represent the greatest challenge to Surrey. Although they will be without Michael Atherton for much of the season because he is on a central contract with England, the Red Rose county still have a host of big names such John Crawley, Neil Fairbrother, Andrew Flintoff and, of course, the world's greatest spinner in Muttiah Muralitharan. However, Murali will not be available for selection until next week.

Skipper Crawley said: "We're looking forward to the start, and building on some good personal performances from the pre-season tour in South Africa," he said on the club's official website.

"There is a lot of cricket ahead, but after three years as runners-up we are determined to bring the championship back to Old Trafford."

Somerset have been hit harder by the central contract system, losing Atherton's opening partner Marcus Trescothick and Andy Caddick. But at least they have retained the services of captain and opening bat Jamie Cox; at one point it looked as if he was going to be named in the Australian Ashes squad which would have been a severe blow to the Westcountrymen.

And Cox said Somerset were becoming accustomed to playing without their England stars. "To be honest we almost count without them," he said. "We've got used to them not being available for us."

Somerset are expected to give debuts to Richard Johnson and Keith Dutch after their arrival from Middlesex during the winter.

Two of last season's promoted counties meet tomorrow. Northants, who won the Second Division with some comfort last year, entertain Glamorgan, who finished third, at Wantage Road.

Supporters going to tomorrow's game will notice building work at the ground where Northants are installing a computer-operated turnstile system. They will also notice a new overseas player, Australian batsman Michael Hussey replacing last season's skipper Matthew Hayden who will be touring with the national side this summer.

And Northants' director of cricket, Bob Carter, is backing Hussey to make it into the Australian Test team. "Mike's raring to go for us and him not being known over here isn't a problem," he said. "He's a great player and I think he'll get into the Australian side in the next couple of years. We're really lucky to have him."

The visitors should prove to be one of the stronger batting sides in the championship this summer. Although captain and opening bat Steve James will miss tomorrow's game after two recent knee operations, they boast a healthy middle order of Matthew Maynard, Adrian Dale and Michael Powell as well as new overseas player Jimmy Maher who has an impressive batting record at Queensland.

Essex, the other First Division new boys, have a tough opening game at Leicester but go there full of confidence. Their chief executive, David East, said: "We're looking to win the County Championship this year. We're going to put every effort into succeeding this season and we're all looking forward to it.

"The players have got to concentrate on their own games, not worry about how anyone else is doing - and we'll see how we get on."

Ronnie Irani led the team from the front last year in the absence of England captain Nasser Hussain and he will be hoping to continue his own splendid personal form. However, tomorrow he will be without Paul Grayson who is recovering from a knee injury.

Leicestershire have two interesting new faces this season. Danny Marsh, the son of great Australian keeper Rodney, is bringing his substantial all-round skills to Grace Road, while Devon Malcolm will be steaming in at the grand old age of 38.

Leicestershire skipper Vince Wells said of Marsh: "He's the just the sort of player we want: he bats, he bowls good left-arm spin and he's an outstanding slip catcher."

Leicestershire will be virtually at full-strength tomorrow, the only absentee being Will Stelling with a groin strain.

Perhaps the most intriguing match of the day in the Second Division will be at Chester-le-Street where Durham, relegated last season, entertain Gloucestershire who are desperately seeking four-day success.

The visitors just missed out on promotion last season and, after winning all three one-day competitions last year, want to show that they can find success in the championship as well. Renowned for being a team of few stars, they will be looking for Mark Alleyne to get the most out of his players yet again. Tomorrow they will be without wicket-keeper Jack Russell who has suffered a slipped disc but seamer Mike Smith is in the squad after recovering from injury more quickly than expected.

Durham, meanwhile, will be aiming to bounce back into the First Division despite the loss of last year's overseas player Simon Katich. His fellow countryman Martin Love has replaced him and will make his debut tomorrow, along with former Essex all-rounder Danny Law.

Durham's new coach Martyn Moxon said: "We've had a decent preparation and we're all geared up for a successful year. That means we are looking for promotion in both leagues and progress in the cups."

At Lord's, Middlesex and Worcestershire meet under the leadership of two of the most experienced players on the county circuit. Angus Fraser will be hoping Middlesex will shrug off the doldrums that have hung over the county for several seasons while Worcestershire are being led by Graeme Hick, following the news that he would not be awarded a central contract this season.

Middlesex will be giving New Zealander Stephen Fleming his first taste of county cricket while Worcestershire boast Australian fast bowler Andy Bichel amongst their ranks.

Warwickshire will be hoping to improve on a disappointing sixth place in the Second Division last season. With players on their staff of the calibre of Nick Knight and Vasbert Drakes, promotion is a realistic aim and tomorrow they start their campaign against Hampshire at Edgbaston. The visitors should include Zimbabwean Neil Johnson, their replacement for Shane Warne who will be otherwise engaged.

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