County Championship Division Two: Who will gain promotion?

The new county cricket season is mere days from starting, with Specsavers County Championship getting underway on Friday.

We'll breakdown the Division One runners and riders on Thursday, but first we're taking a closer look at Division Two.

Who will win promotion? Will Middlesex and Warwickshire bounce straight back up after relegation? Or could Sussex and Durham make their way back to the top flight? Here's how we see the season unfolding...

Middlesex

Sky Bet odds: 15/8

2017: Seventh Division One, relegated

2018 prediction: Champions, promoted. This is not a second division squad, one that's only one season removed from a thrilling 2016 County Championship win. Silverware awaits again, though no longer that same coveted crown.

What's changed? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Middlesex's title defence didn't exactly go as planned, ending with a gut-wrenching relegation. The squad is still practically identical to both their 2016 title-winning team and the one that lost their division one status last year - so which version shows up this season? Leading the XI for 2018 is Dawid Malan, though his vice-captain Sam Robson may well have to step up a fair bit due to Malan's likely continued England commitments.

Wicket-taker: Toby Roland-Jones. A revelation in the England Test team last summer, taking 17 wickets at 19.64 across his four Tests against South Africa and West Indies before a back injury struck and ruled him out of the Ashes. He will potentially be called upon by his country again in 2018, but isn't a guaranteed starter, so is sure to have his way with a fair few second-division batsmen too. Also, look out for Tom Helm to follow in Roland-Jones and Steven Finn's footsteps and spark England interest.

Century-maker: Nick Gubbins. There may well be an England Test openers berth (or maybe two) to fight for early season, and Gubbins certainly has a chance to stake a claim. He hit two tons in the recent North-South series, though injury - which blighted his 2017 season - struck and could hamper his international hopes.

Northamptonshire

Sky Bet odds: 9/1

2017: Third

2018 prediction: Second, promoted. Set to go one better having only just missed out on promotion last year.

What's changed? The departure of much-loved Pakistan-born seamer Azharullah is a blow, but there should be more than enough to cover the loss in overseas double-act, the returning Rory Kleinveldt - team-leading 50 wickets at 23.06 in 2017 - and Doug Bracewell from New Zealand.

Wicket-taker: Nathan Buck. The oft-injured fast bowler had an impressive first season in Northamptonshire after signing from Lancashire. First of all, he encouragingly was fit for more than half of their fixtures, taking 36 wickets at a hugely impressive average of 21.38. Can he build on that further in year two?

Century-maker: Ben Duckett. England tour troubles aside - sent home after pouring a drink over James Anderson - Duckett is a consistent Division Two run-scorer, tonking a team-high three tons last season. Rob Newton and Richard Levi also chip in with their fair share of runs.

Warwickshire

Sky Bet odds: 9/2

2017: Eighth Division One, relegated

2018 prediction: Third. Like Middlesex, on paper they look too good for this level. But, unlike their relegated rivals from last year, Warwickshire appear to have a somewhat ageing squad and might struggle to last the pace for an immediate promotion.

What's changed? The squad is practically the same. New Zealand offspinner Jeetan Patel is back once again as overseas pro, and now has the club captaincy too following Ian Bell's decision to step down towards the back end of Warwickshire's disastrous 2017 campaign.

Wicket-taker: Jeetan Patel. The veteran Kiwi has long been one of the best spinners in the country, and he is likely to have an even greater impact now a division down. Also, can the club captaincy help elevate his game another level?

Century-maker: Ian Bell. The captaincy didn't really work for Bell, with his batting also suffering as a result, scoring only 596 runs at 25.91. Freed from the burden of skippering the side, Bell can now fully focus on his batting and help fire the team back into the top division through weight of runs.

Sussex

Sky Bet odds: 5/1

2017: Fourth

2018 prediction: Fourth. One look at the Sussex squad and its obvious their ambitions are more geared to the white-ball format in 2018. But the firepower in their bowling attack will see them consistently take 20 wickets, which could have them challenging for promotion.

What's changed? The major news is the arrival of hugely successful county coach Jason Gillespie as the head honcho in Sussex. Gillespie won back-to-back County Championship crowns while in charge of Yorkshire in 2014 and 2015, following promotion from the second division in his first season in charge in 2012. Can he inspire similar success on the south coast? The bowling options the former Australian fast bowler has to work with are plentiful, with India's Ishant Sharma's arrival on an overseas deal only strengthening the attack further. The batting is dealt a big blow though with the loss of Hove favourite Chris Nash to Nottinghamshire.

Wicket-taker: Jofra Archer. Though he'll be missing for the start of the season due to his million-dollar IPL deal off the back of some brilliant performances in the Big Bash, he'll be a key member of the attack upon his return. Also, keep an eye out for promising, 20-year-old, left-arm quick George Garton - he had only two four-day appearances last year, but is being keenly watched by the England selectors and his game time is sure to increase.

Century-maker: Luke Wells. Leading run-scorer in Division Two last season, with 1,292 runs at an average of 64.60. Has flattered to deceive at times through his career on the south coast, but the 27-year-old might now just be starting to hit his stride. He still has the tendency to be a bit feast or famine with his batting, but as his 258 against Durham last year proved, he doesn't go hungry when he gets in.

Durham

Sky Bet odds: 16/1

2017: Ninth

2018 prediction: Fifth. No longer burdened by a cruel 48-point punishment dished out for accepting a financial aid package from the ECB during the 2016 season, Durham will be back challenging near the top end of the table.

What's changed? Durham bring back impressive New Zealand opener Tom Latham - who will also serve as their List A captain - and opt for another, yet different, South African opener as overseas options. Stephen Cook struggled his way to 348 runs at 26.76 in his seven starts last year, so in his stead arrives impressive youngster Aiden Markram, who has four tons in his first 10 Tests for the Proteas, including two in the recent series win over Australia. Indian all-rounder Axar Patel is also a new addition.

Wicket-taker: Chris Rushworth. Not quite the prolific strike bowler he once was - a County Championship-leading 83 wickets at 20.61 in 2015 - but he still led the way for Durham last year, with 47 scalps at 25.89. Expect that to improve further with something to play for this season.

Century-maker: Paul Collingwood. The 41-year-old captain rolled back the years in 2017, scoring 1,087 runs at 49.41. Arguably he'd look better placed back in the England middle-order than some younger pretenders do right now.

Glamorgan

Sky Bet odds: 16/1

2017: Seventh

2018 prediction: Sixth. Likely to hover around the middle of the pack once again.

What's changed? The make-up of the side looks practically the same, just with stylish, overseas left-handed batsmen swapped out - veteran South Africa skipper Jacques Rudolph makes way for Australia's Shaun Marsh. Michael Hogan takes over as club captain.

Wicket-taker: Michael Hogan. It's a familiar story, with the 36-year-old veteran seamer still very much leading the attack in Cardiff, as well as now the team itself. He took 50 wickets at just 20.88 in 2017.

Century-maker: Shaun Marsh. With Rudolph retired, the run-scoring responsibility lies with the left-handed overseas batsman who replaces him. Marsh struggled in Australia's recent Test series in South Africa, failing to score a fifty across eight innings', but he was utterly dominant against England in the Ashes over the winter, smashing 445 runs at an average of 74.16.

Kent

Sky Bet odds: 6/1

2017: Fifth

2018 prediction: Seventh. There is concern surrounding Kent's upcoming season, given homegrown star batsman Sam Northeast has left for Hampshire belying the team's ambition.

What's changed? Not necessarily a direct replacement for Northeast, but the arrival of South African opener Heino Kuhn isn't hugely inspired, especially given his struggles in the Test series in England last summer - 113 runs at an average of 14.12 in the four Tests, including a top score of only 34. The appointment of Sam Billings as club captain could certainly be a masterstroke though, providing the 26-year-old with some greater responsibility - leadership and run-scoring wise - in Northeast's absence. As for the bowling, New Zealand quick Matt Henry arrives on an overseas deal.

Wicket-taker: Darren Stevens. Incredibly, the evergreen Stevens finished the 2017 season as the second-highest wicket-taker in Division Two - his 62 strikes earned at an average of 18.08, only seven behind Worcestershire's top dog Joe Leach, who played in two games more. Will be heavily relied upon again.

Century-maker: Daniel Bell-Drummond. Someone needs to step up in Northeast's absence, and there will be hope that it's another homegrown talent of theirs in Bell-Drummond. Talked up as a possible England hopeful before a disastrous 2017 season saw him average only 25.50. Vital he returns to the kind of form that saw him score a century against the touring Aussies in 2015.

Derbyshire

Sky Bet odds: 18/1

2017: Eighth

2018 prediction: Eighth. A bowling attack that was in much need of strengthening has certainly been added to. But, will the additions be successful ones? And who is scoring the runs.

What's changed? West Indies' Ravi Rampaul joins South Africa's Hardus Viljoen - so impressive in bursts in 2017 - on a Kolpak deal. Fellow countryman Duanne Olivier is another new arrival, on a standard overseas deal. In other news, former England U19 captain Shiv Thakor has been sacked by the club after being found guilty of indecent exposure and has been put on the sex offenders register for five years.

Wicket-taker: Hardus Viljoen. The Proteas pacer managed only five games in the first year of his three-year deal, but what an impact he made, taking 24 wickets at 21.54. He took 15 of those in one game, so Sussex certainly won't be relishing the prospect of facing him again.

Century-maker: Billy Godleman. The county captain has proven to be a dependable run-getter at the top of the order since his arrival from Essex in 2013. Also expect Wayne Madsen to bounce back after a down year in 2017.

Gloucestershire

Sky Bet odds: 20/1

2017: Sixth

2018 prediction: Ninth. This Gloucestershire team looks desperately thin, in both the batting and bowling departments. Set to take a step, or several, back.

What's changed? Not a huge amount. Gloucestershire haven't really strengthened, and they've lost a key component of their 2017 campaign in Australian opener Cameron Bancroft - 685 runs at 40.29, including a magnificent double hundred against Kent. He first left for Somerset and has since been handed a nine-month suspension by Cricket Australia after his role in the ball-tampering episode.

Wicket-taker: Liam Norwell. What a 2017 the seamer had - firing his way to 59 wickets at a staggering 17.38 average, including two 10-wicket match hauls.

Century-maker: Chris Dent. Gloucestershire's leading run-scorer again last year, chipping in with 894 runs at 42.57. He has the added responsibility of being team captain in 2018, but it's crucial for Gloucestershire's hopes that it doesn't impact his form with the willow.

Leicestershire

Sky Bet odds: 28/1

2017: 10th

2018 prediction: 10th. County whipping boys once again, following up a promising seventh-place finish in 2016 with a winless campaign last year. Likely to improve a little in 2018, but not enough to move out of the basement.

What's changed? Michael Carberry arrives as new club captain from Hampshire, and another veteran presence in the batting order along with Paul Horton, Mark Pettini and Neil Dexter. Afghanistan allround Mohammad Nabi is another exciting addition, though the loss of Australian Clint McKay - a key strike bowler over the last few seasons - is a big blow. Leicestershire will hope India's Varun Aaron and Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas can fill the void.

Wicket-taker: Varun Aaron. With McKay gone, much is expected from, and certainly needed from, the Indian fast bowler famed for blackening Stuart Broad's eyes with a vicious bouncer in the 2014 Test series.

Century-maker: Michael Carberry. His best days are behind him, scoring only 272 runs at an average of 24.72 across his seven appearances last year. But, the mere fact Carberry was able to take the field in 2017, battling back from cancer, is impressive enough. It's a testament to his strength of character, the type of which Leicestershire could hugely benefit from leading their dressing room.

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