Preview of the 2024 County Championship: The challengers

Essex lasted longer than any other team last season and took the title race to the final round, although they finished 20 points behind in second place.

South Africa's Dean Elgar has replaced the retiring Sir Alastair Cook as a veteran Test opener at Chelmsford. Additionally, all-action keeper/batter Jordan Cox has been recruited from Kent, indicating a focus on the future.

Although the loss of Lawrence will be felt, Essex has a pool of talented young batters waiting to step up. Any team that can field Jamie Porter, Sam Cook or Simon Harmer will have a good chance of winning.

Essex was unlucky not to beat Surrey last season due to the weather. This season, they will face each other home and away for the first time in five years. The final game of the season will be held at Chelmsford.

In 2023, Lancashire took a step back after finishing as runners-up in all three competitions the previous year.

Head coach Glen Chapple has been replaced by Dale Benkenstein amidst a winter of change behind the scenes.

The county has made a significant addition to their team with the arrival of Australian spinner Nathan Lyon for the first half of the campaign. There has been much discussion about how to pair him with Tom Hartley, who recently took 22 wickets in England's Test series in India.

Hampshire have been quietly conducting their business after finishing third twice. They have recruited Ali Orr, a promising top-order batter from Sussex, and Michael Neser, a paceman from Australia.

Will that be enough to end a 52-year wait for the title? The 2023 campaign ended with James Vince, Liam Dawson, Mohammad Abbas, Keith Barker and Kyle Abbott beating Essex and Surrey.

Durham's last game in Division One was against Hampshire in 2016 before they were relegated by the ECB at the end of the season, giving Hampshire a reprieve. They now make a triumphant return to the top flight with a game against Hampshire.

The pace bowling department boasts of high quality. Scott Boland from Australia has signed an overseas deal until the end of July. Additionally, Ben Raine and Matthew Potts, who each took 50 wickets last year, are already part of the team

David Bedingham, a South African batter, returns for a full summer. England skipper Ben Stokes also aims to participate at the beginning of the season.

New Road, Worcestershire's home ground, has been flooded seven times over the winter. As a result, two of their first six fixtures will be played at Kidderminster. There is speculation that the team may permanently relocate from the ground.

Although Worcestershire has added West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder, Nathan Smith of New Zealand, Rob Jones from Lancashire, and Northants duo Josh Cobb and Tom Taylor, their efforts to avoid an immediate return to Division Two have been hindered by the departure of bowlers Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue, and batter Jack Haynes, who have all moved to Notts.

Haseeb Hameed will captain Nottinghamshire, succeeding Steven Mullaney. This marks a new era at Trent Bridge, as Samit Patel, Jake Ball, and Stuart Broad have all departed.

Somerset have appointed Lewis Gregory as their new captain, succeeding Tom Abell. Despite the arrival of Ball from Notts, Australian all-rounder Will Sutherland will not be playing at Taunton this summer due to injury.

Somerset has never won the title and had a difficult start to last season, losing their first five matches. However, they will be boosted by the return of Matt Renshaw early in the season, which should give them more momentum.

Will Rhodes has resigned as Warwickshire captain, while George Garton has joined the Bears from Sussex.

The Bears, who were champions in 2021, will begin their campaign against rivals Worcestershire at Edgbaston and aim to improve on their fourth-placed finish last year.

Daniel Bell-Drummond is the new skipper for Kent. He hopes that the addition of Matt Parkinson from Lancashire, and overseas players Wes Agar and Beyers Swanepoel, will help them take 20 wickets and avoid another relegation battle.