County Championship preview: Hampshire

2009 in a nutshell Retaining First Division status, winning the Friends Provident – with Dominic Cork bristling like a colt – and reaching the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 represented a good year. But since Hampshire have more resources than most, expectations are higher. LV County Championship Division 1 6th Pro 40 Division 1 5th Friends Provident Trophy 1st Twenty20 Cup QF What they'll be playing in this season LV County Championship Division 1 Clydesdale Bank 40 Group C Friends Provident Twenty20 – South Captain Dimitri Mascharenhas. Injured and therefore not performing for the Rajasthan Royals, Mascarenhas was a success in his first year in charge at the Rose Bowl even though his own contributions in the four-day game were modest in 2009. As a pupil of old Socrates Warne, he takes the positive view on just about everything. Coach Giles White. After one successful year in charge White may offer further evidence that you don't have to be a brilliant player to be a good coach. After a modest playing career – initially with Somerset and then with Hampshire – he has risen through the coaching ranks at the Rose Bowl. Confident enough to have Duncan Fletcher on board as a consultant in 2009. Ins and outs In Abdul Razzaq , Kabir Ali (Worcestershire), Shahid Afridi (T20), Simon Jones (Worcestershire), Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Neil McKenzie (Kolpak) Out Imran Tahir (Warwickshire), Billy Taylor, John Crawley (retired), Chris Tremlett (Surrey) Overseas players Ajantha Mendis (SL), Shahid Afridi and Abdur Razzaq (both Pak) for Twenty20. Doubts remain over the signing of Mendis and when he is due to arrive but he could be a championship winner with his mystery deliveries, though since signing for Hampshire he appears to have lost form when playing for Sri Lanka. Certainly he needs the temperature to rise. Who knows what Afridi will do? He has a tendency to win one game and to get banned in the next. A brave signing. Key player How will the other brave signings settle? Hampshire have the capacity to wave their cheque book more vigorously than most and have signed Simon Jones and Kabir Ali in the winter. Both can undoubtedly bowl but how fit are they? Will they be more durable than Chris Tremlett, who has moved to Surrey? The Kolpak newcomer (to Hampshire, if not county cricket), Neil McKenzie, is more reliable. Ashes factor Outside chances for Michael Carberry in Test cricket, Michael Lumb in Twenty20. One day James Vince might play in an Ashes series but not next winter. Prediction for 2010 Second in Division 1. If Mendis finds England to his liking they could win the Championship. Also a force in the one-day game even if one or two will be creaking in the field.