Worcestershire have formally confirmed that Australian batsman Phil Hughes will be joining them as overseas player for the entire 2012 season. The 23 year-old had originally been expected to join the Royals for the start of their Friends Life t20 campaign and continue through to the end of the season, but, since being dropped from the Australian Test side, Hughes made clear his wish to play a full season of county cricket.
With many of England's county cricketers now heading home from their off-season destinations in time for Christmas, we take our monthly look at how they have been performing for their franchises or states so far in the 2011-12 season.
Somerset have tentatively announced that they have secured the services of South African all-rounder Vernon Philander as their overseas player for the first two months of the 2012 season. Philander's availability is dependent on him not being selected to play in the Indian Premier League.
The county season will get underway earlier than ever in 2012, with the traditional Champion County curtain-raiser scheduled to begin on 27th March in Abu Dhabi, and the first of the university fixtures set to kick off on 31st March.
Plus news of the Gloucester festival and Nottinghamshire's trip to Barbados in today's County Cricket Round-Up.
Hamish Marshall has committed himself to Gloucestershire for the next two seasons after signing a new contract with the club.
A round up of all the latest county news.
Former ECB chairman David Morgan handed his long-awaited report on the "business of domestic cricket" to the ECB at its board meeting at Lord's today. Morgan was tasked with conducting an extensive review of the county game earlier this year and has canvassed for opinions widely over the summer.
A look at all of the latest county cricket news in today's County Cricket Round-Up.
All of the latest county cricket news in our latest County Cricket Round-Up.
Seam bowler Ian Saxelby is one of four Gloucestershire players to agree contract extensions with the county. The others are left-arm quick David Payne, opening batsman Ian Cockbain and seamer Liam Norwell.
News from Warwickshire, Kent, Surrey and more in today's County Cricket Round-Up.
Warwickshire have secured the services of New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel as their overseas player for the duration of the 2012 season subject to visa clearance from the Home Office.
A new contract for Mahmood, plus news from Sussex, Yorkshire and Gloucestershire among others in our regular County Cricket Round-Up.
News of contract extensions for Paul Franks, Paul Stirling, plus more in today's County Cricket Round-Up.
We take a look at the latest news from the county scene in today's County Cricket Round-Up.
Kevin O'Brien, the hard-hitting Gloucestershire and Ireland batsman, received the 2011 Walter Lawrence Trophy - supported by Veuve Clicquot - for his 44-ball hundred at the traditional presentation dinner in The Long Room at Lord’s on October 18.
O'Brien, who thumped 9 sixes and 7 fours in his hundred, finishing with 119 off 52 balls, was presented with the Trophy and a cheque for £5,000 from former England and Somerset all-rounder Vic Marks, who was guest speaker for the evening.
News of contracts for Shahid Afridi, David Murphy, Rob Newton and Simon Jones in today's County Cricket Round-Up.
Following the high-profile defection of Joe Denly to Middlesex and Leicestershire's predicted loss of James Taylor to either Nottinghamshire or Warwickshire, we examine whether more needs to be done to reward counties who produce talented young players.
On a tumultuous day of departures for Kent, we round up that and the rest of the day's County Cricket news.
We round up the latest county news from the past couple of days in our regular County Cricket Round-Up feature.
Old Trafford and Trent Bridge will both host Ashes Tests in 2013 having missed out during the 2009 series after the ECB completed allocating major matches for the 2013-2016 period.
Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff were awarded gold packages, The Kia Oval and The Durham Emirates International Cricket Ground silver packages while The Rose Bowl - England's newest Test venue - was given the bronze package.
In spite of the 2011 season being barely finished and far from forgotten, the ECB have announced the draw for the 2012 Clydesdale Bank 40 competition.
The Netherlands, Scotland and Unicorns are allocated to group A, B and C respectively with the rest of the places decided by a free draw.
Stephen Moore takes the award after his final session heroics at Taunton helped Lancashire chase down the 211 they needed to take the title.
His 71 from only 55 balls followed his first innings 68 and was played under extreme pressure as, by that stage, Warwickshire had already shook hands on a draw at The Rose Bowl, meaning that Lancashire's seven-runs-an-over target was all that they needed to take county cricket's ultimate prize.
Lancashire won their first Championship title in 77 years by beating Somerset in the final session at Taunton. Somerset were bowled out for 310 in their second innings, meaning that Lancashire needed just 211 to win, which they knocked off for the loss of only two wickets.
Warwickshire's hopes had ended just after tea on the final day of their match against a relegated Hampshire at The Rose Bowl after they could only take four Royals wickets all day thanks to centuries from Michael Carberry and Neil McKenzie.
