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Smith junior could justify father-chairman's hopes

Neil Smith's promotion within the family enterprise at Edgbaston provides only the 10th instance of officially appointed father-and-son captains in the history of the County Championship.

Son of MJK was born in his father's final season at the helm and now NMK has succeeded Brian Lara, leapfrogging former captain Tim Munton and formalising his temporary position in Munton's injury-doomed campaign in 1997.

So Warwickshire, and not least an impartial parent, who now sits as chairman of the club, know what they are getting.

Smith Jnr is a senior and seasoned cricketer, as well as a successful one-day captain two years ago when 13 wins in 15 games brought an AXA League title and a NatWest Trophy final.

The transition to designated leadership is probably a different matter, especially in the tactical complexity of four-day competition, but the job-sheet is much the same as the one he followed in one-dayers.

Warwickshire have a winning formula - even if it was temporarily mislaid after the whimsical appointment of Lara - and Smith intends to follow a basic principle drawn up by former coach Bob Woolmer of collective input by the players.

There could be a difficult selection decision from the outset. The near-certainty of seaming pitches in April and May would question the need for two spinners unless Smith and Ashley Giles are scoring heavily enough to demand selection as all-rounders. If only one is required, Smith is prepared to be selfless and stand down if necessary, as Dermot Reeve did in 1994.

Warwickshire's attack is adaptable to most conditions. Allan Donald is back for a benefit year split by World Cup commitments with South Africa, and his exceptional pace is another dimension beyond the swing-and-seam contingent of Ed Giddins, Dougie Brown, Tim Munton and Graeme Welch. If Warwickshire can expect to bowl sides out, they may not need a mountain of runs - perhaps just as well.

Irrespective of unresolved batting issues and the peculiar uncertainty about Phil Neale's position as coach beyond this season, Warwickshire should be capable of matching a high level of expectation.

Team Details & First-Class fixtures

Staff: N M K Smith (capt), D R Brown, C E Dagnall, A A Donald, M D Edmond, G D Franklin, T Frost (wkt), E S H Giddins, A F Giles, D L Hemp, N V Knight, T A Munton, B W O'Connell, D P Ostler, T L Penney, K J Piper (wkt), M J Powell, A Richardson, M Sheikh, A Singh, G C Small, M Wagh, G Welch.

New players: C E Dagnall (Cumberland & Great Harwood CC), A A Donald (S Africa), A Richardson (Staffs & Little Stoke CC).

Released: B C Lara (W Indies), A Moles (Free State, S Africa, coach), S Vestergaard (Denmark).

Beneficiary: Allan Donald.

1998 record

Championship: 8th (P17 W6 D3 L8)
AXA League: 2nd (P17 W9 L5 NR3)
NatWest Trophy: Qtr-finals
B & H Cup: Group (P5 W4 L1)

First-class fixtures

April:
Wed 14 Northamptonshire (Edgbaston). Mon 19 Somerset (Edgbaston). Wed 28 Essex (Chelmsford).

May:
Fri 14 Derbyshire (Edgbaston). Wed 19 Worcestershire (Edgbaston). Tues 25 Oxford University (The Parks).

June:
Wed 2 Middlesex (Edgbaston). Wed 9 Lancashire (Southport). Tues 15 Nottinghamshire (Trent Bridge). Wed 30 Kent (Maidstone).

July:
Tues 13 Yorkshire (Edgbaston). 21 Surrey (Edgbaston).

Aug:
Fri 6 Leicestershire (Leicester). Tues 17: Hampshire (Southampton). Tues 24 Glamorgan (Cardiff).

Sept:
Thurs 2 Gloucestershire (Edgbaston). Wed 8 Durham (Riverside). Wed 15 Sussex (Edgbaston).