The John Player League Hampshire v Essex
The Championship pennant will fly proudly at Southampton today as last season's champions, Hampshire, entertain Essex who finished, fourth.
BARRY RICHARDS scored 689 runs last season for Hampshire to create a new John Player League record. Essex, equally, have bat-ting in strength as KEITH PONT and GRAHAM GOOCH were both prominent in the six-hitter awards last year.
PETER WALKER introduces the programme which includes news of today's other fixtures:
Kent v Derbyshire
Lancashire v Glamorgan
Leicestershire v Middlesex
Northamptonshire v Worcestershire Nottinghamshire v Surrey Somerset v Yorkshire
Warwickshire v Gloucestershire
Commentators at Southampton JOHN ARLOTT and JIM LAKER
TV presentation BOB DUNCAN , NICK HUNTER