Looking into 2013: Sports quiz

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Share this page print Looking into 2013: Sports quiz If you've already tried our quiz looking back at the year 2012, see if you can do better with this selection of questions looking ahead to the sporting year of 2013.

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Looking ahead to 2013

Where, who, why and when? Look ahead to the sporting year 2013...

1.) European dreams

Wembley will host the Uefa Champions League final in 2013, as it did in 2011. But which was the last British stadium before Wembley to host the event?

Hampden Park
Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
Old Trafford
Villa Park

2.) Where's the Cup?

In which country will the Africa Cup of Nations kick off in January?

Egypt
Morocco
Nigeria
South Africa

3.) The car in front is a...

Who will replace Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2013, when the British driver moves to Mercedes?

Max Chilton
Nico Hulkenberg
Pastor Maldonado
Sergio Perez

4.) Ashes fever

Which of these grounds will not stage an Ashes Test in 2013?

Edgbaston
Old Trafford
The Oval
Trent Bridge

5.) Fore!

Where will 2013's Open Championship be played?

Muirfield
Royal Birkdale
Royal Troon
St Andrews (Old Course)

6.) The big kick-off

Who will Wales entertain in the opening game of 2013's Six Nations?

England
France
Ireland
Scotland

7.) Bronco derby

Which Football League club will stage one of London Broncos' home Super League games in 2013?

Brentford
Charlton Athletic
Dagenham & Redbridge
Gillingham

8.) Vive la France

London has already been announced as the host city for the Paralympic Athletics World Championships in 2017, but in which French city will 2013's event be held?

Lyon
Marseille
Nantes
Nice

9.) Tour de... where?

While the 2014 Tour de France will start in Yorkshire, where will the 2013 event visit for the first time?

Andorra
Corsica
Luxembourg
Sardinia

10.) Up for the Cup

Against which team will Great Britain begin their 2013 Davis Cup campaign in April?

Russia
Slovakia
Sweden
Ukraine

11.) Touching down at Wembley

Which NFL team have signed to play a regular season game at Wembley for the next four years, starting in 2013?

Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans

12.) Off, off, off

The weather has threatened a number of sporting fixtures over the New Year, but why was Leyton Orient's match against Hartlepool in August called off?

A burst water main left the pitch flooded
An electricity substation fire left the stadium without power
Hartlepool's team coach was stuck on the M11 for several hours
The referee failed to arrive as he thought it was an evening kick-off

Answers

Old Trafford hosted in 2003, Hampden Park in 2002, while neither of the others have yet hosted it.South Africa hosts the event for the first time since 1996.Perez moves to McLaren after spending two seasons with Sauber.Edgbaston does not host a Test in 2013's Ashes, with the five Tests at Trent Bridge, Lord's, Old Trafford, Chester-le-Street and The Oval.Muirfield will stage the Open for the first time since Ernie Els won there in 2002.Ireland visit Cardiff on 2 February, with England v Scotland later that afternoon and Italy v France the following day.Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium will host the Broncos' "home" game against Warrington in June, after nearly 4,000 watched them play Hull there last season.Lyon will be the first French hosts since Lille in 2002.Corsica is currently the only French metropolitan department not to have hosted a stage of the Tour, but that will change for the 100th event in 2013.Russia will be the opposition, with the other three sides also in Europe/Africa Zone Group One with GB.The Jaguars' first "home" game at Wembley will be against San Francisco 49ers on 27 October 2013.An accident on the M11 left the visitors' coach stranded and forced the referee to postpone the game.

Your Score

0 - 4 : Summer pudding

5 - 8 : Hope springs eternal

9 - 12 : Winter warmer

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Stewart's six to watch in 2013

With back-to-back Ashes series on the calendar - and no major summer football tournament - cricket looks certain to enjoy a higher profile than ever this year.

England's players will be in the spotlight as they look to nail down Ashes places, while those on the fringes will be eager to force themselves into the international reckoning.

With this in mind, I've picked out six players to watch in 2013. Two of them are finding their feet in the England set-up, three are emerging talents with a big future ahead of them and one is an Australian who could become very familiar to English audiences as the year unfolds.

Age: 22. First-class matches: 37 (batting average: 39.03)

Root made a very good start to his international career with a vital half century against India in the final Test in Nagpur. As a debut, it reminded me very much of those of Graham Thorpe and Marcus Trescothick, in that he looked completely at home in the Test environment from ball one.

I expect Root to play for England in the New Zealand Test series and to go from strength to strength. He has an opportunity over the course of home and away series against the Black Caps to cement himself in the top six for the Ashes, and from what I've seen I fully expect him to take that chance.

Age: 23. First-class matches: 43 (bowling average: 27.75)

I've been aware of Stuart's ability and potential since he was a 14-year-old and I've seen him develop at close quarters at Surrey over recent years.

He is possibly the quickest bowler in the country and reminds me very much of Darren Gough in the way that he makes up for his lack of height by skidding the ball through at pace. He can swing the new ball away and get the old one to reverse swing and with this destructive style of bowling, he has the ability to take wickets on any surface.

Meaker has had a taste of one-day and Twenty20 international cricket but I expect him to really make his mark in the Test arena. The England attack is a pretty settled unit so he may have to bide his time, but you won't come across a harder working and more dedicated individual than Meaker.

Age: 19. First-class matches: 9 (batting average: 51.41)

Thakor is very new to first-class cricket but is already on the selectors' radar having been named captain of England Under-19s for their upcoming tour of South Africa.

I first saw him bat in the indoor nets at Leicester three years ago and even at the age of 16, he looked a really good prospect. I was struck by the concentration he put into his practice and his willingness to work hard and learn.

Your second year in county cricket is always the hardest year because you have been seen by other counties who will target your weaknesses, but if he progresses at the right rate, I see no reason why he can't break into the England team in the coming years.

Age: 19. First-class matches: 5 (batting average: 23.80)

Foakes is a wicketkeeper-batsman but his batting is his strongest suit and it wouldn't surprise me if he breaks into the Essex side as a batsman this year and really kicks on.

Unlike Thakor, his batting average is nothing to write home about, but the reports I am hearing from Graham Gooch and other respected voices at Essex are very positive indeed.

England currently boast the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world in Matt Prior, and plenty of talented keepers such as Craig Kieswetter, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler in and around the squad. But when Prior does call it a day, I believe Foakes could be the one to inherit the Test gloves. I'm aware of what a big shout that is, but he is certainly a player worth watching.

It is vital he works at both his batting and glovework in equal amounts as having two strings to your bow is a huge advantage.

Age: 19. First-class matches: 6 (batting average: 27.00)

The Kent batsman is another player whose statistics don't tell the whole story. I have seen him practise and watched him play a couple of times on television, and have been impressed by his ability to play off the front and back foot.

Bell-Drummond is someone who needs to play to develop, and with Kent being a relatively young side he should get ample opportunity in the first team.

He should spend plenty of time with Rob Key and try to learn from his passion, knowledge and experience of the game.

Age: 22. First-class matches: 20 (bowling average: 22.98)

If Pattinson can stay fit he is a serious quick bowler who Australia will want firing on all cylinders if they are to regain the Ashes at some stage in the coming 12 months.

He reminds me of Brett Lee with his ability to bowl in excess of 90mph and is able to swing the ball away from the right-handed batsmen.

In only seven Tests, he has taken 31 wickets and will be keen to add to that tally when he takes on England in what will be his first Ashes series. He is certainly a player of whom Alastair Cook and his team need to be aware.

I first came across Christopher Martin-Jenkins during my playing days but got to know him even better at the end of my career through my work in the Test Match Special commentary box and on the MCC Cricket Committee.

TMS commentator Christopher Martin-Jenkins has died of cancer at the age of 67

He had an obvious love for the game of cricket and his opinions - whether you agreed with them or not - were always well thought through.

Despite not having played the game at the highest level, he was a journalist who was always well-respected in the England dressing-room and one whose articles I would read on a regular basis.

Working alongside him in the commentary box was always good fun, thanks to some of his well-documented eccentricities.

He had a wonderful voice and a lovely smile, which would appear on his face whenever he reminded me of the number of times his son Robin managed to get me out.

CMJ was a great man and will be sorely missed by everyone in the game.

Alec Stewart was speaking to BBC Sport's Sam Sheringham. Statistics correct as of 2 January 2013.

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Alec Stewart's review of the year

With 2012 drawing to a close, we have the opportunity to reflect on the year.

The last 12 months have seen England top the world rankings in all three forms of the game, some dominant Test cricket from South Africa and the re-emergence of West Indies.

Here is my review of the year.

Cook took over the England Test captaincy following the retirement of Andrew Strauss

It's been a strange 12 months for the England Test team. The disappointments of the series defeats by Pakistan and South Africa were almost as unexpected as the brilliant win in India.

The contrast of the performances in the UAE at the start of the year and India at the end shows that England have a huge appetite for learning, improving and, most importantly, winning. That will stand them in good stead for the challenges of 2013 and beyond when I expect them to sparkle at the very top of the tree in world cricket.

However, as I said last week, England are not the finished article yet and I meant that as a compliment, because they have the potential to improve even more in all conditions. Andy Flower and Alastair Cook will recognise that and certainly won't be allowing anyone to just sit back and wallow in the success of India.

With India still fresh in our minds, Cook has been England's star man this year. He had huge shoes to fill when he took over as captain following Andrew Strauss's retirement , but he has got off to the best possible start both in terms of the runs he has scored and the way he has led the side.

England are very fortunate to have another skipper that leads from the front in every single way both on and off the field and has the respect of the dressing room.

We had seen glimpses of what type of Test captain Cook might be with his leadership of the one-day side, where he again was highly impressive at the top of the order.

1. England

2. South Africa

3. India

4. Australia

5. Sri Lanka

6. Pakistan

7. West Indies

8. Bangladesh

9. New Zealand

10. Zimbabwe

11. Ireland

12. Netherlands

13. Kenya

Correct as of 24 December

Under Cook, the England one-day side is developing nicely. They have strength in depth and every man who is selected to play in the XI now understands his responsibilities and role within the team.

Also, with the Kevin Pietersen saga now firmly behind them, England will welcome his touch of genius back for the games against India in the new year.

That is bound to be a tough series, but who would be brave enough to suggest England will not compete strongly after what they achieved in the Test matches and the thrilling last-ball win in the second Twenty20 on Saturday?

Win or lose in India I expect England to be among the main contenders for the 2015 World Cup, when conditions in Australia will suit their style of play.

Speaking of World Cups, the World T20 title is one that England surrendered in rather tame fashion in Sri Lanka with performances they will not be proud of.

On the subject of Twenty20 cricket, one of the abiding memories of 2012 will be West Indies dancing the Gangnam to celebrate their triumph at the World T20.

To me, their success in Sri Lanka summed up what West Indian cricket is all about; the likes of Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Kieron Pollard hitting the ball miles, entertaining the crowd and playing with smiles on their faces.

As much as I was hoping for an England win, it was good for world cricket and credit must go to the West Indies for lifting the trophy after a period of rebuilding and restructuring in the Caribbean.

The challenge for the Windies is now to build on the success in Sri Lanka and once again become a top side in all forms of the game.

South Africa went top of the world Test rankings with a 2-0 series win in England

The other big international winners of 2012 were South Africa, who deservedly end the year on top of the world Test rankings.

The well used statement of "to be the best, you've got to beat the best" is exactly what South Africa did when they came to England to battle for the right to be called the number one side in the world.

Huge credit must go to captain Graeme Smith and his men for what they have achieved.

Jacques Kallis is one of the greats of the game, Hashim Amla is a wonderful batsman and the pace attack of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander is one of the most potent in recent times.

The Proteas now have the challenge of remaining world number one because they will be fully aware both England and Australia will be chasing hard in 2013.

Strauss and Ponting - captains during the last Ashes series - both retired from international cricket in 2012

This year saw three champions of the international game - Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting and Andrew Strauss - call time on their careers.

Dravid is an icon of the game. He's a class human being, a class player and will be sorely missed. The biggest tribute I can pay to him is that given the chance I would always want him in my team.

As for Ponting, I'd put him second only to Sir Donald Bradman on a list of Australia batsmen and another legend of the game. A tough but fair opponent, he was a fantastic batsman and with a fine record as a captain which should not be overlooked.

Much like Ponting did for Australia, Strauss did so much for English cricket during his time as captain. To win the Ashes home and away and take England to number one in the world speaks volumes for the individual. He has played a huge part in turning England into one of the toughest and most successful teams in the world and I wish him well in retirement. He still has a lot to offer and I'm sure he won't be lost to the game.

Warwickshire's Keith Barker and Chris Wright celebrate winning the County Championship

The domestic season was decimated by the shocking weather, but I have to say it is in good shape. The recent performances of Nick Compton and Joe Root on their first England tour prove that as a breeding ground to the international scene it is doing a good job.

Ashley Giles has been rewarded for the brilliant coaching work he has done with county champions Warwickshire with promotion to the England limited-overs job, with which I wish him luck.

Perhaps the lingering memory of the 2012 domestic season will be at Lord's, where Hampshire beat Warwickshire off the last ball of the CB40 final to add to the T20 crown they won earlier in the year.

County cricket is getting stronger, particularly in Division One of the County Championship, and I expect the improvements to continue.

It would be wrong to make any reflections of 2012 without pausing to remember Tom Maynard.

The cricketing world has lost a very fine young player but, more tragically, a young man lost his life.

Tom's death hit Surrey and the cricketing world very hard, but that is nothing compared to the grief of the Maynard family.

Michael Clarke has hit three double centuries and one triple century in Test cricket this year

From an England point of view, so much of 2013 is going to be about the Ashes. Before we get there, we have the ODIs in India, back-to-back series against New Zealand and the Champions Trophy. Then comes the back-to-back Ashes series, which hasn't happened since the 1970s.

Australia have suffered at the hands of England in the last two series, but they are an emerging side under the leadership of Michael Clarke, who, just like Cook, has used the captaincy to take his batting on to another level.

I'm expecting England to win at home, with a tougher battle in Australia.

When we reflect again in 12 months' time, I want to be saying that England are still holders of the Ashes and are the number one side in the world.

It just leaves me to wish you all a very merry Christmas.

Alec Stewart was speaking to BBC Sport's Stephan Shemilt

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Tributes pour in after Tendulkar's one-day retirement

By Vikas Pandey BBC Monitoring Sachin Tendulkar, India's very own "god of cricket" will never again answer fans' prayers for runs in one-day internationals after deciding to retire from the format he served for more than two decades.

And his decision has sparked an outpouring of tributes from his team-mates, cricket pundits, and millions of fans who believe watching the game will never be the same without the master batsman.

The record-breaking cricketer will continue to play in Test matches, but this has not provided any consolation to his fans.

Tendulkar was part of a formidable batting line-up, alongside Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, that combined to earn India many memorable wins in Tests and one-day internationals.

Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman were the backbone of the India batting line-up for years

And the three champions from form the quartet were first to pay their tributes to Sachin's illustrious one-day career.

Former skipper Ganguly felt that there was "still hope" that he will continue, but the decision eventually came as a "big blow".

"His greatness did not lie in being a terrific talent, but the way he used his talent to attain enormous heights. He is too precious and too good," the former captain wrote in his Hindustan Times newspaper column. 

He added that playing alongside Tendulkar "was an honour" and his longevity has been "beyond imagination".

Also writing in the Hindustan Times, Laxman said the master batsman always put his team ahead of personal laurels and this quality earned him respect from his team-mates and fans all over the world.

And fellow ex-captain Dravid admired the ability of the 'Little Master' to give his absolute best in any conditions and against any team.

Many fans, including former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, say they will never forget Tendulkar's elegant straight drives, his artistic stroke play and those thunderous sixes.

Tendulkar and Inzamam

Inzamam said a "chapter in cricket's history has come to an end" but rather poetically he added that the "book is still to be finished", referring to Tendulkar's decision to continue in Test cricket.

The champion batsman's ability to read the 50-over format of the game won many matches for India, but it was the mix of his artistic style and aggression that amazed cricket fans during his glorious 23 years in one-day internationals.

He could play an elegant cover drive and then go for a towering six the very next ball. This made him a class apart among his contemporaries.

Cricket pundit Pradeep Magazine said his "masterly control and "intuitive innovations" made him play knocks "out of bounds for mere mortals".

The Hindu's Vijay Lokapally wrote that Sachin believed in adapting to different tasks, and it came "naturally to him".

Tendulkar has been often compared with Australian legend Don Bradman, and West Indies batting star Brian Lara among his contemporaries, but very few can match the kind of respect he commands among his fans round the world.

Tendulkar's India overcame Shane Warne's Australia in Sharjah in 1998

His innings of 143 against Australia in Sharjah in 1998  has remained etched in the memory of millions of fans. The match had every emotion one associates with sports.

After a sandstorm disrupted play, India faed a revised target of 237 in 46 overs to qualify for the final. The middle order collapsed, leaving Tendulkar alone to take the team home. The heat was unbearable but a determined Tendulkar took the adverse conditions in his stride and saw the team home by smashing five sixes and nine fours.

Laxman, who was at the non-striker's end, said "the strokes he played were exemplary. Good ball or bad, it simply had to go to the ropes".

Tendulkar repeated his heroics in the final to help India win that one-day tournament in Sharjah and his innings earned "the sandstorm" nickname.

And 12 years later in February 2010, he became the first batsman to score a one-day interntaional double century, against a well-balanced South African attack.

The social networking website has been abuzz with tributes to Tendulkar since the news broke on Sunday as celebrities, cricketers and fans joined hands to pay their tributes.

Yuvraj Singh (right) was the player of the tournament at the 2011 World Cup

India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh  tweeted: "Emotional time! Letting Sachin go from one dayers. 18 thousand plus runs. Your jaw drops when you see those records, master you will always live."

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma  showed his admiration: "You'll be missed a lot. Thanks a lot for whatever you have given to Indian cricket."

"In Test cricket, Sachin may have had serious rivals in Lara, Ponting, Kallis for being the best batsman. But in ODIs, he was peerless," cricket analyst Ayaz Memon  wrote.

And broadcaster Harsha Bhogle  seemed to agree with Menon: "Tried thinking of my favourite Sachin ODI moment. So many. Gave up. He's left behind a mountain no one can scale."

BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. For more reports from BBC Monitoring, click here. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter  and Facebook  .

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Sachin Tendulkar's career in pictures

23 December 2012 Last updated at 09:40 GMT

Use your left and right arrow keys to select images

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County ins & outs

Stay up-to-date with the latest player releases, signings and speculation from all the counties.

Counties are allowed to field two overseas players in Twenty20 games, with up to four registered for that competition - although only two can be registered at any one time, and registrations must be for a minimum of 10 days.

Only one overseas player is permitted in the County Championship and Clydesdale Bank 40 league.

KPK: Kolpak contractREL: releasedRET: retiredYTH: from youth teamsEUP: European Union passportUKP: Recently-obtained UK passport. Also shows, where relevant, players' previous counties

Kolpak contracts are signed by foreign players, using a loophole in European Union law to avoid counting against the quota of one overseas player per club.

Players who moved counties during the 2012 season are included on the 2012 list. Have we missed anyone? Please let us know.

Overseas player 2012: Martin Guptill (New Zealand); Usman Khawaja (Australia); Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (Pakistan, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: TBC

Ins: Richard Johnson (Warwickshire), Billy Godleman (Essex), Jonathan Marsden (YTH)

Outs: Garry Park (REL), Matt Lineker (REL), Hamza Siddique (REL)

Other news: Mark Turner, Ross Whiteley, Tony Palladino, Jonathan Clare, Wes Durston, Tom Poynton, Dan Redfern, Wayne Madsen, Peter Burgoyne, Alex Hughes, Alasdair Evans, Ben Slater and Matt Higginbotham have signed new contracts.

Overseas player 2012: Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa, for Twenty20); Johann Myburgh (South Africa, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: TBC

Ins: none

Outs: Michael Di Venuto (RET), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire)

Other news: Michael Richardson, Keaton Jennings, Jamie Harrison and Callum Thorp have signed new deals. Chief executive David Harker will step down in May.

Overseas player 2012: Alviro Petersen (South Africa); James Franklin (New Zealand, for Twenty20); Harbhajan Singh (India)

Overseas player 2013: TBC

Ins: Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire)

Outs: Billy Godleman (Derbyshire), Michael Comber (REL), Charl Willoughby (RET)

Possible signings: Coach Paul Grayson said before signing Mahmood that he wanted to sign an overseas batsman and a bowler.

Other news: Ravi Bopara, Graham Napier, Mark Pettini, Maurice Chambers, Jaik Mickleburgh, Tom Westley, Tymal Mills and Ben Foakes have signed new contracts.

Overseas player 2012: Moises Henriques (Australia); Marcus North (Australia); Shaun Marsh (Australia, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: Marcus North (Australia)

Ins: Michael Hogan (UKP), Murray Goodwin (Sussex)

Outs: Robert Croft (RET), James Harris (Middlesex), Chris Ashling (REL), Aneurin Norman (REL), Mike O'Shea (REL)

Other news: The county are dropping their "Welsh Dragons" limited-overs name from 2013, when they will be known simply as Glamorgan. Marcus North becomes one-day captain, with Mark Wallace remaining in charge of the Championship side. Chris Cooke, Mike Reed, Huw Waters, John Glover, Andrew Salter, David Lloyd, Stewart Walters and Ben Wright have signed contract extensions.

Overseas player 2012: Kane Williamson (New Zealand); Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka, for Twenty20); Ed Cowan (Australia); Rob Nicol (New Zealand)

Overseas player 2013: Michael Klinger (Australia)

Ins: Gareth Roderick (YTH), Cameron Herring (YTH)

Outs: David Wade (REL), Jonathan Batty (RET)

Other news: Alex Gidman has decided to stand down as captain - and will be replaced by overseas signing Klinger. Craig Miles and Jack Taylor have signed new deals. Stuart Barnes has left the coaching staff to join Surrey.

Overseas player 2012: Simon Katich (Australia); Glenn Maxwell (Australia, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: George Bailey (Australia, until late August); Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan, from late August)

Ins: Michael Roberts (Unicorns), Jack Sheppard (YTH)

Outs: Kabir Ali (Lancashire), Simon Katich (Lancashire), Bilal Shafayat (REL)

Other news: Michael Bates, Hamza Riazuddin, Jimmy Adams, Liam Dawson, Chris Wood, James Tomlinson and assistant coach Craig White have signed new contracts, as has Kolpak signing Neil McKenzie who will be available from June.

Overseas player 2012: Brendan Nash (West Indies)

Overseas player 2013: Brendan Nash (West Indies)

Ins: none

Outs: Simon Cook (REL)

Other news: Rob Key has stepped down as captain, with James Tredwell replacing him for 2013. Tredwell, Geraint Jones, Darren Stevens, Mark Davies, Ben Harmison, Brendan Nash, Sam Northeast, Sam Billings, Fabian Cowdrey, Ben Kemp, Ivan Thomas and Ashley Shaw have signed new deals.

Overseas player 2012: Ashwell Prince (South Africa); Yasir Arafat (Pakistan, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: Simon Katich (Australia)

Ins: Kabir Ali (Hampshire), Alex Davies (YTH), Gavin Griffiths (YTH), Luis Reece (YTH), Arron Lilley (YTH), Simon Katich (Hampshire)

Outs: Naqaash Tahir (REL), Sajid Mahmood (Essex), Gary Keedy (Surrey)

Other news: Coach Peter Moores has signed a contract through to the end of the 2014 season. Seamer James Anderson, centrally contracted by England, has signed a new two-year deal at Old Trafford.

Overseas player: Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies); Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies)

Ins: Tom Wells (YTH), Robbie Williams (Middlesex), Niall O'Brien (Northants)

Outs: Will Jefferson (RET), Paul Dixey (RET), Jacques du Toit (REL), Nadeem Malik (REL), Robbie Joseph (REL), Will Jones (REL)

Other news: Ramnaresh Sarwan has replaced Matthew Hoggard as County Championship captain, with vice-captain Josh Cobb continuing to lead the one-day side. Shiv Thakor, Michael Thornely, Rob Taylor, James Sykes, Angus Robson, Ollie Freckingham and Matthew Boyce have all signed new deals.

Overseas player 2012: Chris Rogers (Australia)

Overseas player 2013: Chris Rogers (Australia)

Ins: Nick Gubbins (YTH), James Harris (Glamorgan)

Outs: Andrew Strauss (RET), Scott Newman (REL), Anthony Ireland (REL), Robbie Williams (Leicestershire), Tom Scollay (REL), Steven Crook (Northants)

Other news: Rogers will continue as Championship captain in 2013, with club captain Neil Dexter skippering in limited-overs cricket. Mark Ramprakash has replaced Mark O'Neill as batting coach. Paul Stirling, Joe Denly, Tom Smith, Ravi Patel, Toby Roland-Jones, Corey Collymore, Josh Davey, Ollie Wilkin, Adam London and Eoin Morgan have signed new deals.

Overseas player 2012: Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka); Cameron White (Australia, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: TBC

Ins: Matt Spriegel (Surrey), Steven Crook (Middlesex), Ben Duckett (YTH)

Outs: Ben Howegego (REL), Rob White (REL), Dave Burton (REL), Jack Brooks (Yorkshire), Chaminda Vaas (REL), Niall O'Brien (Leicestershire)

Possible signings: Northants are in talks with the overseas pair of South Africa's Rory Kleinveldt and Australia's John Hastings, but discussions with fellow Aussie bowler Trent Copeland have broken down.

Other news: Stephen Peters replaces Andrew Hall as County Championship captain for 2013, with vice-captain Alex Wakely leading the side in limited-overs cricket. James Middlebrook and Luke Evans have signed new deals.

Overseas player 2012: Adam Voges (Australia)

Overseas player 2013: Ed Cowan (Australia, start of season until 21 June)

Ins: Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire)

Outs: Karl Turner (REL), Scott Elstone (REL), Neil Edwards (REL)

Possible departures: Australia-raised seamer Darren Pattinson has agreed to play as a domestic player in Australia this winter, which will prevent him playing for Notts as an Englishman - but he may return to Trent Bridge as an overseas player for Twenty20 cricket.

Other news: Andy Carter, Samit Patel, Ben Phillips, Steven Mullaney, Graeme White and Jake Ball have signed new contracts.

Overseas player 2012: Vernon Philander (South Africa); Albie Morkel (South Africa, for Twenty20); Richard Levi (South Africa, for Twenty20); Abdur Rehman (Pakistan)

Overseas player 2013: Alviro Petersen (South Africa, start of season until Twenty20 competition begins), Abdur Rehman (Pakistan, latter part of season)

Ins: none

Outs: Kevin O'Brien (REL, had been on contract for Twenty20), Steve Snell (REL)

Other news: Dave Nosworthy has replaced Brian Rose as director of cricket while George Dockrell, Craig Meschede, Alfonso Thomas, Max Waller and Peter Trego have agreed new contracts.

Overseas player 2012: Jacques Rudolph (South Africa); Murali Kartik (India); Dirk Nannes (Australia, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: Graeme Smith (South Africa)

Ins: Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire), Gary Keedy (Lancashire)

Outs: Mark Ramprakash (RET, has become Middlesex batting coach), Matt Spriegel (Northants), Tom Lancefield (REL), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Rory Hamilton-Brown (Sussex)

Other news: Smith will captain Surrey, and has signed a three-year deal. Fast bowling coach Stuart Barnes has joined from Gloucestershire, replacing Martin Bicknell who becomes chief scout. Chris Tremlett, Gareth Batty, Rory Burns, Zafar Ansari, Tom Jewell, Arun Harinath, Gary Wilson and Matthew Dunn have signed new deals.

Overseas player 2012: Steve Magoffin (Australia); Scott Styris (New Zealand, for Twenty20); Rusty Theron (South Africa, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: Steve Magoffin (Australia); Scott Styris (New Zealand, for Twenty20)

Ins: Rory Hamilton-Brown (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Surrey)

Outs: Murray Goodwin (Glamorgan), Andrew Hodd (Yorkshire), Naved Arif (REL), Will Adkin (REL)

Other news: Ed Joyce has been confirmed as captain for 2013 after stepping up to replace Michael Yardy mid-season in 2012, with Chris Nash becoming vice-captain. Zac Toumazi replaces Dave Brooks as chief executive Dave Brooks on 1 January. Nash, Will Beer, Ben Brown and Kirk Wernars have signed new contracts.

Overseas player 2012: Jeetan Patel (New Zealand)

Overseas player 2013: Jeetan Patel (New Zealand)

Ins: none

Outs: Richard Johnson (Derbyshire), Neil Carter (REL), Andy Miller (REL)

Other news: Laurie Evans, Steffan Piolet, Tom Milnes, Ian Westwood, Tim Ambrose and Ateeq Javid have signed new contracts.

Overseas player 2012: Michael Klinger (Australia); Philip Hughes (Australia)

Overseas player 2013: TBC; Hughes has been in preliminary talks about a return to Worcs

Ins: Graeme Cessford (Royal Air Force), Michael Johnson (UKP, Western Australia, ex-Kent 2nd XI)

Outs: James Cameron (RET), Vikram Solanki (Surrey), Jack Manuel (REL), Ben Scott (RET)

Other news: Worcestershire are waiting to see whether Shaaiq Choudhry will accept the offer of a new contract, but Chris Russell, Brett D'Oliveira, Matt Pardoe and Neil Pinner have all signed new deals.

Overseas player 2012: Mitchell Starc (Australia); David Miller (South Africa, for Twenty20)

Overseas player 2013: TBC

Ins: Andrew Hodd (Sussex), Jack Brooks (Northants), Liam Plunkett (Durham)

Outs: Gerard Brophy (REL), Ajmal Shahzad (Nottinghamshire)

Possible departures: Director of cricket Martyn Moxon admits former skipper Anthony McGrath is unsettled and may leave the county.

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'Generous, thoughtful and scatty'

"Has anyone seen CMJ?" That is probably the most familiar phrase that I have uttered in my five years as Test Match Special producer.

The eccentric time-keeping of Christopher Martin-Jenkins led to one of his nicknames in the TMS commentary box to be "the late CMJ". It is heart-breaking that he will now always be so, having died on New Year's Day at the age of 67 from cancer.

His punctuality may have tested the patience of a radio producer but his visits to the microphone were always worth the wait.

CMJ was a master wordsmith. He always had the knack of producing the perfect phrase for any significant moment, but perhaps even more impressively he had the ability to lift the mundane.

A ball outside the off stump was "across the bows". A drive through the covers for one was "stroked crisply". CMJ would never settle for using lazy language.

Growing up, CMJ was simply the sound of summer. I became obsessed with cricket in 1981 when you were able to enjoy CMJ on both BBC TV and on Test Match Special.

I recall when Ian Botham came to the crease in the second innings at Headingley, CMJ stating "what a triumph it would be if he was still batting at 6 o'clock this evening". Of course Botham was still batting next morning as England went on to secure a famous 18-run win over Australia.

Over the years I sought out examples of his work in the BBC archives. His excitable description of Geoff Boycott scoring his hundredth century, also at Headingley, and the winning of the Ashes in 1977 to name but two. What set CMJ apart as a commentator was the combination of great authority with a lightness of touch and a seemingly inexhaustible vocabulary.

He was a similar age to my father and there was always something comforting about having a hotel breakfast with CMJ and his wonderfully warm wife Judy when she was travelling with him too.

As a broadcaster and cricket writer he was incredibly generous towards young and aspiring journalists.

He never swore, except at cancer. He would often be at the back of the commentary box poring over his laptop before letting rip with a sudden burst of profanities such as "fiddlesticks" or "fishcakes."

It usually meant his carefully honed close-of-play piece had somehow, inexplicably, been entirely deleted. A click of the undo button usually helped.

Technology was one of two things CMJ never got to grips with, and it provided us and other colleagues with hours of mirth.

He once famously attempted to punch a number into a mobile phone, before it was helpfully pointed out that he was in fact holding the remote control of his hotel room's TV.

All those who have known him and worked with him will feel privileged. Thoughts and prayers go out to his loving family. He'll be greatly missed.

He was a man who embraced the modern game, but also became the guardian of all that is good in the traditions of cricket. He remains the only journalist to be asked to deliver the prestigious MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture,  reflecting how important he held that spirit to be.

It was a huge privilege to work with him on Test Match Special. CMJ was one of life's great gentlemen who always made a tremendous effort to get to know new members of the team.

My first series as part of the TMS team was the 2002-03 Ashes and I arrived in Melbourne on Christmas Eve not knowing anyone. CMJ took me under his wing and I remember the fun we had trying to answer Harry Potter questions at the Christmas Day media quiz.

Things were always more interesting at social events he had organised. In Guyana in 2007, CMJ offered to take the younger members of the BBC cricket team on a night out during the World Cup. Sadly, he'd given the selected restaurant the wrong date and the evening became a three-hour trawl around the lesser known hostelries of Georgetown.

His phobia of technology is well celebrated - trying to make a telephone call with a TV remote control and all that.

I will never forget on the first morning of the 2009 Ashes Test CMJ decided to buy a new laptop on the way to the ground in Cardiff. On the busiest day of the summer he then proceeded to engage who he could at the ground to try and help him make this new device work.

He was also unbelievably forgetful. During a Lord's Test he asked me if I could leave him off the rota before lunch as he had been invited to the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman's box.

I duly did so, only to be surprised to see him queueing for food in the media centre later. "Wasn't the lunch any good in the box?" I asked him. "What box?" he said.

"The chairman's box," I replied. CMJ then let out a stream of his famous "non-swear words" and ran to the other side of the ground.

If there is one moment that I will think of most fondly about CMJ it will be when he got the fit of the giggles at Lord's four years ago. It started as an innocent spell of commentary on a match against New Zealand: "Broad's in, he bowls, this time Vettori lets it go outside the off stump, good length, inviting him to fish," he said.

However, the giggles came only seconds later as he went on to describe Vettori's response: "But Vettori stays on the bank... and keeps his rod down, so to speak."

At that point, sniggers could be heard in the commentary box from myself and others as CMJ tried in vain to regain his composure.

"I don't know if he is a fisherman, is he?" he said as his voice got higher, struggling to stifle his laughter.

CMJ will be remembered as quite simply one of the legendary characters of cricket broadcasting, someone impossible to replace in the Test Match Special commentary box.

His time-keeping may have rendered the TMS daily rota merely a basis for negotiation but I dearly wish he was still around. Next summer I am sure to call out "where is CMJ?" before remembering with sadness he won't be there.

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