CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM OF THE WEEK: Joe Denly hits himself into form but who else makes our county XI?

The Cricketer picks out the top performers at the end of another round of County Championship cricket...

Hasan Azad (Leicestershire): Praised by Mark Cosgrove last week as the most intelligent person in the side, Azad demonstrates similar cleverness when he goes out to bat. "Don't just look at his scores, look at the partnerships he's been involved with - there a lot of big ones” is what Cosgrove said. His 137 and his involvement in setting a new Leicestershire record of 320 for the second wicket was just another example of that.

Chris Dent (Gloucestershire): After two Leicestershire centuries, Gloucestershire were in need of a couple of their own. Dent provided one, the first of this campaign, in a demonstration of some much-needed grit in a 318-run partnership with the much more aggressive Ryan Higgins. A match of high scores, his contribution still drew many admirers.

Neil Dexter (Leicestershire): A career-best 180 off 136 balls, beating his previous high of 163, it was a hugely significant outing for the South African who also passed 8,000 first-class runs in his knock. Leicestershire are struggling near the bottom of Division Two, but innings like that will help matters immeasurably.

Joe Denly (Kent): A first County Championship century of the campaign, and a big one at that, given that he had been in no sort of form whatsoever before his unbeaten 161. A coincidence that he hammers some runs the moment there’s a hint of a call up to the World Cup squad after Jason Roy’s injury? It appears so, but he has at the very least put his best foot forward for Ashes selection.

^{Neil Dexter hit a career-best 180}

Paul Stirling (Middlesex): Ireland will be gleefully rubbing their hands given the form of Paul Stirling ahead of their ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe next month, before the one-off Test against England. The allrounder is in good form, smashing 138 in Middlesex's first innings before being bowled by Ashes outsider Marnus Labuschagne. He then picked up the wickets of Tom Cullen and Marchant de Lange in Glamorgan's initial reply with the ball. A fine outing for the 28-year-old.

Tom Cullen (Glamorgan): One of three Glamorgan players to record a fifty in their only innings of the match, Cullen faced little competition for the wicketkeeper slot this week. Took five catches across both Middlesex innings and the game petered out for a draw. 

Ryan Higgins (Gloucestershire): A third century of the County Championship already this season, he fell just a run short of 200 but managed to smash 25 fours and a six in a barnstorming demonstration of hitting. Based on this evidence will take some displacing in this XI for the remainder of the season.

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Luis Reece (Derbyshire): His achievements would have been overshadowed by the destruction caused by counterparts James Anderson and Graham Onions, Reece recorded his own excellent figures in the game with six Lancashire wickets, including all of the top four in their first innings, for just 58 runs. Sadly for him the batsmen struggled against the Lancashire pace duo. Runs didn't flow for him, opening in one innings and batting in the lower order in the other, but he could be a regular in this XI if he gets it going. 

Simon Harmer (Essex): Jeetan Patel aside it has been a difficult summer for spinners to stand out in the County Championship this season, but Harmer did just that with match figures of 12 for 61 as Essex ran rampant against Hampshire. A third 10-wicket haul for his county, and his fourth in first-class cricket, Essex’s charge to take Hampshire’s place in second is being led by the 30-year-old. 

James Anderson (Lancashire): Liam Livingstone said that Anderson and Graham Onions were unplayable against Derbyshire, but in all honesty England’s all-time highest wicket taker has been for the majority of the season. With overall figures of nine for 47 in this match, it’s going to take something phenomenal to stop him this summer. 

Graham Onions (Lancashire): The best example of his partnership with Anderson, Onions may no longer claim that England international status, but he was equally as destructive as his pace, bowling partner, taking an overall eight for 57. If they can keep him fit, the loss of Anderson to Ashes duties will not feel nearly as significant. 

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