Chris Adams: What I Learned This Week

Championship cricket makes way for Twenty20 for a while and at the midway point I can safely say it has been a tough, demanding first half to the season. In April I thought that it would be tight with no team walking away with it. When the divisional split first happened it always seemed like Surrey's title to lose, but we have been strong for a few years, Lancashire always look threatening, Hampshire under Shane Warne are tough and Kent, with their players, should be up there. Everyone is beating each other and six teams are well placed. At this time last year us and Lancs had six wins in the bag and were well ahead.

I was watching the US Open last weekend and by comparison we are at the end of the second day, we've made the cut and are sitting pretty. It is not about leading, as the media make out, it's about being in touch. The third day is "moving day" when you jostle for position and stay in the hunt - that will be the four games when we start up again - then the final three or four games are when you go for the big prize.

Our match against Yorkshire finished on Monday and going into the final day it was brilliantly poised. However, it turned into a dull day's cricket as they opted for caution and a draw rather than risk losing. They adopted this mentality as soon as they were out for 140 in the first innings. I understand that: in 2003 I did something similar against Surrey. It is said that you can't win the title at this time of year but you can lose it.

Yorkshire got a bit of stick from their support and if Darren Gough had been captaining they would have been more positive. The table is so tight, though, that the team that wins it will be the one prepared to be bold and take a punt on winning when it would be sensible to play for a draw. Last weekend's Hampshire/Durham match is an example. It looked like a draw but Dale Benkenstein and Warne devised a creative declaration and Durham were set 250. Hants bowled them out for 200 in a cracker. I read somewhere prior to that game that an unnamed county player thought that Warne, who took 11 wickets in the match and doubtless read it too, was finished. What a fool.

The Yorkshire match was a big game for me after my decision in the winter to turn down the captaincy. I was prepared for a bit of stick but their supporters were magnificent and I didn't receive one negative comment. I thank them and applaud them for that.

Half-term report

The surprise team in the First Division this season has been Durham who have pulled off some excellent victories. They have lots of bits and pieces players, no prima donnas, just honest pros and a great team spirit. I enjoy playing against them and it's good to see them up the table and at their first Lord's final.

Yorkshire got off to a flyer but I was not surprised as they have a balanced bowling unit and Gough has given them a positive approach. They also have strong batting with Younis Khan and Jacques Rudolph in the middle-order. Adil Rashid, the young spinner, has done well, too.

You need a strong collective to win the title and at Sussex we often get criticised for relying on Mushtaq Ahmed. It's true he is crucial and we build our game around him but without 10 others performing you win nothing.

Murray Goodwin has proved what a class act he is with big runs and the youngster Luke Wright has been solid. He is maturing with bat and ball. He used to be a bit crash, bang, wallop with the willow but now plays proper shots and he understands how and when to vary his bowling. Andrew Hodd has come in for Matt Prior behind the stumps and has taken his chance in style. He is a natural keeper and also plays some lovely, classical shots. Andrew is a different character to Matt and we are delighted that he is fulfilling his potential. It would have been an uncertain time for him at the beginning of the season: when Matt played the first Test he would have had one eye on it, thinking if Matt fails I'm back to the seconds. But he now knows he has the whole summer to live the dream and he is handling it superbly.

My player of the Championship so far would be Mark Ramprakash who is like a machine, churning out runs for fun. But it shows you need more than one man to push for the title as Surrey can't win a game.

Bears blunder over Bell

I was commentating on Warwickshire against Hampshire in the Friends Provident semi-final on Wednesday and was amazed when I heard Ian Bell had been left out. I tried to reason that the other players had got Warwicks so far and they were being loyal but it was a huge game on a massive stage against a great side with Warne and Stuart Clark, who Bell has played well against, in their line-up.

Even if they had won, questions would have been asked. It was a crazy decision and I don't know what Mark Greatbatch, the coach, and captain Darren Maddy were thinking. What does Greatbatch, a Kiwi, really care about English cricket? His priority is Warwicks and himself, and he threw Pete Moores' attempts to work with the counties back in his face. The counties are often fighting to get their England stars released and when they do, they get repaid this way. There may come a time when Warwicks need a player released and what are they going to say then? It was absolute madness.

Going cool on Windies

The Test series became a little farcical at the end as the West Indies, Shivnarine Chanderpaul apart, were a shambles. At Lord's they looked committed but they fell apart because of a lack of leadership. Daren Ganga, their captain, said they were trying to be too cool but you can be cool and good. Look at Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd, the coolest cats in the land, but they knew how to play. The Windies need to harness their unique character traits but need a structure in place.

Twenty20's fun break

In its first season Twenty20 was seen as a bit of fun but how things have changed. Before last night's Essex match in front of a Chelmsford crowd baying for Sussex blood, we had two days of intense training and discussions about how to approach it: bowling options, batting combinations, fielding ideas and the like. It is best to have a clear plan, be positive and enjoy it. We are desperate to win: there is healthy prize money but more than that finals day looks fantastic fun. I've only watched it on television and would dearly love to take Sussex there. There is a buzz about Hove ahead of tomorrow's match against Middlesex as they bring in extra seating and the excitement has been building all week.

Oh for an away game...

It has been a strange week in the Adams house. Georgia has been away on her year-eight school trip to Dorset for a week full of activities to thank them for being such lovely kids! She tried her hand at archery which put the fear of god up me.

Sophie played rounders in a triangular tournament with mixed success: she drew one, lost one and managed half a rounder. While the little one, 10 weeks on Thursday, suddenly found her voice, shattering the house's serene environment and putting sleep at a premium. And there's no away Championship games coming up either!

Great Sledging: No 6 in a series

Continuing the theme of our coach, Mark Robinson, who was a solid No 11 bat and claimed to be able to hold up an end. It was Glenn McGrath's Worcestershire debut against Sussex in 2000 and he was giving it to everyone when he was bowling, including Mark. Mark stored it up and when Glenn came into bat at No 10 he was yorked first ball. Mark shouted to me "Bloody hell Chris, I'd bat at nine in their team!"