Kia Oval awaits clash of County Championship's two leading teams of past decade

Surrey’s breakthrough triumph in 2018 bisected two successes for their rivals from east of the capital. And Essex maintained that dominance in the Covid-shortened season of 2020 by lifting the Bob Willis Trophy, although Warwickshire intervened when the Championship returned in hybrid form 12 months later,

Rory Burns' team then reigned supreme over the next three seasons only to have their hopes of a fourth successive title dashed last summer. So it’s a fair bet that neither will particularly relish loitering in mid-table at this very early stage of the Division One campaign.