This series has tried to provide equality through its selection, not only plucking a selection of promising starlets, but also recognising those old hands who could rekindle their prowess of yesteryear.
Furthermore, here we also examine performers who find themselves festering in England’s dumping ground, having to once again prove their credentials in the wilderness of county cricket.
This week the spotlight is on batsmen - those graceful, pensive cricketing creatures that have traditionally been more romanticised than their leather-chucking antagonist in battle.
Of the proven stalwarts, David Sales - Northamptonshire’s prime batsman of the 00s - has returned from a year on the sidelines due to a knee injury. A similar injury forced him to return home when he was picked for the 2000-01 tour to the Caribbean with the England A side.
Many feel he is an unfulfilled talent - the beefy batsman is one of the best county batsmen not to have played for the national side in the modern era.
Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara will hopefully have shaken off their international hangovers during the Indian Premier League.
While Bopara surely has further England outings to come, Shah, conversely, has perhaps played his last stroke on the international arena. This could be a big boost for Middlesex who may have lost the formidably thrilling Eoin Morgan for a sizeable chunk of the future.
Shah may well have found his level, but perhaps he has it in his locker to do a Mark Ramprakash. ‘Ramps’ was of a similar age and analogous Test batting average when England finally lost patience with him, but he went on to become one of the ultimate greats of the county game.
Despite their abundance of natural prowess, both Shah and Ramprakash’s inconsistency at the highest level has stemmed from a brittle mind. However, outside of the bright lights, sell-out crowds and media clamour, Shah has the ability to dominate county cricket.
Of those younger batters who have already gained recognition on the county circuit, James Taylor is a player destined to play for England. His 21 first-class matches have yielded a batting average of 48.88, while his limited overs average is just five runs fewer.
A petite batsman - Shivnarine Chanderpaul-like in physique - his prolific 2009 season earned him the Cricket Writers' Club Young Player of the Year award and he was also named the PCA Young Player of the Year.
This could also be the year that Nick Compton unshackles the tag of tolerable but unimposing county performer. The opener has moved from Middlesex to Somerset in a bid for first-team cricket and he could form a handy partnership with Marcus Trescothick - the crème de la crème of county batsmen - at the top of the order.
The grandson of the legendary Denis, his success to date has chiefly been in the limited overs arena - averaging an impressive 40.13 - but he will hope that his move ignites his fortunes in all forms of the game.
Having shifted from Middlesex to Essex after seeing his game time abridged at Lord’s, this may be the year that Billy Godleman realises his potential.
Having represented England schools at all ages from Under-15s to Under-19s, the fidgety left-handed batsman has had a formidable education and was rewarded a county contract at the tender age of 15.
Outgoing Under-19s coach Mark Robinson recently identified batsman James Vince, who played nine first-class games and averaged 51.40 from six 50-over games for Hampshire in 2009, as a player particularly ready for the rigours of the first-class game.
The 19-year-old is in the reckoning for a prime spot in Hampshire’s emerging top order and many good judges have been whispering about this lad. His classy knocks in the recent Under-19s World Cup suggest he is a man that couples mental and physical dexterity.
Sam Northeast is another opening batsman who follows Kent’s tradition of acquiring fine stroke makers at the pinnacle of their order. Since scoring 19 hundreds in a single school term at Harrow when aged just 13, many have watched his progress with a fervent eye.
Last season, Northeast’s six Under-19s airings yielded three hundreds and he carried his bat against Gloucestershire at Bristol, achieving his inaugural first-class ton.
2010 also looms large for Nottinghamshire’s excitingly destructive young batsman, Alex Hales. With sporting talent is in his genes - his grandfather once took Rod Laver to five sets at Wimbledon - Hales is a tall opening batsman who made firm strides last season.
Hales is developing a burgeoning reputation in one-day cricket. On August 29, he hit the top score in the Pro40 2009 - a magnificent 150 off of just 102 balls for Nottinghamshire against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge. It is quite astonishing that Hales’ assailing nature has only contributed towards a Twenty20 average of 8.16.
While overseas stars like Hashim Amla and Kumar Sangakarra will make fleeting visits to Nottinghamshire and Lancashire respectively, it is the kolpak signing of Neil McKenzie for Hampshire that could be the best piece of business.
McKenzie will link up with the squad in April and, as he is out of the frame as a national player, will be available for the entire season. The South African batsman played in 58 Tests and 64 One Day Internationals for his country and will add experience to an emerging Hampshire batting order.
Next week Sport.co.uk analyses the wicketkeepers who are likely to catch the eye in 2010.