Chelmsford is braced for the return of cricket as the 2022 fixtures are released, starting with a visit from local rivals Kent on 07 April.
You can view the fixtures now by clicking here, or you can download them straight to your mobile phone and digital device calendar via eCal, by clicking here.
The LV= Insurance County Championship is reverting to a two-division format in 2022 with Essex once again competing for the Division One title. The season gets off to a tantalising start with a home fixture against Kent (07 April) followed by away visits to adopted rivals Somerset (14 April) and current County Champions Warwickshire (21 April).
The first six rounds of LV= Insurance County Championship cricket played throughout April and May, will be played Thursday through Sunday meaning there will be plenty of chances to attend the cricket on a weekend. Following Kent, Essex continue their pursuit of the Division One title with home fixtures Northamptonshire (28 April) and Yorkshire (05 May).
In a change to previous schedules, Essex will now play four rounds of red-ball cricket in the height of summer, between June and July, three of which will be played at The Cloud County Ground. There will be a re-run of the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy Final as Essex host Somerset (25 July) in their first game played during the school summer holidays.
In a mirror of their opening LV= Insurance County Championship fixture, Essex Eagles’ Vitality Blast campaign gets underway at Canterbury (27 May) in The Battle of the Bridge. The first home fixture of the Vitality Blast sees the Eagles taken on Hampshire Hawks under the floodlights on Tuesday 31 May.
Chelmsford will be bouncing as Friday night T20 cricket returns to the County in June. The Cloud County Ground will host fixtures against Middlesex (10 June), Sussex Sharks (17 June) and Surrey (24 June) on three successive Fridays. The Eagles will look to capitalise on their home advantage at the end of the Vitality Blast campaign – five of their last seven games are to be played in front of a home crowd.
After going close in the 2021 Royal London Cup, Tom Westley’s side will be looking to go all the way in 2022. Their campaign gets underway away against Lancashire Lightning (02 August) at the scene of Simon Harmer’s remarkable spree of six-hitting which ultimately knocked the hosts out of last year’s competition.
The final two home games of the 50-over competition are perfectly poised as the Eagles first play last year’s Champions and the side that knocked them out of the competition, Glamorgan (14 August). The Eagles then face Yorkshire (17 August), the side they beat in last year’s Quarter-Final.
The Sunrisers will continue to play home cricket at The Cloud County Ground in 2022. They’ll face off against the South East Stars (14 May) and Western Storm (18 May) in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, the women’s domestic 20-over competition. The Western Storm will return on 16 July as the Sunrisers bid for success in the Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy, a 50-over competition. Sunrisers fans will get their final chance to see the team play at the ground on Sunday 11 September as they take on Loughborough Lightning.
In recent years, The Cloud County Ground has been a favourite for hosting touring teams from overseas and 2022 is no different. On May 26 a First-Class Counties Select XI will face New Zealand at the ground as they prepare for their tour of England.
2022 Membership & Tickets
The 2022 season has a lot to offer and you can be a part of it by becoming a Member. Packages are on sale now and Members will have the opportunity to catch Essex in action, with entry or discounted ticket pricing available.
Tickets will be on sale later this month for Members on Tuesday 1 February with supporters able to secure tickets for the summer in February and March. Further information on tickets will be available soon but check below to view your on sale date:
• Members’ Priority: Tuesday 1 February (10am) – Monday 23 May
• Blast Pass: from Friday 11 February (10am)
• Over & Out! e-news subscribers: Friday 25 February (10am) – Tuesday 8 March (10am)
• General sale – Tuesday 8 March (10am)
