With Essex having been given a rest week, there was no first team action for the squad to be involved in, ultimately meaning players would be making appearances for their club teams over the weekend.
This week started with something of a rare occurrence as Feroze Khushi had a bowl. We have only seen it a few times for Essex Second XI but not for the first team, yet. Feroze took a wicket in his spell of just 4 balls, leaving him with figures of 1-0, which he backed up with a solid 35 runs from 32 balls as Fives and Heronians CC secured the win against Harold Wood CC on Saturday.
There were also wickets for Aron Nijjar, who took 3-13 off his 10 overs for Minster in the Kent 1st XI Premier League as they narrowly beat Bickley Park CC by 14 runs.
In the Essex 1st XI Premier Division, there was notable performances for Ben Allison and youngster Jamal Richards. Ben picked up 3-46 off 8.5 overs as Brentwood CC succumb to Belhus CC. However, Jamal took 2-50 as Chingford CC narrowly beat Chelmsford CC by just 4 runs.
Michael Pepper and Josh Rymell also played over the weekend, with Pepper keeping for Foxton Granta in the Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Premier League and Rymell scoring 31 for Frinton on Sea CC in the East Anglian Premier League.
The last week also saw Essex loanee, Aaron Beard, play for Sussex, who due to a mix of bad weather and lower order resistance, were unlucky to only get a draw against Leicestershire in Division Two. Beard, who took 3-58 in the first innings, couldn’t help Sussex to an almost certain first win of the season, as good batting from the last three wickets saw Leicestershire pass the Sussex declaration and hold on for a draw.
Finally, soon to be Essex Overseas Seamer, Daniel Sams, took 3-16 against Chennai Super Kings as Mumbai Indians look to finish off the season stronger than they started it; as the group stage of the IPL draws to a close.
