Cast your vote for the DeVines Player of the Month for April. This period saw the Essex team compete in the opening four rounds of the LV= Insurance County Championship, including a remarkable victory at Somerset, two draws at home and a loss away at Warwickshire. The team welcomed new faces in Matt Critchley, Adam Rossington and Mark Steketee, who all debuted for Essex in April.
The four players nominated for the award are:
Alastair Cook
England’s all-time leading run-scorer has been in fine form at the top of the order, scoring a century in the opening game of the season and picking up crucial runs in a low-scoring encounter with Somerset.
Sam Cook
Opening the bowling, Sam Cook has shown great control with the ball, taking 12 wickets at an average of 20.80. He played an important role in Essex’s win at Somerset, taking match figures of 5-49.
Matt Critchley
Critchley’s Essex career got off to a flying start in his debut against Kent in April. He became the first player to score a century on debut since Indian opener Murali Vijay achieved the milestone in his first appearance for the county in 2018. Critchley has also taken 7 wickets at 38.50 and his legspin has provided a different angle of attack for the Essex bowling unit.
Shane Snater
Snater has continued his good form in 2021 into the early stages of this season. His 12 wickets have come at 23.25 and his including 6-36 in the second-innings at Somerset was arguably the deciding contribution of the match. He has also become a secret weapon with the bat, recording a stunning career-best 79* in the draw against Northants.
