Essex Eagles v Derbyshure
Royal London Cup
The Cloud County Ground, Friday 05 August
Team News:
Essex Eagles: Feroze Khushi, Josh Rymell, Tom Westley (c), Grant Roelofsen, Robin Das, Will Buttleman (wk), Aaron Beard, Shane Snater, Aron Nijjar, Jamal Richards, Jamie Porter.
Derbyshire: Luis Reece, Billy Godleman (c), Harry Came, Tom Wood, Brooke Guest (wk), Anuj Dal, Mattie McKiernan, Alex Thomson, Mark Watt, Ben Aitchison, Sam Conners.
Match Details:
Umpires: Nigel Llong & Russell Warren
Match Referee: Steve Davis
Toss: Essex won and chose to bowl
Result: Derbyshire won by 92 runs
Scorecard: View Here
Match Highlights:
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Match Reaction:
Grant Roelofsen
Match Report:
Essex slipped to defeat in their Royal London Cup fixture against Derbyshire as Brooke Guest anchored the visitors to a big first innings total.
Guest, who has four first-class centuries to his name this season, frustrated a sizeable, sun-drenched Chelmsford crowd with a 79-ball 88, entering stage right in the midst of a mini-collapse when three wickets fell in five balls.
However, the Derbyshire innings flashed back into life when the 25-year-old Guest was joined by Mattie McKiernan (72 not out) for a 125-run sixth-wicket stand. It helped Derbyshire reach 318-6 which, ultimately, proved to be too much.
Essex’s innings was headlined by two impressive debuts as South African Grant Roelofsen and 18-year Jamal Richards displayed their talents making 43 and 46 respectively. However they struggled to find partners and Essex were eventually bowled out for 226 in 45 overs to fall 92 runs short.
Under the floodlights of a day-night contest, Feroze Khushi fell lbw early in Essex’s chase. He was quickly followed by captain Tom Westley, who went in similar fashion to a ball that kept low from Ben Aitchison.
Josh Rymell steadied things with Roelofsen, the pair piecing together 53 runs, before edging Luis Reece behind to Guest for 38.
Robin Das entertained briefly with 19 from 13 balls, including a straight six, before Mark Watt gained revenge by positioning himself under a steepling catch off his own bowling. Will Buttleman was caught behind off Reece and suddenly Essex were in trouble at 99-5.
Roelofsen had impressed at Billericay and the Essex Second XI this summer, and played himself in quietly but efficiently. He progressed serenely to 43, unfurling a series of strokes that left the Chelmsford crowd drooling before being run out after a mix-up.
Aaron Beard, at the other end then, was on the wrong end of a different type of run-out when McKiernan diverted Aron Nijjar’s drive on to the non-striker’s stumps with Beard out of his ground.
After Shane Snater departed, Nijjar and 18-year-old Jamal Richards brought some life to proceedings with a swashbuckling stand of 51. Nijjar edged behind to give Guest his fourth catch before Richards clubbed two more sixes over midwicket in his enterprising first knock before falling to a catch just inside the ropes.
Earlier in the day, Luis Reece and Billy Godleman overcame a tentative start by accelerating towards the end of the powerplay. After a series of attacking shots, Godleman departed when he decided to charge Snater and was bowled for 35 after a 64-run opening stand.
Harry Came joined Reece to add another fifty for the second wicket before chipping the ball back to Nijjar to precipitate the quick clutter of wickets. Tom Wood lasted three deliveries before his middle-stump was pegged back by Nijjar and then Reece tamely patted the ball back to Westley to end a 63-ball stay for 52.
Richards claimed his first senior wicket when Dal clipped to midwicket after a fifth-wicket partnership of 52 with Guest that put Derbyshire back on an even keel.
Guest and McKiernan kept the scoreboard ticking to the extent that Derbyshire only failed to score from four of the last 68 balls.
Guest moved to 88 with a six over mid-on off Snater, but perished the next ball when attempting the same shot but only finding Beard on the fence.
