Essex Men v Warwickshire Men
Rothesay County Championship
Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford
Tuesday 29 July – Friday Friday 01 August | 11am start
Essex produced a dominant display on the south coast last week to claim a well deserved victory against Sussex in the last round of the Rothesay County Championship.
Essex delivered a commanding performance to defeat Sussex by an innings and 39 runs at Hove, securing the second win of the season in the Rothesay County Championship. The Eagles were in control from the outset, dismissing Sussex for just 204 on the opening day thanks to a relentless new-ball display from Jamie Porter, who took 4 for 30, and Sam Cook.
Both bowlers exploited helpful conditions expertly, with Sussex’s batters showing poor shot selection and little resistance, despite a fluent half-century from the in-form James Coles.
In reply, Essex stamped their authority on the match with a mammoth first-innings total of 504. Jordan Cox (132) and Matt Critchley (123) were the standout performers, sharing a 184-run partnership that took the game away from Sussex. Critchley’s innings was particularly destructive, featuring five sixes, while Cox continued his fine form from the Vitality Blast.
With the Kookaburra ball offering little assistance and Sussex missing Ollie Robinson, Essex’s batters capitalised, building a huge 300-run lead.
Sussex showed some fight in their second innings, led once again by Coles, who compiled his third consecutive Championship century. His partnership of 141 with Tom Alsop briefly stalled Essex’s progress, but the visitors maintained pressure throughout.
Critchley returned to dismantle the middle and lower order, taking key wickets as Sussex lost 4 for 26 after tea on day three. Coles remained unbeaten on 99 when rain stopped play late in the day, but the writing was on the wall.
The final day lasted just 25 minutes. Coles reached his century but was eventually dismissed for 108, falling to Harmer. Critchley wrapped up the innings with figures of 4 for 41, sealing an emphatic innings victory for Essex. With their full-strength bowling attack finally available, Essex controlled the match from the first session to the last and now look well-placed to climb the Division One table in the remaining rounds.
The result also ended Sussex’s two-year unbeaten run at home in the Championship.
Squad
Chris Silverwood has named a 12-player squad for the clash against Warwickshire at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
The Inside Line: Chris Silverwood
The Opposition
Warwickshire find themselves in 4th position following their win against rivals Worcestershire at Edgbaston last week.
The Bears sit 24 points above Essex going into the match at Chelmsford, which is set to be a highly fought contest between the two sides who are aiming for back-to-back County Championship wins.
Warwickshire lost the toss and were forced to bowl first with wickets being shared around their bowling group in the first innings, which included mainstay’s Oliver Hannon-Dalby and Ed Barnard.
When their time came to bat, they fell 149 runs short of Worcestershire’s 333 total as two half-centurions, Beau Webster and Kai Smith top scored with 57 and 68 respectively.
Second time round with the ball, former Eagle Beau Webster took three wickets alongside Autralian off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, backed up by two-a-piece from both Ed Barnard and Ethan Bamber.
Chasing a score of 392 in the final innings of the match, Bears’ Dan Mousley scored 69 before Zen Malik hit 149 and Webster an undefeated 100.
All-rounder Ed Barnard is Warwickshire’s top-scorer this season amassing 707 runs in 18 innings at an average of 50.50 with a high-score 177*.
Whilst Ethan Bamber is the Birmingham outfit’s leading wicket-taker with 32 wickets at an average of 32.75 in the first ten rounds of Championship matches.
Warwickshire squad: TBC.
Division One Table
Last Time We Met
Essex dominated last time out against Warwickshire, completing an emphatic innings-and-40-run victory within just two days at Edgbaston.
Jamie Porter reached a historic personal milestone, becoming only the 26th player to take 500 first-class wickets for Essex, achieving the feat with figures of 6 for 36 in Warwickshire’s second innings. His performance, backed by a relentless bowling unit, underpinned Essex’s second consecutive innings win in 2024.
The match began with Essex’s seamers dismantling Warwickshire for just 78 in their first innings. Shane Snater led the charge with 5 for 13, while Porter and Sam Cook shared the rest.
In reply, Essex found themselves in early trouble at 50 for 5, but a resilient lower-order effort turned the tide. Contributions from Michael Pepper (37), Matt Critchley (32), Simon Harmer (31), and Snater (33* on Day 1 and 69 overall) pushed the Eagles to 232, establishing a commanding lead of 154 runs.
Essex’s bowlers immediately struck again in the second innings. Porter and Cook obliterated Warwickshire’s top order, reducing them to 3 for 4 in a matter of overs. Porter picked up key wickets en route to his milestone, while Cook continued his excellent form with 3 for 36. Snater chipped in again, including a crucial lbw dismissal of Alex Davies. Despite a defiant 51 from Danny Briggs, Warwickshire folded for 114.
Porter fittingly sealed both the win and his 500th wicket by bowling Craig Miles for a duck, later rounding off the innings with his sixth scalp. The result reflects Essex’s ruthless efficiency with both ball and bat, showcasing a deep bowling attack, strong lower-order batting.
How To Watch
If you are unable to attend any of the match days, the game will be available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone, through the YouTube livestream.
Daily highlights will be available after each day’s play via the Club website and social media. Live updates will also be provided through the Club’s various social platforms and channels.
Tickets
Tickets for all four days at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground are still available and are available to purchase here or by calling 01245 254010.
Play is due to start at 11am with the gates opening at 10am.
Adult tickets start from £16 whilst young adults/students can enter at a reduced price of £12 and junior’s for just £6.
You can also choose to upgrade your ticket to a ‘Members Upgrade’ which gives you access to all members areas including the Doug Insole Pavilion.
We do offer family tickets, providing groups of families a discount to come and watch the cricket at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
