Essex Men v Surrey Men
Metro Bank One Day Cup
Ambassador Cruise Line Ground | Chelmsford.
Friday 15 August 2025 | 11:00am start
Team News
Essex Men: Robin Das, Matt Critchley, Tom Westley (C), Charlie Allison, Luc Benkenstein, Curtis Campher, Simon Harmer, Simon Fernandes (WK), Jamal Richards, Charlie Bennett, Jamie Porter.
Surrey Men: Rory Burns, Adam Thomas, Nik Gorantla, Ben Foakes (C), Ollie Sykes, Josh Blake (WK), Cam Steel, Yousef Majid, James Taylor, Nathan Barnwell, Alex French.
Match Details
Umpires: Nigel Llong & Phil Mustard
Match Referee: Wayne Noon
Scorers: Paul Parkinson & Debbie Beasley
Toss: Surrey won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Essex win by 244 runs.
Match Reaction: Curtis Campher
Match Highlights
Match Report
Essex’s short-term signing Curtis Campher made an instant impression with a whirlwind century amid a multi-record victory over Surrey in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
The 26-year-old Ireland all-rounder, with more than 100 caps, hit his third List A ton, and his highest score in the format, in smashing an unbeaten 123 from 68 balls less than 48 hours after flying in for a medical ahead of a three-game stint for an Essex squad down to the bare bones.
He thumped six sixes and 12 fours – and his clean hitting meant each one broached no reply – to help Essex to their highest List A total of 417-6, and a share in a county record of 175 for the sixth wicket with Simon Harmer. Matt Critchley’s 58 from 50 balls, Luc Benkenstein’s personal-best 83 from 72 and Harmer’s equal-best 68 from 47 were overshadowed by the Irishman’s 109 minutes of mischief and mayhem.
To compound the visitors’ misery, seamer Nathan Barnwell, with 2-112 in 10 overs, posted the most expensive bowling figures for Surrey in the format. By contrast, rookie Essex bowler Charlie Bennett returned his best figures of 5-36 as Surrey were dismissed for 173 to lose by a crushing 244 runs with more than 12 overs unused. It was their heaviest defeat. Only Cameron Steel, with 49, offered resistance, but of a stubborn nature rather than threatening.
Critchley had hit the blue touchpaper for Essex’s first win of the campaign, when he finally hit his stride. He scored just one run from his first dozen deliveries before going on the attack against James Taylor, hammering four successive boundaries to all parts off the Surrey pace bowler.
By that time he had already lost opening partner Robin Das, playing on to Taylor, and captain Tom Westley, pulling French tamely to square leg.
The Essex all-rounder reached his own half-century from 40 balls – fifty of them coming in just 28 balls – but a 10th boundary, cut square off Barnwell, was followed by his downfall next ball when he top-edged an attempted pull.
Charlie Allison had brought up the fitty stand with Critchley by coming down the wicket and lofting Yousef Majid over long leg for six. His 46 from 47 balls ended with a thin edge for French’s second scalp.
For a spell Benkenstein and Campher traded maximums, Benkenstein lofting two over long leg off Steel and another off Thomas, while Campher punished some wayward bowling by Cameron Steel with a succession of big hits into and over the well-populated stands. Indeed, he took 19 from one Steel over, including two sixes over midwicket.
Benkenstein’s innings came to an end when he was lbw having misjudged a delivery from Thomas that didn’t get up. That brought in Harmer, who kept step with Campher for 16 overs that questioned Surrey’s decision to put Essex in on a worn pitch.
The sixth-wicket carnage ended three balls from the end of the innings when Harmer drove Barnwell uppishly to extra cover. That only brought in Simon Fernandes to hammer 12 from those remaining deliveries, including a six second ball over long leg.
Surrey’s chase faltered from the start. Thomas was bowled all ends up in Charlie Bennett’s second over, Nikhil Gorantla caught at third man in the bowler’s fourth, and Rory Burns snaffled behind in his fifth.
Jamie Porter had Ollie Sykes caught on the midwicket boundary before Campher re-entered the arena. With only his third ball, he had Ben Foakes caught behind to underline his all-round ability.
Campher should have had a second wicket but Harmer dropped a relatively simple slip chance when Steel had reached six. The South African off-spinner paid the price as Steel launched him over the ropes in the following over.
Josh Blake became Harmer’s first wicket on his return from paternity leave when he lofted into the cover before Bennett claimed his fourth by bowling Taylor and a fifth to dismiss Steel. By then the result was long beyond dispute.
Men’s Metro Bank One Day Cup Returns This August!
Essex Cricket is set for an exciting summer as the Metro Bank One Day Cup returns this August, bringing four home fixtures at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground. All home games will be played during the school holidays at Chelmsford, with discounted tickets available when purchased in advance.
Tickets are still available via our Ticket Site, so visit now to to take advantage of your discount and support the Eagles this summer in the 50-over competition.
