Leicestershire Foxes Men v Essex Men
Metro Bank One Day Cup
Uptonsteel County Ground | Leicester
Sunday 17 August 2025 | 11:00am start
Team News
Leicestershire Foxes Men: Ian Holland, Sol Budinger, Lewis Hill, Shann Masood, Peter Handscomb (C), Ben Cox (WK), Roman Walker, Ben Mike, Tom Scriven, Chris Wright, Sam Wood.
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.
Match Details
Umpires: Michael Gough & Simon Widdup
Match Referee: Mike Smith
Scorers: Paul Rogers & Paul Parkinson
Toss: Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bowl first
Result: Essex won by 60 runs.
Match Reaction: Matt Critchley
Match Highlights
Match Report
After losing their opening three Metro Bank One-Day Cup matches, Essex backed up Friday’s emphatic victory over Surrey by defeating Leicestershire Foxes by 60 runs, dealing a blow to the latter’s chances of qualifying for the knock-out stages of a competition they won two years ago.
A maiden List A century from opener Matt Critchley, supported by a 52-ball 75 by Luc Benkenstein, skipper Tom Westley’s 53 from 58 and Simon Harmer’s vigorous unbeaten 41 off 24 enabled Essex to rack up 321 for eight.
Ian Holland (three for 34) was excellent with the ball for the Foxes but Critchley’s solid 103 from 116 balls empowered Benkenstein and Harmer in particular to cut loose, the two hitting four sixes apiece. With no spinner in their side, the home attack lacked variety but did not help themselves by bowling 12 wides.
Shan Masood (103 from 127) made the first century of his spell with Leicestershire but, with Roman Walker’s List A career-best 44 the next best against an Essex attack that had four spinners, the home side were bowled out for 261. Benkenstein took three for 53 with his leg breaks.
After opting to bowl first on a green-tinged pitch, Leicestershire were rewarded in the fifth over when Robin Das nibbled at an outswinger by Holland and was caught behind.
Ben Mike troubled Tom Westley early on but with Rishi Patel left out due to poor form with the bat and with no other spin option available after Liam Trevaskis pulled out through injury, the Foxes struggled to make inroads as Westley and Critchley added 99 in just under 19 overs. Westley survived a difficult chance to cover on 42 but hit seven boundaries in reaching 52 from 56 balls.
He soon departed, superbly caught on the square leg boundary by Tom Scriven. Sol Budinger’s direct hit ran out Charlie Allison, but Critchley found another assertive partner in 20-year-old Benkenstein, who hauled Chris Wright and Wood over the rope at deep midwicket before ramping Roman Walker for another six in a 37-ball half-century, having escaped a chance to backward point on 39.
The fourth-wicket pair added 127, Critchley overtaking his previous best of 64 not out as he collected nine fours in his hundred. Benkenstein hammered Mike down the ground for his fourth six but reached for a wide ball and was caught at short third.
Ireland international Curtis Campher, after his debut unbeaten 123 against Surrey, was yorked first ball, after which Holland dismissed Critchley and Simon Fernandes. Scriven bowled Jamal Richards but Harmer cleared the rope four times in the last three overs.
A testing target quickly became tougher as Jamie Porter removed both the Foxes’ openers in his first three overs without conceding a run, clipping Budinger’s off stump and striking Holland’s back pad in front. Lewis Hill edged Charlie Bennett to slip, leaving Leicestershire 16 for three in the sixth.
Masood and skipper Peter Handscomb brought a wealth of experience but they needed not only to bat deep but score briskly with the required rate creeping up. They added 73 in 15 but then Handscomb found Allison on the legside boundary. New man Ben Cox was soon leg before to Westley’s off spin, leaving the home side 92 for five.
Masood completed a fifty from 70 balls but Harmer bowled Scriven for 15, after which Mike was out to Benkenstein’s leg spin without scoring.
Walker batted nicely as he and Masood added 98 for the eighth wicket, Masood numbering 11 fours before he was lbw to Critchley’s leg spin, but the Foxes by then were well beaten, Benkenstein adding two more wickets as Walker and Wright found men on the boundary.
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.
