Essex Men swiftly return to action with a vital match against Yorkshire at Headingley this week.
The fixture could prove crucial in the fight for survival, with Tom Westley’s side heading north to Leeds to face Anthony McGrath’s Yorkshire side. Both teams will be looking to bounce back with a victory following defeats in the previous round and create some breathing room from the relegation zone.
Essex fell to a 47-run defeat against Sussex in the previous round at Chelmsford, despite a gritty fightback from Matt Critchley on the final day. Meanwhile, Surrey claimed a one-wicket victory over Yorkshire at the Kia Oval, with Yorkshire now set to host Essex in Leeds.
Essex Director of Cricket Chris Silverwood will be hoping his side can produce a much-improved performance against former Essex Head Coach Anthony McGrath after a disappointing result against Sussex last time out.
Chris Silverwood has named a 13-player squad for the penultimate away fixture of the season.
Simon Harmer is unavailable having been recalled by Cricket South Africa, while Sam Cook and Jordan Cox have been included in the England squad for the third Rothesay Test Match against Pakistan. Jack Auld, who was today announced as having earned a rookie contract, is included in an Essex squad for the first time.
Four Essex players are missing through injury. Charlie Bennett sustained a leg injury in the game against Sussex, Noah Thain is recovering from a side strain, MacKenzie Jones is working with the medical team after suffering an injury and Simon Fernandes is unavailable on medical grounds.
Michael Pepper sustained a hand injury against Sussex, however is included in the squad as a batter.
Captain: Jonny Bairstow
Head Coach: Anthony McGrath
2025 finish: 7th
2025 leading run-scorer: Adam Lyth (1,173)
2025 leading wicket-taker: George Hill (51)
Championship titles: 32 (most recent in 2015)
Key winter moves: Australia Test quick Jhye Richardson’s signing for April and May – potentially into June – has turned heads, while his Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman has penned a three-year all-format contract. Batter-keeper Whiteman, Doncaster-born, is local-qualified. Seam-bowling all-rounders Logan van Beek and Will Sutherland join Richardson as early-summer overseas signings. The returning Sutherland is only available for two June matches alongside his Blast commitments. Dawid Malan, Matt Milnes, Jonny Tattersall and Jordan Thompson have departed.
What we're looking forward to seeing: Yorkshire, promoted in 2024, consolidated their Division One status last summer. After a slow start, three of their four wins came during the last seven matches, taking as many points as champions Nottinghamshire in that period. Now, it’s about pushing on to challenge the likes of Notts and Surrey over the full distance. They certainly have the firepower under captain Jonny Bairstow, with emerging talent such as George Hill, Will Luxton, Matthew Revis and James Wharton developing impressively.
Aiming to catch selectors' eyes: Top-order batter James Wharton, 25, recently earned his maiden Lions call-up on the curtailed Abu Dhabi trip. He has totalled 1,533 runs in 23 Rothesay County Championship matches across the last two seasons, including 2024 scores of 188 and 275. He contributed seven Division One half-centuries last season. An improved conversion rate could do wonders for him.
Final thoughts: A key factor in Yorkshire’s drive for success is always England availability. If Harry Brook and/or Joe Root can parachute in and rack up the runs ahead of the international summer beginning, then that could set the county on the right track for a first four-day title since 2015. That’s certainly the aim for coach Anthony McGrath, who tasted similar success in his Essex days.
Yorkshire squad: Click Here
Essex suffered their third County Championship defeat of the 2025 season as Yorkshire secured a 10-wicket victory at York, leaving the visitors second-bottom in Division One.
Essex began positively, with captain Tom Westley and Dean Elgar compiling a patient 198-run partnership on Day One. Westley’s 107, his second successive red-ball century, was supported by useful contributions from Jordan Cox and Charlie Allison, helping Essex post 368 in the first innings.
Yorkshire responded steadily, with Adam Lyth and Jonny Bairstow providing a solid platform before late heroics from Matthew Revis and Ben Coad. Their record-breaking ninth-wicket stand of 169, highlighted by Revis’s 150 and Coad’s 89, shifted momentum decisively in Yorkshire’s favour. Essex’s seam attack, weakened by the absence of Sam Cook and Jamie Porter, struggled to contain the hosts, though Shane Snater and Simon Harmer claimed key wickets.
In the second innings, Essex faltered under pressure, being dismissed for 131 after trailing by 91 at the start of the day. Only Jordan Cox and Michael Pepper offered resistance with a 59-run partnership. Coad and Jack White bowled incisively, wrapping up the innings quickly.
Yorkshire then chased the minimal target of 41 without loss, completing a comprehensive win in a match that may prove significant in the battle against relegation at season’s end.
Previous Team Lineups
Yorkshire: Adam Lyth, Finlay Bean, James Wharton, Abdullah Shafique, Jonny Bairstow (c & wk), Matthew Revis, George Hill, Will Sutherland, Dom Bess, Jack White, Ben Coad.
Essex: Dean Elgar, Paul Walter, Tom Westley (c), Jordan Cox, Matt Critchley, Charlie Allison, Michael Pepper (wk), Noah Thain, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Khaleel Ahmed
Click here for Part One.
Click here for Part Two.
If you are unable to attend any of the matchdays, the game will be available to watch via the Yorkshire Cricket YouTube livestream. Alternatively, you can keep up to date with the game via our social media channels as we provide live updates.
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Tickets for all four days at Headingley are available to purchase here.
