The seventh round of the Metro Bank One Day Cup will see the Essex Women return to home territory where they will seek to take revenge on Durham Women who defeated the Eagles in the opening round of the 50-over tournament.
Essex Women have named a 14-player squad, which includes new signing and the first Essex Women's Academy graduate, Bella Johnson.
Bella Johnson is named for the first time in the tier 1 Essex team after signing a short-term contract with the club. Bella previously played for the Essex Women's Academy.
Sophie Munro remains injured with a stress fracture, whilst Flo Miller and Cordelia Griffith are also out with injuries sustained in the last match. An update on their returns will be released as soon as possible.
Durham Women currently sit 7th in the league table. They beat Warwickshire Women in their recent fixture, a very much needed win for the side.
Danielle Hazell is the Durham Women's Head Coach, who brings great experience to the team, with three ashes wins and two world cups.
The big questions: Can Durham Women hit the ground running? Durham Women have a well-balanced squad, blending high-profile signings with astute acquisitions. The big question is whether they can hit the ground running. Spin bowling appears to be their standout strength, with Katie Levick, Mady Villiers and Katherine Fraser forming a formidable trio.
Player to watch: Captain, Hollie Armitage, is set to be a talismanic presence for Durham. A dynamic all-rounder, she contributes with the bat, bowls sharp leg-spin, and is exceptional in the field. Widely regarded as one of the finest leaders in English cricket, her batting remains her strongest suit. With a consistent run of big scores, she'll be aiming to move from the fringes of the England setup to a regular spot in the national side.
Final thought: Durham will back themselves to challenge strong sides like Surrey and The Blaze this summer, though much will depend on the batting firepower of captain, Hollie Armitage, and New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates. Bates has signed on as an overseas player for the entire summer at the Seat Unique Riverside, adding experience and class at the top of the order. With England pacer Lauren Filer leading the attack, Durham also have a genuine X-factor with the ball.
Tickets for Essex Women V Durham Women are available to purchase online or at the gate. Come and see all of the action for just £8 for an adult ticket and £5 for a junior ticket. Family tickets also available.
If you are unable to attend any of the match days, the game will be available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone, which includes a Live Stream.
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 Essex Women's X account.
Come down to Chelmsford this summer to watch the Eagles live in our new T20 shirt.
Our first home Vitality Blast T20 fixture features a double header - Essex Women v Somerset Women (12pm) & Essex Men v Somerset Men (4pm).
Tickets are still available via our Ticket Site, so have a browse and get your Vitality Blast T20 tickets booked.
Two Essex Men players have been selected for the PCC XI in their four day tour game against Zimbabwe.
Luc Benkenstein and Jamal Richards have been included in the Professional County Club Select XI for the four-day match which begins at the Uptonsteel County Ground on Thursday 15 May.
Josh De Caires of Middlesex will captain the 13-player squad, that will be overseen by Andrew Flintoff, alongside a coaching team including of Mike Yardy, Neil Killeen, Sarah Taylor, Mark Wood and Neil McKenzie.
De Caires, 23, has made 21 first-class appearances for Middlesex which also includes Warwickshire all-rounder Dan Mousley and Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan.
Mousley made his England Men’s debut during last winter’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean while Chohan earned his maiden international call-up for that same trip.
Essex all-rounder Luc Benkenstein and Somerset wicketkeeper-batter Thomas Rew have both previously captained England Men U19s.
County Select XI squad: Josh De Caires (Middlesex - captain), Archie Bailey (Gloucestershire), Luc Benkenstein (Essex), Jafer Chohan (Yorkshire), Ben Dawkins (Kent), Alex Green (Leicestershire), Eddie Jack (Hampshire), Mitch Killeen (Durham), Ben Mayes (Hampshire), Seb Morgan (Middlesex), Dan Mousley (Warwickshire), Thomas Rew (Somerset), Jamal Richards (Essex).
Essex Cricket are pleased to announce that Women’s Academy prospect Bella Johnson has signed a short-term deal with the Club.
Bella Johnson has signed a short-term contract with the Club to become the first graduate of the new Essex Women’s Academy. Bella has previously represented the county as an amateur, captaining the T20 side to the National Title in 2023, whilst also being a member of Sunrisers Academy.
Johnson, 19, is an all-rounder — a right-handed batter and right-arm off-spin bowler, who showcases her skills at club level for Colchester & East Essex.
Upon signing the deal, Johnson said: "I’m thrilled to be given this opportunity and can’t wait to get on the pitch with the first team.
"After being a part of the Academy for two seasons it’s exciting to see my hard work has paid off."
Essex Women's Performance Director, Danni Warren, said: "We’re delighted that Bella has joined the professional staff here at Essex Women.
"Bella acquired herself brilliantly during a spell with the side in pre-season and brings talent and character to our group.
"Having previously represented the county from age groups through to amateur and now first team, it is fitting that Bella becomes the first graduate of the recently formed Essex Women’s Academy.
"Everyone at Essex wishes Bella the best as she takes her first steps in to professional cricket."
Our new signing will be available for selection on Wednesday for the Metro Bank One Day Cup match against Durham Women at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
Come down to Chelmsford this summer to watch the Eagles live in our new T20 shirt.
Our first home Vitality Blast T20 fixture features a double header - Essex Women v Somerset Women (12pm) & Essex Men v Somerset Men (4pm).
Tickets are still available via our Ticket Site, so have a browse and get your Vitality Blast T20 tickets booked.
Essex Falcons v Middlesex 2nd
D40 Pursuit South East
Harlow Town CC
Essex Hawks: Benny Fryatt, Matthew Hazel, Andy Catherell, Issac Elles, Andrew Mowett, Martyn Doe, Jack Flowers, Matt Thomas, Billy Gibbons, Amara Law, Laila Robinson, Daniel Thomas, Alex Roper.
Middlesex 2nd: S Lycett, N Magdani, Connor Flaunty, F Church, Moazzam Rashid, Naseer Butt, S Sagar, H Rashid, T Wilson, J Charan, R Vegad.
Essex Falcons: 139-9 (40 overs)
Middlesex 2nd: 140-4 (25.2 overs)
Essex Falcons won the toss and elected to bat
Middlesex 2nd won by six wickets.
Essex Falcons slipped to a six-wicket D40 Pursuit South East defeat at the hands of a strong Middlesex second string on a cold day at Harlow Town Cricket Club.
Despite the setback, the Essex side produced a battling performance with several notable contributions.
Benny Fryatt was in good form with the bat, hitting 41 off 56 balls during an 88-minute stint at the crease, and helping his side towards their modest total of 139/9.
A good opening partnership of 54 between Fryett and captain Matty Hazel got Essex off to a positive start, but once Fryett fell, wickets tumbled at regular intervals. S Sagar impressed with the ball for the visitors, returning 5-2-12-4.
Middlesex chased down their target within twenty-six overs, with Neil Magdani finishing unbeaten on 45*. Isaac Elles was the pick of six bowlers utilised by the home side, with figures of 7-0-45-3.
Nevertheless, the home side had plenty of positives against a strong Middlesex side to carry forward as the 2025 season unfolds.
Essex: Dean Elgar, Charlie Allison, Tom Westley (c), Robin Das, Matt Critchley, Michael Pepper (wk), Noah Thain, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Kasun Rajitha, Jamie Porter.
Yorkshire: Adam Lyth, Finlay Bean, James Wharton, Jonathan Tattersall, Jonny Bairstow (c&wk), George Hill, Dom Bess, Matthew Revis, Ben Coad, Dan Moriarty, Jack White.
Umpires: Steve O'Shaughnessy & Jack Shantry
Match Referee: Mike Smith
Toss: Yorkshire won the toss and chose to bat first
Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper knuckled down for a monumental fifth-wicket stand of 154 in 77 overs to steer Essex to the unlikeliest of Rothesay County Championship draws against Yorkshire at Chelmsford.
The pair came together in the depths of despair at 45-4 on the third evening and batted for four-and-a-half hours together, spanning 458 balls, and looking to have made it through two complete sessions on the final day. Pepper, though, fell to the last ball before tea after a 229-ball 68 that included five fours and two sixes.
Critchley followed after the interval for 75 from 246 balls as Yorkshire scented their second win of the season with three wickets in 21 balls. However, last-wicket pair Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter saw out the final 38 minutes and 82 balls to prevent a second successive defeat.
George Hill dismissed both batmen to return career-best match figures of 9-82, supported by Jack White’s season’s best 4-43, but to no avail as Yorkshire toiled in vain for one more wicket.
The target of 520, with 456 still nominally required at the start of day four, was always going to be beyond Essex’s compass and it became more a case of settling in to save face.
As a sign of what had been anticipated, the Essex flag was flying upside down on its pole beside the pavilion as if in surrender. The plans for survival, however, were set out from the start as Pepper and Critchley blocked and blocked with little alarm. It was not until the 20th ball of the day that they moved off their overnight 64-4 when Critchley angled a Ben Coad delivery wide of the slips for 10 third boundaries. They were the only runs scored in the first half-an-hour’s play.
Indeed, it was only the introduction of Hill after 35 minutes that the usually flamboyant Pepper opened his morning’s account, turning the ball down to fine leg for a single.
The first sign of serious aggression came when Critchley hooked Matty Revis so firmly that the square-leg umpire had to take evasive action as it sped to the boundary. Revis attempted a short-ball barrage at Pepper which and it nearly came off when the Essex batsman gloved one up and over Jonny Bairstow’s head behind the stumps.
Pepper broke out of his self-imposed shackles by sweeping Dom Bess for one six and adding a second over long leg. In between, he survived a difficult chance off an uppish drive past mid-on.
Reprieved, Pepper scampered the single soon after lunch that took him to a 155-ball fifty followed quickly by the century stand that ate up 51 overs. Critchley’s fifty was more circumspect, reached with another four guided down to third man from his 190th ball faced.
Yorkshire’s hopes seemed to hinge on the second new-ball, but they failed to make it count immediately and Bess was recalled to the attack after nine fruitless overs. However, to the final ball of the 13th over with it, on the cusp of tea, Pepper was caught leaning into a Hill delivery and departed lbw.
Noah Thain lasted 15 balls before he was bowled through the gate by Bess and Critchley’s marathon innings ended when he got the faintest of tickles to Hill and was caught behind.
Shane Snater held out for 32 balls without scoring before he fell lbw to White. Kasun Rajitha’s 21 came off 40 balls before he played down the wrong line and was bowled by Dan Moriarty. But then Porter came in to join Harmer and thwart Yorkshire.
Adam Lyth’s patiently accumulated 185, and Jonny Bairstow’s typically belligerent half-century, set Essex an unlikely 520 to prevent Yorkshire chalking up their second Rothesay County Championship win of the season.
Lyth’s second century of the spring, the 39th of his 18-year first-class career, spanned six hours and 41 minutes of determination and obduracy. The 37-year-old left-hander shared a 153-run second-wicket stand with James Wharton, who added 61 to his unbeaten 63 from the first innings, that underpinned Yorkshire’s 426-6 declared.
The declaration was hastened by Bairstow’s 79 from74 balls that included three sixes and was part of a roller-coaster sixth-wicket stand of 99 with Matty Revis, who contributed 37 off 32 balls. The only consolation for Essex’s dispirited fielders who circled the boundary by the end, were career-best bowling figures of 3-96 for young seamer Noah Thain.
The sense of gathering despair continued when Essex batted. They lost four wickets in the 27 overs that remained in the day in the face of some accurate seam bowling from Jack White, who took 3-17. Essex eked out 64 runs by the close but, with 456 to win, are staring down the barrel of back-to-back defeats when they resume on day four.
Indeed, Essex’s hopes of batting out nearly four sessions became considerably harder when White got a delivery to jump up around Dean Elgar’s adam’s apple as early as the second over and it was fended off into third slip’s hands.
George Hill followed up his six-wicket haul from the first innings by trapping Tom Westley lbw with only his fourth delivery in the second. And next over Charlie Allison drove White uppishly to a tumbling mid-off while Robin Das nudged one to first slip.
With Sam Cook rested in light of his potential England debut against Zimbabwe later this month, the Essex attack had lacked penetration. Lyth took advantage and swept Simon Harmer for his 13th boundary to reach three-figures in just under four hours at the crease, having faced 196 balls. Another sweep off the same bowler brought up the century stand, also from 196 balls.
The partnership might have been parted just before then when Wharton pulled Kasun Rajitha to square leg where Elgar put down the opportunity. Wharton took advantage and reached a 104-ball fifty with a six and a four, both to cow corner, during an over from Matt Critchley.
The partnership was eventually broken when Wharton became Harmer’s first wicket of the game, after 38 overs of toil, as the ball was lofted halfway to the boundary. The loss of his long-time partner did not inconvenience Lyth, who pulled Thain into the pavilion for six and reached 150 from 237 balls.
Jonny Tattersall helped put on 72 for the third wicket before he took a wild swing at Thain, the ball steepling so high that the bowler had time to amble down towards the batsman’s crease to complete the catch.
Lyth’s innings finally ended after 287 balls, 23 fours and that six, when he played a loose, uppish drive to wide mid-off to give Thain his third wicket.
Critchley then claimed his 200th first-class career wicket when Hill chased one outside off-stump and was held at slip.
Bairstow, dropped on five by slip that would have enhanced Thain’s analysis, played an unorthodox reverse sweep-cum-pull that sent a delivery from Critchley for six over point. With the declaration looming, Bairstow and Revis rattled off 29 runs in a 14-ball spree before the captain raced past his second half-century of the season with two sixes in the last over before tea from Shane Snater that also included a ramped four.
Yorkshire batted on for 14 balls after tea before Bairstow holed out to long-on and immediately called a halt to proceedings.
George Hill produced the second-best bowling figures of his burgeoning first-class career as Essex were routed for 123 before Yorkshire extended their lead to 207 runs at Chelmsford.
The 24-year-old seamer added four wickets for 37 runs on the second day to finish with 6-51 – numbers only eclipsed by his 6-26 in the Roses Match at Old Trafford in 2022 – and 19 wickets in all this season in the Rothesay County Championship.
Hill’s Herculean effort, backed up fellow pace bowler Ben Coad’s parsimonious 3-20 from 18 overs, helped Yorkshire establish a first-innings lead of 93, which they increased by 114 for the loss of one wicket in 49 overs.
Experienced opener Adam Lyth led the way in taking the game away from Essex with an unbeaten 166-ball 79, his fifth score of 50 or more in 10 innings so far this spring.
A capricious pitch offered more lift and carry than it had on the first day. Whereas Yorkshire’s first innings had been underpinned by five lbws, Essex’s was littered with catches to either the wicketkeeper or slip cordon. Hill was the main beneficiary.
It was also still a wicket that was difficult to score on: Essex managed two an over compared to Yorkshire’s 2.5 in their first innings and 2.3 so far in the second.
However, the day belonged to Hill as he continued where he left off the night before. He already had Robin Das in trouble during the first 25 minutes of the day before he induced a thick edge that flew o third slip and initiated an inexorable decline.
Matt Critchley followed to a similar dismissal, dangling his bat at Coad and also ending up in Finlay Bean’s hands at third slip.
Tom Westley played a captain’s innings for more than two hours before he became another victim in a tight opening spell from Coad, who found the faintest of edges from an angled bat.
Coad’s second wicket of the morning marked the end of his opening burst of nine overs with five maidens and 10 runs. At that stage, Hill had 1-27 in the session from his nine overs.
From 59-6, Michael Pepper and Noah Thain pieced together a minor fightback with a stand of 46 in 17 overs. Neither, though, looked comfortable when spinner Dan Moriarty was introduced into the attack and when Pepper lunged forward to try and negate any turn, he could only nick behind.
The end was not much longer in coming. Though Thain greeted Hill’s recall to arms with a glorious drive through extra cover for his fourth boundary, an attempt at an ambitious and expansive straighter drive at the fifth delivery proved his downfall.
Shane Snater became Jonny Bairstow’s fifth catch behind the stumps when he went to fend off a fuller ball while Kasun Rajitha lasted just three balls before he walked into another Hill delivery and was lbw.
Adam Lyth and Bean had given Yorkshire what should have been a solid platform in the first innings with an opening stand of 71 before the subsequent collapse to 216 all out. The pair were intent on replicating that partnership, though without any frills or risks.
Lyth passed fifty for the second time in the match – this time from 106 balls – at which point Bean had contributed just 14 to the effort. With another five runs to his tally, equalling his top score in a season of personal struggle, Bean went to pull Thain and got a leading edge. The partnership had been worth 72.
James Wharton, unbeaten with a painstaking 63 in the first innings, threw caution to the wind and launched Critchley on to the press box roof and into the river behind.
James Wharton stood resolute at one end while wickets fell all around him as Yorkshire pressed the self-destruct button after a promising start on a difficult Chelmsford wicket.
The 24-year-old right-hander came in when the first wicket fell at 71 and was still there 55 overs later on 63 not out from 145 balls when Matt Critchley wrapped up Yorkshire’s innings on 216 with his fourth wicket.
The heart had been ripped out of Yorkshire’s innings when four wickets fell in six overs, three of them in nine balls, as a promising 108-1 became 128-5 and continued in the same vein at the same time as Wharton painstakingly racked up his second Rothesay County Championship half-century of the season. Only opener Adam Lyth, with 58 from 148 balls, showed any similar resolve.
Watched by a bumper first-day crowd of 2,612, bolstered by a number of school parties, Essex lost both openers and the nightwatchman in the 16 overs remaining in the evening session while reducing the arrears by 27 runs. Charlie Allison nicked Ben Coad behind, Dean Elgar fished at one from George Hill to be caught at second slip and Jamie Porter was beaten for pace by the same bowler.
Yorkshire had taken one look at the wicket, which had plenty of grass left on it, and decided to bat. It played dead for a session and a half and then suddenly became more responsive for bowlers who had toiled previously.
Yorkshire also had gone into the game without either of their overseas players, the seamers Ben Sears and Jordan Buckingham, plumping instead for an extra batsman in Jonny Tattersall for his first outing of the season. It was a plan that backfired spectacularly.
However, before the mid- and late-afternoon clatter of wickets, the openers had moved along serenely for the initial 23 overs during which Lyth, on 36, had been dropped at wide mid-off by a running Tom Westley. Both Lyth and Finlay Bean had already come down the wicket and lofted Simon Harmer in similar directions for boundaries. The seamers had generally been despatched through the covers.
The chance did not prove costly and, three overs later, Bean looked to drive Shane Snater but played down the wrong line and was lbw.
From scoring without trouble, Yorkshire went into their shell and Lyth and Wharton added just nine runs in the eight overs that preceded lunch. Lyth had been particularly watchful but stirred after lunch and reached his half-century from 120 balls when he lent back and cut Harmer for his ninth four.
Lyth added one more boundary, a leg glance off Kasun Rajitha, before the Sri Lankan pace man trapped him lbw, playing an indeterminate prod.
Bringing in Tattersall did not pay the dividend required as he departed for four to the second ball of a Critchley spell, wafting one that turned into leg slip’s hands.
Jonny Bairstow and Hill departed to successive balls from Porter, the captain lbw on the back foot, and Hill getting an inside edge that carried to the wicketkeeper.
Wharton and Matty Revis knuckled down to steady things for a while before two self-inflicted wounds heralded another slew of wickets. Revis carelessly top-edged Critchley to point where Harmer was steady under the steepling ball. And Dom Bess followed almost immediately, leaving alone a straight delivery from Rajitha and being surprised when it rapped him squarely on the pads.
Wharton took more than three hours over his fifty, late-cutting Rajitha for four to reach the milestone from 138 balls. But he lost three more partners in quick succession when Coad pulled Critchley to short midwicket and Dan Moriarty’s cameo embracing six fours in 24 ended when he was lbw playing around one from Noah Thain. Critchley finished with figures of 4-49 when he had Jack White caught at chest height by slip.
Come down to Chelmsford this summer to watch the Eagles live in our new T20 shirt.
Our first home Vitality Blast T20 fixture features a double header - Essex Women v Somerset Women (12pm) & Essex Men v Somerset Men (4pm).
Tickets are still available via our Ticket Site, so have a browse and get your Vitality Blast T20 tickets booked.
Essex Women: Grace Scrivens (c), Lissy Macleod, Cordelia Griffith, Jodi Grewcock, Flo Miller, Sophia Smale, Amara Carr (wk), Eva Gray, Esmae MacGregor, Kate Coppack, Abtaha Maqsood.
Hampshire Women: Ella McCaughan, Maia Bouchier, Charli Knott, Georgia Adams (c), Rhianna Southby (wk), Abi Norgrove, Nancy Harman, Linsey Smith, Freya Davies, Bex Tyson, Lauren Bell.
Umpires: James Tredwell and Julia Jarvis
Match Referee: Sarah Bartlett
Toss: Essex Women won the toss and elected to bowl
“I am pleased to be contributing and scoring runs, but it is just frustrating that they aren’t get us over the line. It is a bit gutting.
“It was a good cricket pitch where if you played good strong cricket shots it got you rewards, and then the outfield flew away.
“It is never ideal when two of your best batters go down [Cordelia Griffith and Flo Miller], and cannot bat. I think we did an okay job with the players that came in, but we are disappointed not to get over the line with the platform we set.
“Flo is waiting on some scans and stuff but hopefully Cords [Cordelia Griffith] won’t be out for too long.
“We lost wickets at key points. When you have to go at five and a halves you want to get there and stay there, and we allowed it to climb up more than we wanted to in periods. They bowled well so credit for them.
“I don’t think we are far away and we’re getting better in every game. We are a young group and still learning, developing and getting better. We put in a strong performance with the bat so hopefully we are not far away from a complete performance.”
Georgia Adams won the battle of the century-making captains as Hampshire beat Essex by 17 runs in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition.
Hampshire’s Adams 110, with assistance from Rhianna Southby’s 61 and Ella McCaughan’s 44, helped her side to a healthy 273 for five.
Essex skipper Grace Scrivens replied with a classy 101, her second ton in successive innings, to put herself firmly in the frame for England selection.
But left-arm spinner Linsey Smith took four for 33 to give Hampshire their fourth victory in six matches to remain amongst the pacesetters, while Essex remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
Maia Bouchier zoomed off with four boundaries in a 12-ball 19 but two quick Kate Coppack wickets punctured Hampshire’s fast start, having been put in.
Bouchier had her off stump flattened before Charli Knott tickled behind to Amara Carr to leave Hampshire 32 for two.
But McCaughan continued her magnificent form, which started with Manly in Australian Grade Cricket over the winter and carried on in the One-Day Cup with scores including 64, 133 not out and 57.
She rebuilt with an initially scratching Adams – who was dropped on 28 at midwicket – before missing a sweep to get pinned lbw by Abtaha Maqsood, six runs shy of a fourth 50-plus score.
That stand of 72 was merely the amuse bouche for the innings-defining 144 that Adams added with Southby.
Everything the pair did was done with the lowest of risk as they barely let the run-rate dip below five an over with crafty batting.
Adams became the final member of Hampshire’s top five to record a fifty this season, doing so in 77 balls, before Southby followed to the milestone – for the second time this year – in 68 balls.
Southby was bowled with seven overs to go, with the latter stage of the innings coming with the sub-plot of ‘can Adams get to three figures?’ She was on 82 when Southby departed.
Abi Norgrove gamefully rotated the strike until she was run out, with Adams still eight runs away, but a pair of offside boundaries drew the bat raise out of Adams.
The innings, which had showcased all her trademark effortless swinging and placement, came in 125 deliveries and was her fourth in List A cricket. She ended up unbeaten on 110, and Hampshire just above par on 273, with Nancy Harman replicating Norgrove’s earlier endeavour.
Scrivens was supreme from the off, showing complete control over where her shots were going. The innings wasn’t built around big shots, but constant accumulation.
Her top-order all rolled with her. Lissy MacLeod was brisk in her 25 – adding 47 for the opening stand – before Jo Gardner came in.
Gardner wasn’t in the starting XI, but fielded the majority of the innings after Flo Miller injured herself trying to stop a boundary in the second over, before formally entering the match after Cordelia Griffith suffered a concussion while fielding.
She took her chance by keeping the scoreboard ticking in a 71-run alliance with Scrivens, but departed for 23 when she slapped to mid off.
Jodi Grewcock followed on, scoring at over a run-a-ball but only scoring three boundaries, in her 33, with 70 runs added with the accelerating Scrivens.
She chipped to cover with 86 still required, with Essex stumbling as the required rate climbed, and Smith gained complete control of the game and put herself at the top of the leading wicket-takers in the One-Day Cup.
Eva Gray, Scrivens, Coppack and Esmae MacGregor were caught, and Amara Carr stumped, all trying to keep the visitors in touch, but they fell 17 runs short.
Come down to Chelmsford this summer to watch the Eagles live in our new T20 shirt.
Our first home Vitality Blast T20 fixture features a double header - Essex Women v Somerset Women (12pm) & Essex Men v Somerset Men (4pm).
Tickets are still available via our Ticket Site, so have a browse and get your Vitality Blast T20 tickets booked.
Essex Women make the trip to the Utilita Bowl on Sunday to face Hampshire Women in the next Metro Bank One Day Cup fixture.
The 50-over competition resumes as Essex travel to Southampton for Matchday 6, where they will take on a Hampshire side who currently sit in third position in the table.
This fixture is the penultimate match before the Vitality Blast campaign gets underway later this month.
Essex Women have named a 13-player squad for the trip down the M3 on Sunday, who will be captained by Grace Scrivens who struck the first century of the season during the last outing against The Blaze on Tuesday.
Sophie Munro is the only absentee through injury and she remains sidelined since featuring in the match versus Warwickshire in late April.
Hampshire Women have enjoyed a strong start to the season with only one defeat from the opening five 50-over fixtures. After losing Head Coach Charlotte Edwards to England on the eve of the season, former Essex hero Paul Prichard has taken up the role on an interim basis after previously being the team's bowling coach.
Batter, Ella May McCaughan is the competition's fourth highest run-scorer so far this season, whilst the top order also includes England internationals Maia Bouchier and Georgia Adams, who captains the side.
The Hawks' star name in the bowling department is England's Lauren Bell who has 8 wickets from her four Metro Bank One Day Cup appearances in 2025.
Hampshire Hawks squad: Georgia Adams (captain), Charli Knott, Maia Bouchier, Lauren Bell, Freya Kemp, Nancy Harman, Linsey Smith, Rhianna Southby, Ella McCaughan, Mary Taylor, Freya Davies, Bex Tyson, Naomi Dattani, Megan Sturge, Ava Lee, Abi Norgrove, Daisy Mullan, Poppy Tulloch (rookie), Daisy Gibb (rookie).
The big questions: What is life like without Charlotte Edwards? During her tenure at Utilita Bowl, Edwards won seven trophies and improved countless cricketers. It was little surprise England came calling. Paul Pritchard steps out of her shadow, with an impressive cast including James Hibberd, Beth Morgan and Ian Cox supporting him.
Player to watch: Last season, Vipers didn’t win a match when Charli Knott wasn’t playing. In 50-over cricket, she scored two fifties and a century in her effective style, plus 16 off-spin wickets. She has all the hallmarks of being Australia’s next biggest superstar – and recently earned her first international call-up after a breakout winter in her homeland.
Young gun: Abi Norgrove captained England Under-19s to a World Cup semi-final over the winter. Offers maturity beyond her years and steady middle-order batting. Very difficult to dislodge when she is in full flow.
Final thought: Along with Edwards, senior players have moved on from the south coast. Charlie Dean, Emily Windsor, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Monaghan and Georgia Elwiss have all left, with little experience replacing them – with the exception of Naomi Dattani. There is plenty of young talent coming through, but can they step up? Ellyse Perry’s two-match cameo is hugely exciting.
If you are unable to attend any of the match days, the game will be available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone, which includes a Live Stream courtesy of our hosts.
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 Essex Women's X account.
Essex Cricket is delighted to announce a new five-year agreement with Greene King, which will see the UK’s leading pub retailer and brewer continue as the Club’s Official Beer Partner until 2029.
This renewed commitment builds on a long-standing relationship that started in 2015, with Greene King’s range of drinks available at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground on matchdays and non-matchdays. The partnership has expanded the Club’s matchday beverage offering, including the introduction of matchday beer festivals during the cricket season.
Essex Cricket Chief Executive Officer, Dan Feist, said: “Greene King have played a significant role in our matchday offering, and the past 10 years has including vast improvements to our drink’s menu, service and fan experience at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
“We’ve had fantastic feedback from our Members and supporters since the partnership began and are thrilled to be continuing this partnership to help create even more memorable matchdays.”
Greene King quote, added: Gary Simpson, Regional Sales Manager at Greene King, added: “We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Essex Cricket and supporting their cricket community. We’re excited to kick-start the announcement with the Greene King Cask Ale Festival this weekend and we look forward to seeing fans and members enjoying our brilliant beers, including our 'legendary' craft session IPA, Level Head.”
Greene King Cask Ale Festival at Essex v Yorkshire: To celebrate the renewed partnership, Essex Cricket and Greene King will host a Greene King Cask Ale Festival during the Rothesay County Championship fixture against Yorkshire, which takes place from Friday 09 - Monday 12 May at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
Spectators attending across the four days can enjoy a special selection of 11 cask ales from Greene King’s award-winning range. available at the ground while stocks last.
It’s the perfect opportunity for supporters to try the extended range of drink’s available during Essex’s next match in the 2025 campaign.
Greene King is the country’s leading pub retailer and brewer, running over 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels in towns, villages and city-centre high streets across England, Wales and Scotland.
They are a proud, long-term supporter of sports clubs and associations throughout the UK.
With a rich heritage of over 200 years, they brew award-winning beers and operate managed, tenanted, leased and franchised pubs from their headquarters in Bury St. Edmunds.
This week's match is the final red-ball match at Chelmsford before we switch to the start of the T20 campaign. Essex will go in search of a second win in the Rothesay County Championship to propel them back up the the Division One table.
Yorkshire are the visitors and it will be a busy matchday on and off the field of play over the course of the four days.
Match tickets are still available to purchase in advance for this match and entry is free of charge for Members.
Fans of all ages can also upgrade their matchday ticket to access The Doug Insole Pavilion (+ £7.50) or The Scrutton Bland Premier Suite (+£20). Both upgrades can be purchased online where the price of the matchday ticket and upgrade has been bundled into one.
Tickets are available on the gate for £22 or for the cheaper price of £16 for those who buy in advance.
We will be hosting a special Greene King Cask Ale Festival across the match with 11 different ales to try.
The festival will be located in the Level Head Bar area of the ground, behind the Doug Insole Pavilion and options are whilst stocks last.
We're proud to announce the installation of our new war memorial, which honours the Essex cricketers who lost their lives during the two World Wars.
It will be officially unveiled on Day Two of this weekend’s game versus Yorkshire, with supporters welcome to join the ceremony during the lunch break.
Gates open from 10am on all four days via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street or the Tees River Gate, which is closest to Chelmsford City Centre and the Bus/Train Stations.
Toss (Day One): 10:30am
Morning Session: 11am-1pm
Afternoon Session: 1:40pm-3:40pm
Evening Session: 4:10pm-6pm
Close of Play: 6pm
Rothesay County Championship cricket is part of the 2025 Membership and Members are required to scan cards on entry. All Members should have now received 2025 Membership cards and it'll be necessary to scan an active 2025 Membership card to gain entry to the ground.
The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchasing tickets and scorecards on the gates, plus food and drink purchases in the Doug Insole Pavilion and concourse areas.
Scorecards will be available for £1 on the Tees River Gate via contactless payment, however, cash purchases can be made in the Essex Cricket Store.
Accessible Parking:
Accessible car parking spaces are located at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that these cannot be pre-booked before visiting to provide an equal opportunity for all supporters.
Accessible Seating:
Accessible seating can be found in the Graham Gooch End of the ground and a wheelchair-accessible platform is located in Block One of the Tom Pearce Stand.
Carers can enter the ground on a companion ticket which is free of charge. This is upon the presentation in the Membership & Ticketing Office or on the gate with proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old.
Accessible Facilities:
The accessible toilets located at the rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion have been refurbished for the 2025 season, while accessible toilet facilities are still available by Block 31.
We can also accept a Blue Badge and Access card.
In the event of adverse weather conditions on the day of the match, please keep up to date with the prospects of play via the Club's X and Facebook channels.
Parking:
• Spectators travelling by car will need to locate a public car park in the proximity of the ground as there is no parking available on-site at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground.
• The High Chelmer multi-storey will be open across all four days. View opening hours and tariffs for city centre public car parks - here
• The Meteor Way car park is available for Members to pre-book on Saturday 10, Sunday 11 and Monday 12 May but all advanced spaces are sold out for Friday 09 May. There are a very limited number of spaces available on the day available on a first come, first served basis. We advise that Members pre-book for £2.50 as spaces are not guaranteed to be available on the day and the price of parking on the day will increase to £3.50. Meteor Way car park will close 30 minutes after the end of play - Book Here
Public Transport:
• Chelmsford Bus Station is situated on Duke Street, next to Chelmsford Train Station, with connections to all over the county. Alternatively, bus numbers 13, 46 and C1 shuttles, stop on New London Road, which is approximately a two-minute walk to the Ground, via New Writtle Street.
• Chelmsford Railway Station, managed by Greater Anglia, is about a 10-minute stroll from The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground. Direct train services depart regularly from Chelmsford to London, Stratford, Shenfield, Romford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Chelmsford is situated on the Liverpool Street to Norwich mainline.
• Spectators are able to enter the ground via the Main Gate located on New Writtle Street or through the Tees River Gate. Please note that all ticket collections will need to take place at the Main Gate.
• For the safety of everyone at the ground, there will be bag checks in operation and security present throughout the fixture.
• In the event of rain forecast on the day of the match, spectators can bring a small umbrella into the ground but metal spiked umbrellas are not permitted.
Members:
• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for Members upon the presentation of a valid Membership card and accessible by entering the ground through the Main Gate.
• Members are not required to pre-book a match ticket and can enter by scanning their Membership card on the gate. If you require a replacement card, please get in contact with the Membership & Ticketing Office before the fixture to arrange a replacement or this may cause delays on entry for you and other spectators.
• Entry to this fixture is included in 2025 Membership and encourage Members to arrive in plenty of time to secure your seat. All seating for Championship games is Unallocated and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• There will be an open ground for this match allowing spectators to walk around the whole concourse area at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground with access to the Club Store and other facilities.
Members will still have access to dedicated Members' seating areas which will be located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for Members and general public.
General Public Seating:
• Supporters who have purchased tickets can enter the ground by scanning the QR on your tickets that has been sent to you via email following your purchase. If you choose to print out your ticket, please ensure that the match details (including name and seat details) are included as per the image below. Make sure you have your match ticket available on your phone or printed out so it is easily accessible for ticket scanning on arrival. Please do not take a ‘screen grab’ of your QR code as that will not be read by the scanners.
• Ticket holders can sit in all areas of the ground for this match, except for the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower stands.
• Spectators are welcome to enter the pitch during the lunch & tea breaks when instructed over PA or by a member of the Club's stewarding team. Please follow the guidance to the specific areas permitted to enter and please respect the playing surface. We encourage spectators to play on the outfield but please use softballs.
• Spectators are permitted to walk around the full concourse area with better access to the Club Store and other facilities.
Members will still have exclusive access to dedicated Members' seating areas, which are located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for both Members and general public.
Please note that seating for Rothesay County Championship fixtures is unallocated so will be available on a first come, first served basis.
• Spectators are permitted to move behind the Doug Insole Pavilion but please respect the players' area and walkway.
• A faith and reflection room is available for all spectators who wish to use this facility. It is open for the duration of the match and located within the Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.
• The Membership & Ticketing Office and Club Store will be open for spectators for the duration of your visit.
• The Peter Edwards Museum & Library is located on-site adjacent to the Essex Cricket Store and will be open for the duration of the game.
• If you experience any anti-social or discriminatory behaviour during your visit to The Cloud County Ground then, please contact your nearest steward. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or text 'CROWD' including your stand and issue to 60066.
• Free Wi-Fi is available at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground for every matchday giving supporters the opportunity to access the internet and the Club's live stream online. Simply logon to ‘EC-Public’ from your seat to access.
• At the Doug Insole Pavilion, you can enjoy a diverse selection of hot and cold beverages from the bar, along with a variety of snacks for purchase.
• Anne's Pantry will be offering a choice of home-cooked meals, cakes/snacks, and drinks from their refreshment kiosks located in the Graham Gooch End and Sir Alastair Cook End.
They will be serving a range of meals suitable for all dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free, as well as children's portions.
• Other refreshment kiosks include bar areas located at either end of the ground in County Corner and Spinners Bar, serving drinks and snacks.
• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground for this fixture but please ensure all bags can be stored underneath your seat. A limit of four cans of beer/lager or one bottle of wine per person is in place for this fixture and there is strictly no glass or sharp objects permitted into the ground.
• The Greene King Cask Ale Beer Festival will be located behind the Doug Insole Pavilion in the Level Head Bar. There will be a choice of 11 cask ales available to purchase, all priced at £5.50 per pint or £2.75 per half pint.
View the full range - here.
At the conclusion of the day's play, we ask spectators to leave the ground in a safe and patient manner. Stewards will be on hand to help direct you safely out of the ground.
We hope you have an enjoyable visit to The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground and further information regarding the match, including squad announcements and a full match preview will be available on www.essexcricket.org.uk ahead of the match.
Get in touch with us by email if you have any further questions at [email protected] or via the Club's official Twitter and Facebook channels.
Our live stream will be available to watch over the four days with multi-angled ball tracking, replays and commentary courtesy of BBC Essex. Head to the Essex Cricket Matchzone to watch the action live ahead of the toss on Day One, plus view an interactive scorecard, stats and individual match clips.
The match will be an opportunity for spectators to enjoy a Greene King Cask Ale beer festival, with 11 different ales to try over the course of the four days, whilst stocks last.
Chris Silverwood has named a 12-player squad for our final home match before the Vitality Blast takes centre stage at Chelmsford in June.
Robin Das returns to the matchday squad for the first time in 2025 following Jordan Cox and Paul Walter suffering abdominal muscle and hamstring injuries respectively.
Head Coach Anthony McGrath has returned home following nine successful seasons as Essex’s assistant coach, head coach and director of cricket, while ex-international all-rounder Gavin Hamilton has filled the newly-created general manager of cricket post. Seamer Jack White has signed from Northamptonshire, helping replace Surrey-bound Matthew Fisher. New Zealand quick Ben Sears and Australians Jordan Buckingham (seamer) and Will Sutherland (all-rounder) will fulfil overseas duties during the first half of 2025.
A new era at Headingley sees the county under new leadership both on and off the field. Jonny Bairstow’s appointment as their new red-ball captain indicates his availability across the entire campaign - a huge boost for a county who finished second behind Division Two champions Sussex last season courtesy of five wins in their last seven games.
Yorkshire squad: Jonny Bairstow (c), Finlay Bean, Dom Bess, Jordan Buckingham, Ben Coad, Harry Duke, George Hill, Adam Lyth, Dan Moriarty, Matthew Revis, Jonathan Tattersall, Jordan Thompson, James Wharton, Jack White.
Sam Cook made history by reaching 200 first-class wickets as Essex secured a dramatic one-wicket victory over Yorkshire at Headingley in 2022. Cook became the first English bowler in over 50 years to achieve this milestone at an average under 20, matching Derbyshire’s Alan Ward in 1971. Cook's 3/31 helped bowl Yorkshire out for 134 on a rain-affected opening day.
Cook’s performance was complemented by Shane Snater’s 3/39, while Jamie Porter and Ben Allison took two wickets each. Essex’s bowlers capitalised, vindicating captain Tom Westley’s decision to bowl first. Rain prevented further play after tea, with Essex yet to start their innings.
Essex took a 91-run lead after racking up 225 in their innings, thanks to 61 from Dan Lawrence. Shane Snater's memorable match with the bat started by a destructive 46 runs off 48 balls, with Jordan Thompson the stand-out bowler for Yorkshire, taking 4/60.
Yorkshire, still in relegation danger, fought back in their second innings, posting 252, with Ben Coad’s aggressive 69 helping them recover. However, Essex's bowlers remained resilient, led by Porter (4/64) and Critchley (3/59).
With a target of 162 for a first Championship win at Headingley since 1984, it was Snater who shined against with the bat smashing a special unbeaten 68 despite Steve Patterson’s 5/46.
Snater’s counter-attacking innings, including a vital 63-run partnership with Ben Allison, turned the tide after Essex slipped from 51/2 to 64/6. As the game hung in the balance with just one wicket remaining, Snater’s composed finish, including the winning run, sealed back-to-back victories for Essex.
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.
Members of both counties are free to sit in any available and vacant seat, though the Doug Insole Pavilion benches and blocks 1-14 and 27-31 are reserved specifically for member’s use only.
Should you want have access to Member’s areas during a matchday, we have the ‘Adult Member Area Upgrade’ available at an extra cost to general admission.
Meanwhile, advanced general admission tickets are priced at £16.00 for adults (£22.00 on the day), while young adults aged between 18 and 25 can purchase for £12.00 (£16.00 on the day) and under-18 tickets for £6.00.
Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling 01245 254010.
