Everyone at Essex Cricket would like to wish our Members, supporters and sponsors a Happy New Year!
The Club are looking forward to an exciting year on and off the field with the 2022 fixtures set to be released in the coming weeks.
With all of our squads now preparing to get back out in the middle, enjoy a review of the First Team’s campaign last year which included a number of memorable moments.
Sam Cook took the top award in this year’s End of Season Awards and named as the 2021 DeVines Player of the Year.
The annual event again took place virtually and aired this week on Essex Cricket TV. It’s still available to view with your chance to hear from members of the First Team and coaches, as well as highlights from the season.
The Player Awards also include the main winners of our other squads across the Club including the Women’s side, Ability team and Academy.
Thank you to everyone who voted for the Performance of the Year at the end of the season and it will also be your chance to see more of the nominees after some special moments.
Miss the End of Season Awards? You can watch it back now below or via our Essex Cricket TV YouTube channel.
• First XI Young Player of the Year supported by Felsted School: Josh Rymell
• Academy Player of the Year supported by Allen Ford: Jamal Richards
• Ability Player of the Year: Ben Aust
• Women’s Player of the Year supported by Felsted School: Catherine Dalton
• Second XI Player of the Year: Will Buttleman
• Performance of the Year supported by R&D Advisors: Josh Rymell (121 off 130 balls v Yorkshire Vikings in the Royal London Cup)
• Bowler of the Year supported by D&B Scaffolding: Sam Cook
• Batter of the Year supported by Weston Homes: Tom Westley
• Eagles Player of the Year supported by Woodland Group: Simon Harmer
• Players’ Player of the Year supported by Cloudfm: Simon Harmer
• DeVines Player of the Year: Sam Cook
Don’t miss out on buying your Essex gifts and Memberships in time for Christmas!
The Essex Cricket Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open on the following hours during the festive period:
Saturday 18-Sunday 19 December: 10am-2pm
Monday 20-Thursday 23 December: 9am-5:30pm
Christmas Eve-New Year’s Day: Closed
From Wednesday 5 January: Regular opening hours resume
The final postal day for deliveries in time for Christmas is Monday 20 December.
Saturday 18-Sunday 19 December: Closed
Monday 20-Tuesday 21 December: 9am-5pm (Phone – 01245 254010, 10am-4pm)
Wednesday 22 December – Tuesday 4 January: Closed
From Wednesday 5 January: Regular opening hours resume
Memberships for the 2022 season can be purchased online here and all Membership enquiries can be emailed to [email protected].
We would like to wish all of our supporters a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
As we approach the end of 2021, look back on another year which included the return of spectators, a semi-final clash and a farewell to a legend.
The stage is set for our annual End of Season Awards which will be available to view on our Essex Cricket TV YouTube channel at 3pm on Monday 27 December.
Join us for a special feature-length programme that includes highlights from the campaign, interviews with members of the squad and coaching staff, plus the Player Awards with your chance to see who will be named the DeVines Player of the Year!
The End of Season Awards will be available to view via the Club’s Essex Cricket TV YouTube channel, as well as via essexcricket.org.uk.
Essex County Cricket Club are delighted to announce that Simon Harmer has committed his long-term future by signing a new contract extension.
The spinner, who joined the Club in 2017, has penned a four-year contract that will see him remain at Chelmsford until at the least the end of the 2026 season.
Harmer, 32, has had another stellar season taking 90 wickets for Essex across all formats, which included two 10-wicket hauls in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
These figures culminated in Harmer picking up the PCA Men’s Domestic Overall MVP for a third successive season after his all-round performances with bat and ball.
Harmer is delighted to have extended his time with Essex and said: “The Club gave me an opportunity in 2017 for which I will always be grateful.
“Everyone associated with the Club have always made me and my family feel welcome since arriving. I’m proud to have committed my future and looking forward to continue making Essex my home for the next five years.
“The progress this team has made under Anthony McGrath is a major factor to signing and I believe the Members and supporters should be excited about what’s to come from this talented group of players.
“I’m determined to continue developing my game across all formats and look forward to contributing to further success, both on and off the field, over the next five years.”
Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, said: “Harmy has been an important part of our success in recent years and I’m delighted he’s committed his long-term future to Essex.
“He’s an important leader for us on and off the field and this is a real signal of intent from both him and the Club.
“The talent we have within this team is incredible and his match-winning skills will be instrumental for our plans to achieve further success in the future.”
Chief Executive, John Stephenson, added: “Simon is fundamental to our plans moving forward and it’s a huge boost for the squad going into the new season.
“We are looking to build a squad that is capable of competing across all formats next season and having Simon alongside the likes of Tom, Alastair and new recruit, Matt Critchley, will make us formidable opponents in white and red-ball cricket.
“He has made a considerable impact on county cricket and I’m delighted that Members and supporters are going to be able to enjoy watching Simon Harmer in an Essex shirt over the course of the next five seasons.”
Essex County Cricket Club are delighted to announce that wicket-keeper batsmen, Adam Wheater and Will Buttleman have signed new contracts with the Club.
Wheater, 31, is enjoying his second spell at The Cloudfm County Ground after rejoining the Club in 2016, amassing 201 appearances across all formats.
He has had one of his most productive campaigns behind stumps with 51 dismissals, whilst also scoring 891 runs.
Chelmsford-born, Buttleman, becomes the fifth Academy graduate to commit his future to Essex this week. The 2021 season has given the 21-year-old valuable first team experience and saw him make his Eagles debut in the Vitality Blast and Royal London Cup.
Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, said: “We are lucky to have three quality keepers in our ranks, which allows us to have healthy competition for places in each format.”
“Adam is an important senior player in our squad and a good role model for Will and Michael Pepper to learn from. He’s been another one of our consistent performers this year and it’s great to have him with us for the next two years.
“Will enjoyed some time with the gloves whilst Adam was out injured this year and he performed well.
“White-ball cricket has presented us with opportunities to blood our youngsters in the first team. Will gained some valuable experience at the top of the order and next season will be another chance for him to impress us and challenge for a place in the side.”
Chief Executive, John Stephenson, added: “Adam and Will are the latest players to commit their futures and it’s fantastic that we’ve been able to secure so many new contracts through to the 2023 season.
“The new season will be demanding as ever with a busy schedule of domestic and international cricket, so it’s great to give Anthony McGrath, Tom Westley and Simon Harmer the options to bring us success in 2022.”
Aron Nijjar is the latest Essex player to commit his future to the Club by signing a new two-year deal.
The spinner enjoyed a productive season in white-ball cricket in 2021 and his new contract will see him extend his stay at the Club until 2023.
The 27-year-old was ever-present for the Eagles this year, taking a combined 25 wickets across all 23 matches in the Vitality Blast and Royal London Cup.
Nijjar said: “I’ve really enjoyed playing an important role in the side this season, especially being trusted with the ball during key overs of the match.
“I feel my game has developed over the past few years and having world-class spinners at the Club has allowed me to learn and continue broadening my skills.”
Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, said: “Aron has excelled in white-ball cricket and consistently performed as our spin option alongside Simon Harmer.
“His figures this year are a testament to the hard work he has put in and he’ll only continue to get better over the next two years at the Club.”
Essex County Cricket Club are pleased to announce that Paul Walter has signed a new contract with the Club.
The 27-year-old all-rounder will remain at the Club until at least the end of the 2023 season after penning a two-year contract extension.
Walter was a mainstay in the Championship side in 2021, making 13 first-class appearances. His highest score of 96 came against Gloucestershire in September and contributed towards 544 runs in the competition this year.
Paul said on signing his new contract: “I proud to have a new two-year deal with my home county and I feel the next couple of seasons are going to be really important for my career.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge and having a strong winter so I can nail down my position in a talented side.
“We’ve enjoyed some unbelievable success since I made my first-class debut in 2016 and I want to contribute as much as I can to bring more trophies to Essex.”
Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, said: “Paul has developed into an impressive county cricketer following his step up from Essex League cricket during my first year at the Club.
“He has an important role to play for us over the next two years, especially following the departure of Ryan ten Doeschate. I believe he can stake a real claim in our middle order if he continues to work hard and apply his skills like I know he can.”
Don’t miss out on buying your Essex gifts and Memberships in time for Christmas!
The Essex Cricket Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open on the following hours during the festive period:
Saturday 18-Sunday 19 December: 10am-2pm
Monday 20-Thursday 23 December: 9am-5:30pm
Christmas Eve-New Year’s Day: Closed
From Wednesday 5 January: Regular opening hours resume
The final postal day for deliveries in time for Christmas is Monday 20 December.
Saturday 18-Sunday 19 December: Closed
Monday 20-Tuesday 21 December: 9am-5pm (Phone – 01245 254010, 10am-4pm)
Wednesday 22 December – Tuesday 4 January: Closed
From Wednesday 5 January: Regular opening hours resume
Memberships for the 2022 season can be purchased online here and all Membership enquiries can be emailed to [email protected].
We would like to wish all of our supporters a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Shane Snater has committed his future to Essex County Cricket Club by signing a new two-year contract.
The 25-year-old bowler has extended his stay with the Club until 2023 after enjoying an impressive campaign in both red and white-ball cricket, taking 46 wickets across all three formats.
Following his Essex first-class debut against Worcestershire in April, Snater took 31 wickets in the LV= Insurance County Championship at an average of 16.48.
His standout performance came against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge where his career-best figures of 7/98 were one of two 5-wicket hauls in 2021.
Snater expressed after signing: “It’s been a special season for me after staking my claim in the first team and I feel that I’ve been able to reward the faith shown with wickets and important runs with the bat.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what the next two years has in store for me both with Essex and the Netherlands. Hopefully, I can continue to play my part for the team so we can push to reclaim the County Championship title and experience more white-ball success.”
Head Coach, Anthony McGrath said: “Shane has had to be patient for his opportunity with the amount of talent we have available in our squad but he should be proud of the season he has had in an Essex shirt.
“We always knew the skills he could bring to the team and, although he missed some of the Royal London Cup with an injury, he was one of our most consistent performers throughout the season.
“Shane is going to be an important player for us next year and I’m looking forward to seeing him hone his skills and develop his game even further.”
