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Daniel Sams has been ruled out of the remainder of Essex’s Vitality Blast campaign this summer due to a knee injury.

Sams, who returned for a third Blast stint at The Cloud County Ground after being named the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 tournament, sustained the injury against Sussex Sharks two weeks ago.

With that injury’s severity now clear, the decision has been taken for Sams to play no further part in this year’s Blast, and he has now returned home to Australia.

“It’s been great [to come back here],” said Sams. “My wife and I really enjoy coming back here, and we’ve made some really good friends with the guys and their partners.

“It is what it is. I’ve been pretty lucky throughout my career with injuries, so I’ll just have to go home now and recover as best as I can.”

Essex return to shortest-format action on Friday 05 July, with a return fixture against last season’s final opponents Somerset at The Cloud County Ground.

From there, Anthony McGrath’s men host further games against Kent Spitfires and Surrey, as well as facing trips to Glamorgan, Sussex Sharks, and Hampshire Hawks.
 

Michael Pepper has been named in the MVP Men’s Team of the Month for June following his outstanding performances with the bat.

Using the MVP’s unique algorithm, powered by Argentex, the men and women’s sides have been picked by choosing the game’s top performers across domestic cricket in June.

In the men’s game, the month was dominated by the Vitality Blast, alongside a round and a day being completed in the Vitality County Championship. Essex wicketkeeper-batter Michael Pepper captains the side having scored a brilliant 170.15 MVP points during in June, largely thanks to his 326 T20 runs, including a century against Middlesex. The 26-year-old finished the month as the highest scoring batter with 133.15 batting points.

Surrey’s Sean Abbott and Gloucestershire’s David Payne take two of the fast bowling spots having amassed 87.19 and 80.12 MVP bowling points respectively. Warwickshire teammates Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell also impressed, earning a place in the side for the first time.

In the women’s game, the first silverware of the season was handed out as The Blaze won the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Kathryn Bryce picked up the competition MVP. The Scottish batter also captains this month’s side having secured a phenomenal 166.70 MVP points during June and finished as the leading batter with 134.81 batting points.

A brace of players maintain their positions in the side with Bryce and Southern Vipers Charli Knott impressing in consecutive months. Sarah Bryce also produced consistent performances in June picking up 40 fielding points thanks to her 11 stumpings and four catches, whilst Heather Graham picked up the most bowling MVP points with 71.20.

The PCA’s MVP system works by comparing a player’s accomplishments against the expected performance for that game. Runs and wickets achieved at each ground are also considered and compared to the average. Enabling players to score or lose MVP points on every ball through CricViz’s extensive historical database, the rankings are a true reflection of performance.

The teams have been selected using a traditional, balanced side. This means that a player such as Surrey’s Dan Lawrence is unfortunate to miss out, despite finishing sixth in the rankings for the month, he was ultimately outscored by other all-rounders like Bethell. Likewise, Sophia Dunkley finished sixth in the batting rankings but didn’t quite do enough to make the side.

Men’s MVP Team of the Month:

1. Rishi Patel – 125.12
2. Luke Wells – 137.13
3. Aneurin Donald – 119.06
4. James Vince – 128.92
5. Jamie Smith – 141.82
6. Jacob Bethell – 152.71
7. Michael Pepper – 170.15 (C, WK)
8. Dan Mousley – 156.52
9. David Payne – 96.61
10. Sean Abbott – 103.98
11. Richard Gleeson – 82.79

Women’s MVP Team of the Month:

1. Grace Scrivens – 114.66
2. Hollie Armitage – 138.81
3. Heather Knight – 90.44
4. Kathryn Bryce – 166.70 (C)
5. Sarah Bryce – 119.45 (WK)
6. Georgia Adams – 114.15
7. Charli Knott – 94.47
8. Charlie Dean – 90.00
9. Heather Graham – 90.56
10. Linsey Smith – 79.60
11. Tilly Corteen-Coleman – 76.52

When Jamie Porter dismissed Jordan Clark for 30 in Surrey’s second innings at the Kia Oval on Tuesday 02 July, he reached the latest milestone in his exceptional career of 500 first-class wickets.

In honour of that exceptional achievement, this is a look back across the scalps taken by one of Essex’s best in recent times.

Porter’s bunnies

Like almost all bowlers, Porter is no stranger to having a ‘bunny’ – a batter he has dismissed more than any other – and his is Warwickshire man Alex Davies.

Porter has removed the former Lancashire player seven times in first-class cricket – five times while he was playing for the Red Rose and twice more recently since he made the move to the Bears.

On one occasion at The Cloud County Ground in April 2018, Porter dismissed Davies in both innings of a 31-run win over Lancashire; first caught by Ryan ten Doeschate and latterly pinned lbw.

While Davies stands alone at the top, Tom Abell, Haseeb Hameed, and Steven Patterson are close behind, falling to Porter six times each, while he has seen off eight further batters five times each.

Success against Surrey and Somerset

Given his success against Davies and former Somerset captain Abell, it is perhaps unsurprising that Porter has been prolific against the West Country outfit as well as Lancashire.

His 40 wickets against the Red Rose put them third in his list, while he has taken 48 scalps against second-placed Somerset.

However, standing clear at the top, having lost 51 wickets to Porter, are – in an eye-catching twist considering who he has just claimed his 500th against – Surrey.

Meanwhile, Porter’s best average against another county is the 16.72 he holds over Northamptonshire, having claimed 22 wickets against them.

Three-way tie for his favourite ground

Almost exactly half of Porter’s 500 have come at The Cloud County Ground – 249, to be exact – while it is a three-way tie for the away ground at which he is most successful.

Trent Bridge, home to Nottinghamshire, and Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl share that particular crown with Old Trafford in Lancashire.

Porter has taken 18 wickets apiece at all of those grounds, with the Home of Cricket, Lord’s, just one behind on 17, while the Spitfire Ground St Lawrence in Canterbury has seen him claim 16.

In all, he has claimed a combined 235 at 17 other first-class county grounds and five further outgrounds, a total that includes the five wickets he took in two matches at Castle Park in Colchester.

All the milestones

While 500 is the most momentous milestone Porter has reached so far, his huge haul of first-class scalps has taken in several other big moments along the way – and many of them against Kent.

His very first wicket in the format came all the way back in September 2014, when – on Championship debut against Kent in Chelmsford – he pinned county stalwart Darren Stevens lbw for 11.

His 100th wicket, just under two years later, was also against Kent at home, with the man in question being Fabian Cowdrey, caught for 15.

Since then, his 200th was Tom Alsop against Hampshire in 2017, his 300th followed in 2019 when he saw off Azhar Ali against Somerset, and his 400th was Ben Compton, once more against Kent, in 2022.

Friends in the field

Naturally, the amount of his wickets that have been caught have led to a lot of common combinations, and the one that leads the way is ‘c Foster b Porter’.

That particular line has been on a scorecard no fewer than 45 times, and is comfortably clear of Porter’s second-highest partnership, which is the 33 he has taken with Adam Wheater.

While those two will forever remain set, with both Foster and Wheater having hung up their wicketkeeping gloves, the man in third could yet increase his catching tally off Porter’s bowling.

Behind the 33 catches of Wheater are the 26 of Simon Harmer, with the South African’s love of a stunning grab making it feel likely that that combination could surpass Wheater.

The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground

Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex are now back in Vitality Blast action for 2024.

With the Eagles sitting fourth in the South Group and firmly in contention for another knockout match, demand for tickets remains exceptionally high.

As Essex continue to aim towards going one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.

Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – SOLD OUT
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Michael Pepper has been nominated for the June PCA Player of the Month award after enjoying a stellar month with the bat.

The top four men’s and women’s domestic players have been announced using the PCA’s Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by Argentex, with a trophy for the winners the coveted prize.

Pepper demonstrated his prowess with 170 MVP points in June, leading the way in the PCA’s Most Valuable Player Rankings.

Warwickshire duo Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell are also nominated and occupy second and third place respectively while Surrey’s Jamie Smith continued his fine form, culminating in an England Test call up.

Young players have shown their abilities in June as the eight nominees for Player of the Month across the men’s and women’s games have an average age of just 23.5.

The PCA’s Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by Argentex, picks out the game’s top performers across every single fixture. This then forms the rankings for each competition, as well as an overall table which is how the top four is selected.

The MVP takes into account batting, bowling and fielding contributions as well as match defining contributions using a unique algorithm developed with CricViz.

The PCA Player of the Month is decided by a 50:50 split between the PCA MVP Rankings and the public vote on thepca.co.uk – with the poll closing on Wednesday 03 July at 10pm. With a short window to have your say, vote now to pick your winner of the June awards.

>> Vote Now

Men’s Player of the Month

June was dominated by the Vitality Blast in the men’s game with Birmingham Bears and Surrey occupying top spots in the Northern and Southern Groups. The Vitality County Championship continued with round nine and the first day of round 10 taken into consideration for the June award.

• Michael Pepper (Essex)

The Essex wicketkeeper enjoyed a phenomenal month with the bat in the Vitality Blast, scoring 326 runs at an average of 54.3, earning him 170 points.

The 26-year-old picked up two Match MVP awards, the most impressive coming against Middlesex smashing 101 off 44 balls including six maximums. Pepper also took 11 dismissals with the gloves.

• Dan Mousley (Warwickshire)

Showcasing his all-round capabilities, Mousley scored 293 runs across both formats in June alongside taking nine wickets, securing him 157 MVP points.

The 22-year-old picked up a Match MVP award against Derbyshire for his unbeaten 66 off 53 balls as the Bears won by seven wickets. He also picked up notable figures of 3-22 against Notts Outlaws.

• Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)

The Warwickshire all-rounder scored 333 runs in First-Class and T20 cricket during the month and took three wickets as he earned 154 MVP points.

The 20-year-old secured two Match MVPs, securing 39 points for an unbeaten 56 off just 16 balls including seven sixes and figures of 2-18 against Northamptonshire and another 30 points for an unbeaten 71 against Worcestershire.

• Jamie Smith (Surrey)

The Surrey man scored 179 Vitality Blast runs and 187 Vitality County Championship runs in June, alongside five catches, obtaining 142 MVP points.

The 23-year-old picked up a Match MVP award against Somerset thanks to a fabulous knock of 87 off 38 balls which included 14 boundaries. He also scored 100 against Essex on the final day of the month.
 

Noah Thain has been selected in a 14-strong England Under-19 squad for the two upcoming Youth Tests against Sri Lanka.

He has been included in the squad after strong showings so far in the Youth ODIs against the same opposition, with back-to-back half-centuries in the first and second matches of the series.

In the first game at The Cloud County Ground, Thain struck 58 from 69 deliveries, and returned bowling figures of 1/39 from seven overs, taking the wicket of Gayana Weerasinghe.

Yesterday’s second match at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove saw the 19-year-old go even better, hitting 66 from 76 balls as England piled up 360-7 in a fast-scoring 30-run win.

The two Youth Tests will take place at Sir Paul Getty’s Ground in Wormsley, Buckinghamshire from Monday 08 July, and at the College Ground in Cheltenham from Tuesday 16 July.

England Men Under-19s squad

Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire – captain)
Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire)
Charlie Brand (Lancashire)
Jack Carney (unattached)
Jaydn Denly (Kent)
Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire)
Kesh Fonseka (Lancashire)
Alex French (Surrey)
Alex Green (Leicestershire)
Eddie Jack (Hampshire)
Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire)
Ben McKinney (Durham)
Harry Moore (Derbyshire)
Noah Thain (Essex)

The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground

Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex are now back in Vitality Blast action for 2024.

With the Eagles sitting fourth in the South Group and firmly in contention for another knockout match, demand for tickets remains exceptionally high.

As Essex continue to aim towards going one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.

Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – SOLD OUT
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Middlesex v Essex

ECB Women’s County 50-Over

Coggeshall Town CC

Sunday 30 June 2024 | 11:00am

Team News

Middlesex: Saskia Horley, Issy Routledge*, Natasha Miles, Riva Pindoria, Sonali Patel, Georgia Irving, Artemis Downer, Bhavika Gajipra, Iqraa Hussain+, Layla Judge, Anisha Dissanayake

Essex: Jess Bird, Bella Howarth, Jasmine Westley, Tilly Callaghan, Kelly Castle*, Scarlett Hughes, Katherine Speed, Grace Poole, Sophia Mitchell, Hannah Davis, Sally Chapman

Match Details

Umpires: David Braulick & Angela Tuff
Scorers: Joanna Johnson & Carol Bryant
Toss: Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat first

Scorecard: View here

Match Report

A swift Jasmine Westley half-century was not enough for Essex to chase down a tough Middlesex total in the sides’ Women’s County 50-Over clash at Coggeshall Town CC.

Westley struck 64 in just 57 balls, and captain Kelly Castle’s 31 chipped in along with some other solid cameos, but the visitors’ imposing 308-5 proved a bridge too far as Essex could only muster 227.

The Seaxes’ total was underpinned by opener Saskia Horley’s 89 and Natasha Miles’ 69 not out, with their efforts hoisting Middlesex to a big score in spite of Grace Poole’s 2/63.

Visiting captain Issy Routledge won the toss and elected to bat first, and opening alongside Horley, she ensured Middlesex began on the front foot, with a sizeable opening partnership of 142 in 22 overs.

Contained within that was Horley’s half-century, which she reached in the tenth over from 33 balls, having hit 13 fours.

Sally Chapman finally secured the breakthrough for Essex, seeing Horley caught by Jasmine Westley to end her 73-ball stay, though the pair of Routledge and Miles conspired to push the total past 150.

A piece of excellent fielding from Katherine Speed ran out the visiting skipper while she was four short of her fifty, but another good stand between Miles and Riva Pindoria continued to accumulate runs.

Pindoria fell to a Scarlett Hughes catch off the bowling of Tilly Callaghan for 49 from 45, before Poole picked up the first of her brace in the next over by seeing Sonali Patel held by Castle for a duck.

That was moments before Miles went to a 69-ball fifty that contained six fours, with Middlesex scoring runs at such a rate that their challenge from that point being to see if they could post 300.

Their efforts to do so were dented when Poole struck again, bowling Georgia Irving for a run-a-ball 13, though Miles and Artemis Downer did manage to achieve the aim, and more, with a 10-run final over.

It was regular wickets that meant Essex, for all the effort they put in, struggled to match the required rate, though Westley, batting at three, did lead the initial charge.

Her half-century, which came up in the 17th over from just 35 balls, kept the Eagles in contention, as did her fifty partnership with Callaghan, who supported her well for 19.

However, the rate continued to creep upwards, with even Castle’s swift 31 unable to bring the requirement under 10 per over by the 40th.

Speed and Sophia Mitchell did what they could, but when both fell, the end was nigh, and it finally came with a little under five overs to go with the last wicket, at the hands of Horley.

The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground

Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex are now back in Vitality Blast action for 2024.

With the Eagles sitting fourth in the South Group and firmly in contention for another knockout match, demand for tickets remains exceptionally high.

As Essex continue to aim towards going one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.

Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – SOLD OUT
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Surrey v Essex

Vitality County Championship

Kia Oval, London

Sunday 30 June – Wednesday 03 July 2024 | 11am start

 
A massive game beckons in South London from this weekend, as Essex and Surrey, the top two teams in Vitality County Championship Division One, go head-to-head at the Kia Oval.

The Eagles currently sit 12 points behind hosts Surrey, with the magnitude of the game, which will go a long way to deciding the destination of the 2024 title, not lost on anyone.

Anthony McGrath’s side come into the colossal clash after a draw with Durham following a strong showing of resistance between centurion Dean Elgar and captain Tom Westley on the final day.

Having conceded a first-innings deficit of 248, the Eagles were not asked to follow on, and after the visitors’ second dig, were chasing 433 for victory.

Facing down the nominal target, Elgar and Westley instead displayed hugely admirable grit and determination to put on an unbroken stand of 165 for the third wicket in 421 balls and force the draw.

Paul Walter joined Elgar in putting up three figures, having done so in Essex’s first innings, while Simon Harmer took eight wickets as McGrath’s side look to carry every ounce of fight with them to the Oval.

Squad

Head Coach McGrath has named a 13-strong squad to travel to London, with Robin Das replacing Feroze Khushi in the only change to the group that faced Durham.

The Opposition

Surrey have been seen as the juggernaut of English domestic red-ball cricket in recent years, winning three of the last five County Championship titles, including both of the last two.

They won 16 of 28 games in that time, losing just three matches over two years, and have continued their long-running fine form into this summer too, currently sitting top of the division once more.

Two draws from the Brown Caps’ opening two games was a slow start by their standards, but their season kicked into life with back-to-back innings wins over Kent and Hampshire to round out April.

Further victories, against Warwickshire and Worcestershire, followed, although just as they were building momentum, a huge innings-and-278-run loss to Hampshire brought that juddering to a halt.

However, having taken a month’s break for the Vitality Blast, they regrouped to last week record another innings win, this time over Worcestershire at New Road, to establish a 12-point lead at the top.

Dan Lawrence is their leading run-scorer this year, with 568 – 195 behind Jordan Cox, who leads the way for Essex – while Dan Worrall’s 29 wickets mark him out as the Brown Caps’ most effective bowler.

Surrey squad: TBC

Last Time We Met

Although Essex have not played at the Kia Oval in almost two years, a thrilling conclusion played out at The Cloud County Ground the last time these two sides met in first-class cricket in May 2023.

After Tom Westley won the toss and opted to bat, Essex put up 314, with Westley’s 62 the top score and important contributions also coming from Matt Critchley, who hit 60, and Alastair Cook, who made 51.

Surrey responded with 240, as Jamie Porter snared four wickets and Sam Cook and Doug Bracewell picked up two each, giving the Eagles a sizeable first-innings advantage of 74.

The Brown Caps fought back to dismiss Essex for 198 in the second dig, with Nick Browne’s typically resistant 47 leading the way from the top of the order.

That set up a potentially nail-biting conclusion, with Surrey requiring 273 to win, and when the hosts reduced them first to 39-2 at tea, and then 103-6 later in the evening, a victory charge was on.

However, despite continually crowding the bat with fielders, a blockathon from Jamie Smith, who ended unbeaten on 39 from 126 balls, was enough to see Surrey escape with a draw at 153-7.

Division One Table

How To Watch

If you are not able to make it to the Kia Oval in person, the game will be streamed live on the Surrey YouTube channel, and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.

A report and reaction will be published on the Club website after each day’s play via the Club website, while live updates and daily highlights will be provided on the Club’s social media channels.

Tickets

For anyone supporting the Eagles in person in the titanic clash in South London, tickets can be purchased directly from the Kia Oval website.

Tickets are priced at £15 for adults and £1 for juniors if bought in advance, with the adult price rising to £20 if bought on the gate.

For Day One on Sunday, Essex Members are able to purchase tickets at a 50% discount, with further details sent directly to Members.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the link below:

The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground

Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex are now back in Vitality Blast action for 2024.

With the Eagles sitting fourth in the South Group and firmly in contention for another knockout match, demand for tickets remains exceptionally high.

As Essex continue to aim towards going one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.

Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – SOLD OUT
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Batter Feroze Khushi has joined Kent on a short-term loan until 13 July covering one Vitality County Championship game and three Vitality Blast fixtures.

Khushi, 25, will link up with the Canterbury outfit immediately and is available for selection for the side’s Championship trip to Hampshire, which starts on Sunday.

He will also be in contention for the Spitfires’ Blast outings away to Gloucestershire and Surrey, and at home to Sussex Sharks.

Head Coach Anthony McGrath said: “This is a great opportunity for Feroze to play the best cricket possible while he is not the current starting XI.

“He has played nicely this year, but we have incredible depth in our batting ranks and competition for places is extremely high.

“We look forward to welcoming him back having gained more First-Class experience and hopefully scored as many runs as possible.”

The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground

Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex are now back in Vitality Blast action for 2024.

With the Eagles sitting fourth in the South Group and firmly in contention for another knockout match, demand for tickets remains exceptionally high.

As Essex continue to aim towards going one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.

Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – SOLD OUT
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Three of the Club’s up and coming stars went head-to-head in an Eagles edition of the classic game show ‘Mr. and Mrs’.

Luc Benkenstein, Charlie Allison and Noah Thain were quizzed about each other skills, habits, and quirky traits. Expect lots of laughs, some surprising revelations, and maybe even a few disagreements… but all in good fun!

The Essex trio have all joined up with the England Under 19s squad for their upcoming Youth ODI series against Sri Lanka, which begins on Friday 28 June at The Cloud County Ground.

The match begins at 2pm for a day/night match and tickets for the game are available for just £5 Adults and free of charge for Under 18s: