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With the conclusion of the Metro Bank One Day Cup, Overseas all-rounder Beau Webster played the last game of his stint with the Club.

During his eight-game spell as an Eagle, Webster fulfilled his role as a senior player with distinction and finished the competition as Essex’s leading runscorer and wicket-taker. He also realised a dream he had held for many years of playing for Essex after a conversation one night with the then Team Manager of Melbourne Renegades, Mark Pettini.

I used to joke with him (Pettini) that it was my dream to play for the Eagles and somehow we’ve made it happen.

Fans at Chelmsford on Tuesday got a sight of his batting capabilities as he recorded his second half-century of the campaign. He was eventually out for 69, four runs short of his best for the competition which was made against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl. Overall he scored 260 runs at an average of 37.14.

With the ball, his wily variations of seam-up and off-spin bowling helped him play a crucial role with the ball throughout. Often bowling at important moments and death overs, he picked up 14 wickets at an average of 25.57 and an economy of 5.47.

His best figures of 3/37 came against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury, but his experience and skill was to the fore when he bowled the final two overs from The River End in Essex’s victory against Middlesex. In those two overs, two wickets fell and he conceded just five runs.

Hear what Beau had to say on his time as an Eagle:

Kent Spitfires v Essex

Metro Bank One Day Cup

The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

Sunday 20 August 2023, 11am start

Team News:

Essex: Luc Benkenstein, Feroze Khushi, Tom Westley (c), Beau Webster, Charlie Allison, Noah Thain, Will Buttleman (wk), Ben Allison, Jamal Richards, Aaron Beard, Aron Nijjar

Kent Spitfires: Joe Denly, Ben Compton, Jack Leaning, Alex Blake, Harry Finch, Jaydn Denly, Grant Stewart, Hamid Qadri Matt Quinn, Jas Singh, Matt Parkinson.

Match Details:

Umpires: Sue Redfern & Sam Hollingshead
Match Referee: Alec Swann
Toss: Kent won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Kent won by 60 runs

Scorecard: View Here

Match Report:

A star turn from 17-year-old Jaydn Denly helped the Kent Spitfires to a 60-run victory over Essex in the Metro Bank Cup at Canterbury.

Jack Leaning hit a brilliant 137 from 127 balls and Ben Compton made 65 as Kent recovered from a middle-order collapse to post 287 for eight, but it was Denly, playing in the same team as his uncle Joe for the first time, who stole the show by claiming a wicket, a run out and an outrageous catch, as well as finishing as Kent’s third highest run scorer with 37.

Will Buttleman made an unbeaten 50 and Feroze Khushi hit exactly 50 for Essex but the visitors lost wickets too frequently to mount a credible run chase and they were all out for 227, with 5.1 overs remaining.

Grant Stewart, Hamid Qadri and Matt Parkinson all took two wickets for the Spitfires.

History was made at the Spitfire Ground on Sunday, where Joe and Jaydn became the first uncle and nephew to play since the modern club was formed in 1870, and the first since Fuller Pilch and his nephew William appeared together for the “Grand Old Kent XI” 41 times between 1838 and 1854.

In front of a crowd of 2400 Kent chose to bat, but for a third consecutive game they threw away a promising start, having been 130 for one at halfway.

With Daniel Bell-Drummond back on Hundred duty, Uncle Joe opened, but he was the first wicket to fall when he edged Aaron Beard behind for 17.

Compton and Jack Leaning put on 98 for the second wicket, but after what by his standards was a fairly rapid half-century the former was caught behind off Beau Webster in the 25th.

Webster then bowled Alex Blake for one and Beard strangled Harry Finch down the leg side for seven.

Jaydn Denly joined Leaning to steer Kent past 200 but he was bowled for 37 attempting to sweep Webster and Kent’s hopes of passing 300 vanished in the 43rd over, when Aron Nijjar struck twice.

Grant Stewart was out first ball when he played on and Hamid Qadri had made just one when he chipped the bowler to Webster.

When Matt Quinn then drove Richards straight to Nijjar at mid-on four wickets had fallen for five runs in 10 balls, 250 looked a long way off and Leaning was in danger of running out of partners until Jas Singh came in and played the Jack Leach role. Smart running between the wickets saw Leaning to the brink of three figures, which he reached when he punched Beard for a single through mid-on and he then launched an assault in the last two overs.

The 29th, bowled by Ben Allison, went for 13 and a pivotal 27 then came of the 50th, with Leaning hitting Beard for three leg-side sixes and Singh ending on two not out after a match-turning unbeaten stand of 69 from 44 legitimate balls.

Essex were 33 without loss in reply when Luc Benkenstein was run out by Jaydn Denly chasing a second.
Quinn then nearly had Tom Westley caught behind for a duck and although the ball came lose as the diving Finch hit he ground, he was caught behind off Stewart for two in the next over, the seventh.

Webster came in and put some pressure back on the bowlers, but he was out for 26 from 25 balls when Jaydn Denly had him caught at long on by Blake.

The younger Denly then produced what was arguably the game’s champagne moment when he took a sensational diving catch to remove Khushi, who’d just reached 50 and was trying to hit Matt Parkinson through cow corner.

Hamid Qadri struck with only his fourth ball, when he had Noah Thain caught by Stewart at mid-off for 141, before claiming the key wicket of Charlie Allison, lbw for 44.

Parkinson trapped Ben Allison lbw for seven in the 38th and in the next over Beard went in the same fashion to Leaning for two.

Leaning then caught and bowled Jamal Richards with his next delivery and although Buttleman hit the hat-trick ball for six Kent sealed the win when Stewart had Nijjar caught by the sub fielder Nathan Gilchrist.

Essex Cricket is delighted to announce that our Mini Match Play Youth Cricket Tournament will take place this Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 August.

This year, we were pleased to see a record number of applications from various local youth cricket clubs as our Mini Match Play continues to prove extremely popular. We would like to say a huge thank you to our event sponsor, Allen Motor Group.

Their commitment to community development and youth empowerment has shone through once again this year as they have kindly provided free t-shirts and participation medals to all young cricketers taking part. This will provide unforgettable memories of the tournament for every child and we are extremely grateful.

Allen Ford’s sponsorship has not only elevated the tournament experience but also highlights Allen Ford’s dedication to fostering a positive impact in the local community.

This vibrant and competitive youth cricket tournament will see young talents showcase their skills while fostering a spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Featuring enthusiastic young cricketers from across the county, this tournament will provide a platform for aspiring young players to exhibit their cricketing prowess and learn valuable lessons about teamwork, discipline, and healthy competition.

This event is also key in providing a platform for skill development and growth, inspiring the next generation of cricket stars.  The young cricketers had the opportunity to showcase their skills as well as learn from experienced Essex Cricket Community coaches and mentors.

Chloe Leveridge, Youth Engagement Manager at Essex Cricket, commented:

“Essex Cricket is immensely grateful to Allen Ford for their valuable support in making the Mini Match Play Youth Cricket Tournament a resounding success.

This collaboration exemplifies the positive impact that businesses can have on youth development and community engagement. We are so grateful for their generous contributions to the event and most importantly every child taking part will have a brilliant opportunity to play cricket, which is what it’s all about.

Matt Brown, Group Marketing Director at Allen Ford, added:

“At Allen Ford, we are committed to supporting initiatives that nurture talent and promote community well-being. Sponsoring the Essex Cricket Mini Match Play Youth Cricket Tournament aligns perfectly with our values, and we are proud to be playing an active role in creating memorable experiences for these young cricketers.”

ESSEX V NOTTS OUTLAWS
METRO BANK ONE DAY CUP
THE CLOUD COUNTY GROUND, CHELMSFORD
THURSDAY 3 AUGUST | 11AM START

Following a damp first outing in this season’s One Day Cup for Essex, the visit of Notts Outlaws to Chelmsford on Thursday provides another opportunity to kick-start the 50-over campaign in earnest.

Only 42 overs in total were possible against Lancashire in Sedbergh, as rain first delayed the start and reduced the encounter to 36 overs per side, before returning to curtail proceedings in the early stages of Essex’s chase.

Having taken a point from that match, the upcoming clash with Notts will now present a first chance for several of this season’s crop of Eagles to play in front of a Chelmsford crowd.

Charlie Allison, Noah Thain, and Beau Webster all made their List A debuts for Essex on Tuesday, with the latter in particular impressing in a three-wicket return before the rain restarted.

Squad

Simon Harmer continues a scheduled rest from cricket but is still expected to return to play a part later in the group stage.

The Opposition

Notts Outlaws squad: Haseeb Hameed (c), Calvin Harrison, Brett Hutton, Lyndon James, Sammy King, Tom Loten, Ben Martindale, Matthew Montgomery, Dane Patterson, Liam Patterson-White, Toby Pettman, Dane Schadendorf, Fateh Singh, Ben Slater

The only meeting this summer between the sides was back in May, when Trent Bridge played host to a draw in the LV= County Championship in a match that saw both Alastair Cook and Tom Westley register twin fifties.

Since then, Essex have had the upper hand in the four-day game, currently second in Division One and 52 points ahead of the sixth-placed Green and Golds.

Meanwhile, both sides reached the Vitality Blast knockout stages, though it was only Essex who progressed to Finals Day, as the Outlaws, having finished fourth in the North Group, were defeated at Somerset in the last eight.

Last Time We Met

Though the most recent meeting between Essex and Notts was in that aforementioned four-day contest at Trent Bridge earlier this year, the last time there was any contact in the 50-over format was back in 2017.

That was in that year’s semi-finals, and a run-drenched affair unfolded as Essex set the visitors 371 to win as Alastair Cook and Ryan ten Doeschate hit centuries, with the latter’s effort coming in just 66 deliveries.

However, in reply, the Outlaws made use of what was still a belting pitch to chase the target down with three balls to spare thanks to tons from Samit Patel and Steven Mullaney and despite three wickets for Jamie Porter.

Two wickets apiece for Ravi Bopara and Lonwabo Tsotsobe kept the target within reach, and Cook then again shone with 96, which, alongside fifties for James Foster and Bopara, sealed a comfortable seven-wicket win.

Metro Bank One Day Cup Remaining Fixtures

Tickets

Essex Members need only to show their valid card at the gate and are free to sit in any vacant seat anywhere in the ground, though the Doug Insole Pavilion benches and seating blocks 1-14 and 27-31 are reserved specifically for members.

General admission seats are located in blocks 15 to 26 and are unreserved, with the Family Area able to be found in block 23, which is part of the Felsted School Stand.

These are priced at £16 for adults if bought in advance, or £22 at the gate on the day, while young adults aged between 18 and 25 can buy at any time for £11, and under-18 tickets cost just £5.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the link below:

How To Watch

If you are unable to make it to The Cloud County Ground in person, the match will be streamed live and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone or on the Essex Cricket TV YouTube channel.

Live updates will also be provided on the Club’s own social media channels, while highlights will be available after each day’s play via the Essex Cricket website and social channels too.

The 2023 Metro Bank One Day Cup is now just around the proverbial corner, with tomorrow’s trip to Sedbergh School to take on Lancashire firing the starting gun on Essex’s 50-over campaign.

Ahead of a group stage that will see the Eagles face eight fixtures in 22 days, an invitation was sent to several watching pundits to give their predictions on how the competition might play out this year.

Those who contributed are Martin Smith from the ECB Reporters’ Network, Daily Mail cricket correspondent Paul Newman, presenter of BBC Radio Essex’s Around the Wicket Victoria Polley, freelance cricket journalist Ciaran McCarthy, and Aaron Viles of The County Cricket Podcast.
 

First things first, what do you make of Essex’s overall chances in this year’s tournament?

Martin Smith: Because of the exodus of players to The Hundred, and no clear form lines for the competition, it is difficult to assess. An improvement on last year’s sixth place in the group would represent progress.

Paul Newman: Essex have lost quite a few players to the Hundred, but opportunity knocks, and I think this is a great chance for the Eagles to win another trophy. How about a Championship and One Day Cup double to complete the summer?

Victoria Polley: I’m excited to see how Essex do this summer. They need more consistency in results compared to last year to get to the knockout stages, but I think there will be a good mix of experience and young talent in the side to continue what has already been a great summer.

Ciaran McCarthy: I feel as if Essex have a good chance of going all the way. They have a very good core of youth players, and there are some experienced, in-form players alongside them.

Aaron Viles: I think Essex have a strong chance, and I really like the mix of youth and experience that the Eagles have at their disposal this year. With the ever reliable Tom Westley at the helm, Simon Harmer returning to the fold and an exciting crop of youngsters ready to make their impact felt, I reckon Essex will be strong contenders for a top three place in Group A.

Who do you think will be Essex’s leading run-scorer?

MS: Last year’s One Day Cup sparked a resurgence in Tom Westley’s form with two centuries and two fifties in seven innings, and there is no reason why he can’t rise to the occasion again.

PN: I think Robin Das has the chance to make his mark in this competition. He has come off the Wanstead production line and has a great future.

VP: It’s hard to look past the experience of captain Tom Westley, who had a great One Day Cup campaign with the bat last summer too. I also wouldn’t rule out Robin Das continuing to show his class across all formats with the bat this summer.

CM: Robin Das is one to watch after he paired a great introduction to first-class cricket by scoring a ton against Ireland with some good scores in the Blast.

AV: I also can’t look past Tom Westley. The former England man has been in imperious form with the bat in the County Championship and finished as Essex’s second leading run scorer in the One Day Cup last season with 335 runs at 47.85. I think this year he’ll go one better and top the charts.

Captain Tom Westley is being tipped to continue his County Championship form in the white-ball arena

How about the Eagles’ top wicket-taker?

MS: Jamie Porter is enjoying a purple patch with a red-ball in the Championship and that can be replicated with a white-ball in the One-Day Cup.

PN: It was great to see Jamie Porter in the wickets in that Championship win over Hampshire and he’s my tip to take many more in the 50-over competition.

VP: Simon Harmer comes into the competition in great County Championship form, but I also wouldn’t rule out Jamal Richards picking up where he left off in last year’s competition.

CM: It would be difficult to suggest anyone will have as much of an impact with the ball as Simon Harmer.

AV: How can anyone look past Simon Harmer? He’s looked in ominous touch across both formats for Essex so far this season and will be eager to make up for lost time after missing last year’s competition.

Who is your one to watch from the Essex squad?

MS: Because the One Day Cup has been turned into a development competition, it would be wrong not to pick an up-and-coming player. It will be interesting to see if 18-year-old batsman Noah Thain is as good as his figures suggest.

PN: As well as Das, keep an eye too on Jamal Richards. With opportunity will come real progress for the all-rounder.

VP: I’m looking forward to seeing more of teenage all-rounder Noah Thain, who signed a rookie contract this summer. He’s impressed with bat and ball in the 2nd XI and Academy games and hit some HUGE boundaries in his first class debut against Ireland earlier this season. More of that please!

CM: While it would be remiss not to mention Simon Harmer, I feel Das will really begin to break through in this competition.

AV: I’ll also choose Robin Das, who really impressed me with his classy shot selection and temperament on his first-class debut against Ireland. He had a decent time in the 2022 One Day Cup as well; 202 runs at 28.85 made for solid reading considering it was his debut List A season. With additional playing experience under his belt and a plethora of scoring options at his disposal, I highly recommend Essex fans keep a close eye on Robin’s development for many years to come.

Many of the panel believe Robin Das will be in the runs for the Eagles in August

Who is your player to watch out for from the whole of Group A?

MS: Lancashire’s young wicketkeeper-batsman George Bell has impressed in two Championship visits to Chelmsford in the last 12 months and deserves his chance to shine in the shorter game.

PN: I’m going for Lancashire’s Josh Bohannon. He’s a good player who doesn’t seem to feature in T20 cricket but should be a force in the 50-over game.

VP: It’s always hard to know who is going to feature in the competition before we get going but I’ll say Tom Prest for Hampshire who had a good campaign last season and was part of the T20 Blast side who made it to Finals Day.

CM: Keaton Jennings will be keen to make up for the time he’s had to sit out due to injury this season. The One-Day Cup represents a chance for the Lancashire batter to surpass his 390 runs from last season and drive his side into the knockouts.

AV: Funnily enough, I’ve chosen a former Essex man; Chigwell’s very own Rishi Patel. After a bitterly disappointing 2022 campaign I back Rishi to come back with a vengeance. He’s proven that he can score big in this format in the past and has impressed with a slew of memorable performances in the County Championship and T20 Blast over the past few months.

Which three Group A teams do you believe will make the knockout stages?

MS: Hampshire, Lancashire, and Leicestershire.

PN: I’m going for three from Essex, Surrey, Lancashire, and Hampshire.

VP: I think it will be between Essex, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lancashire.

CM: Essex, Lancashire, Kent, and Yorkshire have some of the strongest squads.

AV: Considering that five out of the six playoff teams from 2022 make up the group, it’s going to be an absolute dogfight for those top three places, but I’ll go for Lancashire, Essex, and Leicestershire.

Finally – and maybe the most difficult question! – who do you think will win the whole competition?

MS: Lancashire.

PN: Essex!

VP: My heart says Essex, but my head says Hampshire.

CM: It’s genuinely difficult to look past Essex; the fact that Simon Harmer – who led them to the runners up spot in the T20 Blast – will be available gives them a massive boost alongside exciting young talents such as Robin Das and Jamal Richards.

AV: If the last two editions of the tournament have taught us anything, it’s that we should expect the unexpected – neither Glamorgan nor Kent were highly favoured before the start of their respective winning campaigns. With that in mind, I’m going to back Warwickshire.
 

Essex Cricket is thrilled to announce that wicket-keeper batter Jordan Cox will join the Club from Kent after agreeing a three-year deal from the start of the 2024 season.

Cox, 22, made his Kent debut in April 2019 against a touring Pakistan side and after consistent performances with bat in hand, earned a call-up to the England Under-19 squad for matches against India and Bangladesh.

He memorably hit an unbeaten 238 in 2020, when, alongside Jack Leaning, he participated in Kent’s highest partnership of all time, putting on 423 for the second wicket against Sussex.

In his four seasons with Kent so far, Cox has totalled over 4,000 runs across all formats and boasts four first-class centuries to his name, alongside a T20 strike rate of almost 140.

The right-hander received full international recognition in September last year when he was named among the 21-strong England squad that toured Pakistan for seven T20Is.

After putting pen to paper, Cox said: “It’s a real honour to sign for Essex, the county where I went to school and where I first developed as a cricketer.

“The team is full of talent, they are going places, and I can only see the group getting better over the coming seasons. I’m excited to join them and contribute to what I hope will be a successful future.”

Essex Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, added: “I am delighted that we have been able to secure the signing of Jordan, who is a young, hungry cricketer looking to impress in all formats.

“He will add real depth and quality to our batting line-up, as well as strengthening our wicket-keeping ranks too, and we are all very much looking forward to working with him.”