Having secured an against-the-odds final-day victory over Warwickshire earlier this week, Essex head to rivals Kent in their final Vitality County Championship game before the Blast break.
Despite conceding a 235-run first-innings deficit against the Bears, Anthony McGrath’s side battled back to bowl the visitors out for a meagre 94 in their second dig.
That set the Eagles 330 to win, still a daunting target but one they achieved with simplicity, as Jordan Cox hit 112, Matt Critchley made an unbeaten 99, and Simon Harmer finished it off at the end.
The result kept Essex’s title ambitions alive, with the side now sitting third in the Division One table, 22 points off defending champions Surrey and just four behind second-placed Somerset.
Now, the return fixture against neighbours Kent beckons, with the Battle of the Bridge bragging rights still on the line following a draw at The Cloud County Ground six weeks ago.
It will be the final opportunity for Essex to gain precious Championship points before the competition breaks for the Vitality Blast, with no further red-ball action for the Eagles after Monday until 23 June.
Squad
The Opposition
After escaping relegation on the final day of 2023 by just seven points, Kent have again found themselves in a scrap at the wrong end of Division One.
The Canterbury outfit have won just one of their six matches so far this season, a seven-wicket victory over the only side below them in the table, Lancashire.
Their main problem has again been a lack of bowling penetration; not one member of the Kent attack has an average below 32, and all but three are taking their wickets at more than 40 apiece.
Matt Parkinson, a winter transfer from the Red Rose, is the county’s leading wicket-taker with 16, but his scalps have come at an expensive average of 49.81.
Meanwhile, Wes Agar and Nathan Gilchrist have had a little more joy, being two of the trio to average below 40 while taking 12 and 13 wickets, respectively.
Batting has been a little easier, with new captain Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 602 runs at 60.20 leading the way, while Joe Denly has amassed 429 at 39.00 and Ben Compton has ground out 387 at 32.25.
Kent squad:Daniel Bell-Drummond*, Wes Agar, Arafat Bhuiyan, Ben Compton, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Joey Evison, Harry Finch, Jack Leaning, Marcus O’Riordan, Matt Parkinson, Grant Stewart
Last Time We Met
There is no deep trip into the history books required to find the last time Essex met their biggest rivals in the red-ball arena, with this already being the second clash between the sides this season.
In the second Championship game of 2024, and the first at The Cloud County Ground, the Eagles dominated for three days but were ultimately denied by both a visiting rearguard and the weather.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, the hosts racked up a mammoth 530-7 declared, with Matt Critchley’s 151 not out leading the way and Dean Elgar making his first ton in Essex colours with 120.
Former Kent man Jordan Cox also posted 67, his second fifty in three innings, before his old side fought back as Daniel Bell-Drummond and Ben Compton both posted hundreds in their 413 all out.
Nathan Gilchrist’s frustrating 41 steered Kent past the follow-on target, a crucial act as, despite Cox then blitzing an eye-watering unbeaten 89-ball 116, the final-day forecast was alarming.
Cox’s stunning innings had helped the hosts to 257-4 declared, setting Kent 375 to win, but a truncated final day left Essex able to take only seven of the required ten wickets, forcing them to settle for a draw.
Division One Table
How To Watch
If you are not making the journey across the Dartford Bridge in person, the game will be streamed live on the EssexCricketTV YouTube channel and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
A report will be published on the Club website after each day’s play, while live updates and daily highlights will be provided on the Club’s social media channels.
Tickets
For anyone joining the Eagles in Canterbury, tickets for the majority of the ground are priced at £16 for adults, £7 for those aged 14-17, and £5 for 5-13-year-olds, with under-5s not requiring a ticket.
The exception is the upper tier of the Frank Woolley Stand, located behind the bowler’s arm at the Pavilion End of the ground, in which tickets are available at £5 extra on all the above prices – though under-5s remain free.
All seating is unreserved, and 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 return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there are now only 15% of tickets remaining across all seven home fixtures, with two already sold out.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here(LAST FEW TICKETS) Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here 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
Essex Falcons: Martyn Doe, Matthew Hazell, Isaac Elles, Lee Wheeler, Alfie Jeeves, Benny Fryatt, Jack Gair, Billy Gibbons, Joel Barker, Matthew Thomas, Teresa Fitten, Andy Catherell.
Middlesex: Naseer Butt, Moazzam Rashid, Joe Batten, Craig Fowler, Fraser Church, Sue Benson, Chloe Sainsbury, Connor Flaunty, H Rashid, Sunil Sagar, Jai Charan.
Toss: Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat Result: Middlesex won by 96 runs
Match Report
Words: Brian Jeeves
Essex Falcons returned to D40 Pursuit South-East action but found themselves on the wrong end of a heavy defeat at the hands of an experienced Middlesex side at Harlow Town Cricket Club.
Indeed, the Essex bowlers found it tough going against some reasonably fluent Seaxes batting.
Isaac Elles did his utmost to stem the tide, finishing with figures of 8-4-13-3, while Matt Thomas – returning to the side – and skipper Lee Wheeler claimed two wickets apiece.
However, a half-century from Craig Fowler, coupled with contributions from wicketkeeper/batter, Naseer Butt (34), Sue Benson (22) and Chloe Sainsbury (20*) helped Middlesex to a competitive 194 for nine.
Unfortunately, Essex were never really in the hunt, losing wickets at regular intervals. Tailender Thomas displayed great spirit, top-scoring with a quickfire 22 – his best for the county.
But his efforts were in vain as Sainsbury (4-2-5-3) and Moazzam Rashid (8-3-21-3) did the bulk of the damage with the ball for the victorious visitors.
Jordan Cox’s century in Essex’s Vitality County Championship win over Warwickshire at The Cloud County Ground propelled him to Player of the Match recognition, as decided by your votes.
Cox, who has sparkled with the bat since arriving at Chelmsford from Kent last winter, struck a marvellous 112 in the second innings as the Eagles completed an odds-defying four-wicket triumph.
His innings contributed to him receiving 53.7% of votes in a poll on Essex Cricket’s X page, just ahead of the 43.7% received by the other half of his match-winning partnership, Matt Critchley.
With Essex having conceded a first-innings deficit of 235, a miraculous fightback saw Warwickshire skittled for just 94, setting the hosts 330 for victory.
To reach it, the Eagles would be required to rack up their 18th-highest first-class run chase ever, and their second-highest winning chase against Warwickshire.
However, thanks to Cox’s ton, along with Critchley’s unbeaten 99 and Dean Elgar’s 60, Anthony McGrath’s side made light work of it, reaching the total just before lunch on the final day.
Cox has now hit 524 Championship runs this season, with two fifties and two centuries, and is averaging 58.22, the fourth-highest of any Division One player to have batted at least 10 times.
In victory, and with the 18 points that it brought, Essex reignited the title race and now sit third, 24 points ahead of fourth-placed Nottinghamshire but a comparatively smaller 22 behind Surrey at the top.
The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground
Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there are now only 15% of tickets remaining across all seven home fixtures, with two already sold out.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here(LAST FEW TICKETS) Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here 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
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Ambassador Cruise Line continues to show their support for the Club in line with their partnership extension that runs to 2026. To mark the launch of our new 50-over shirt, Ambassador invited team members from our Men’s, Women’s and Ability teams to experience the premium value on board one of the ships.
You can hear from the team in the video above as they share their experiences and reflect on the new kit.
Our Official Cruise Line Partner eagerly anticipates seeing the kit in action across all teams this season with some exciting ways to get involved with them across the Metro Bank One Day Cup fixtures at The Cloud County Ground.
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Essex: Dean Elgar, Feroze Khushi, Nick Browne, Tom Westley*, Jordan Cox, Matt Critchley, Michael Pepper†, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter.
Warwickshire: Rob Yates, Alex Davies*, Will Rhodes, Sam Hain (concussion substitute: Chris Benjamin), Ed Barnard, Dan Mousley, Jacob Bethell, Michael Burgess†, Michael Rae, Che Simmons, Oliver Hannon-Dalby.
Match Details:
Umpires: James Middlebrook & Ben Debenham Match Referee: Jason Swift Toss: Warwickshire won the toss and elected to bat Result: Essex won by four wickets
Jordan Cox struck a sparkling century as Essex masterfully completed a chase of 330 to record a Vitality County Championship victory over Warwickshire at The Cloud County Ground.
Having resumed on 224-4, with his stand alongside Matt Critchley worth 112, Cox went on to craft his second ton in Essex colours from 185 deliveries.
Despite the loss of two quick wickets, one of which was Cox himself for 112, the unbeaten Critchley, who made an utterly bittersweet 99, was able to steer the Eagles to victory alongside Simon Harmer.
It was a victory that was made all the more remarkable considering the fightback that had to take place to secure it, with the hosts having conceded a first-innings deficit of 235.
With six overs to bat before the second new ball could be taken, Cox and Critchley set about their task with panache, and were settled to the point that the new cherry failed to cause much discomfort.
The duo’s stand, only broken by the departure of Cox to Che Simmons after more than an hour of the morning, was ultimately worth 176, breaking a 77-year record for Essex against Warwickshire.
Michael Pepper was only able to have a small impact on proceedings before being bowled by the fierce pace of Kiwi import Michael Rae, but that only served to bring Harmer to the crease.
Taking the attack back to the Warwickshire bowlers, Critchley creamed nine fours and two sixes in his unbeaten and ultimately match-winning knock.
The winning moment was surprisingly low-key for such a momentous chase, as Harmer pulled Simmons for four behind square to hand the Eagles a priceless 18 points.
Day 3 Reaction: Tom Westley
Day 3 Highlights
Day 3 Report
An unbroken fifth-wicket century stand between Jordan Cox and Matt Critchley gave Essex the chance of pulling off a Vitality County Championship victory over Warwickshire at Chelmsford.
Set 330 to win, Essex finished day three on 224-4, requiring a further 106 runs on the final day to retain hopes of launching a serious challenge to Surrey at the top of the table.
Both players mixed aggression with caution as they pieced together a partnership worth 112 in 37 overs with Cox becoming only the third player in the match to pass fifty. He was 77 not from 144 balls at the close with Critchley on 46 from 111.
Warwickshire, who had amassed 397 in the first innings and looking for their first win of the season, were dismissed inside 38 overs for just 94 in their second. Essex spinners Critchley and Simon Harmer sharing seven wickets, including all five that fell in the morning.
Essex’s chase started with disappointment when Feroze Khushi was trapped first ball on his crease to Michael Rae.
It became worse when Che Simmons pulled off a stunning diving catch in the covers to account for Nick Browne. The batter dwelt momentarily before walking ahead of the result of the umpires’ consultation and receiving a consolation pat on the back for his honesty.
Essex consolidated either side of lunch as Elgar and Westley stood firm. Westley hooked Simmons’s short balls and defended resolutely as Rob Yates mixed up his lengths.
Elgar found a gap through the covers for the boundary that brought up only the second fifty partnership in the match – the first was ultimately worth 209 between Ed Barnard and Michael Burgess. Almost immediately, though, Simmons produced a fuller ball and Westley departed lbw for a 69-ball 18.
The introduction of Jordan Cox upped the tempo and the fourth-wicket pair put on 47 in 12 overs as Warwickshire rang the changes until Barnard found one that kept low and pinned Elgar for 60 from 85 balls.
The third half-century stand was brought up by Critchley’s lofted four off Yates. Critchley had taken time to get started but he hit full throttle when he launched Yates for six over long-on. Cox was setting the pace, though, and reached his fourth score of fifty-plus from 101 balls.
Warwickshire had opted not to enforce the follow-on despite being 235 runs ahead on first-innings. Their second innings lasted just another 75 minutes in the morning session while they added 51 runs for five wickets.
Rae’s nightwatchman duties did not extend long before he was beaten by the extravagant turn of Harmer, became unbalanced and was bowled. It was Harmer’s second wicket in five balls, separated by a night’s sleep.
Burgess, one of two Warwickshire centurions in the first innings, lasted 35 balls this time for 18 before he pulled Critchley to midwicket where Luc Benkenstein – who had only just entered the field as a substitute ahead of that ball – took a comfortable catch.
Chris Benjamin, called down from Edgbaston as concussion substitute for Sam Hain who was struck on the helmet at short leg by Jordan Cox on day two, faced seven balls before he nicked to none other than Jordan Cox at slip.
Jacob Bethell hit Critchley’s first two balls of an over for a towering straight six and an off-driven four. But he skied the third ball and Critchley had time to move to mid-off to claim the caught-and-bowled in figures of 4/24.
Harmer (3/28) wrapped up the innings when Simmons charged down the wicket and picked out Westley stationed on the long-on fence.
Day 2 Reaction: Anthony McGrath
Day 2 Highlights
Day 2 Report
Che Simmons made a stunning impact on his first-class debut by blasting a gaping hole in the Essex batting with three wickets in 15 balls as Warwickshire gained a stranglehold on the Vitality County Championship match at Chelmsford.
The Barbadian-born 20-year-old sent back Tom Westley, Nick Browne and Matt Critchley in an opening spell of 6-2-10-3 that reduced Essex from 52-2 to 63-5 en route to 162 all out.
There were similarities with the England pace man as Simmons finished with 3/12 to enable Warwickshire to build upon Ed Barnard’s six-and-three-quarter-hour, career-best 165 that underpinned their first-innings 397.
Essex were dismissed inside 52 overs, 235 runs adrift, though Warwickshire opted not to enforce the follow-on. They may live to regret the decision as they lost five wickets in 17.3 evening overs on day two while extending their lead by 43.
Captain Alex Davies departed to the fifth ball, steering Sam Cook to second slip, before Will Rhodes was undone by Jamie Porter and went lbw. Barnard was unable to replicate his first-innings heroics, chasing a Porter delivery down leg-side and was caught behind for a golden duck.
When Dan Mousley patted back Critchley’s second ball and Rob Yates fell to the last ball of the day, lbw to Simon Harmer, Warwickshire were starting to relive the nightmare of their first innings when they had slumped to 64-5.
Simmons’s fellow Warwickshire debutant Michael Rae, the New Zealand pace bowler signed this week as cover a lengthening injury list in the pace department, set the ball rolling when Essex batted. Feroze Khushi tried to whip him through midwicket but only chipped tamely to mid-on.
Dean Elgar followed when edging an attempted cover drive off Oliver Hannon-Dalby to second slip.
Then Simmons took centre stage. Westley was induced to hook to short square leg where Sam Hain took his second catch inches off the ground. Browne then hung out his bat and was caught behind and next ball Critchley left his bat dangling and departed to the same combination.
Michael Pepper prevented Simmons celebrating even further by turning the hat-trick ball through midwicket. However, Hannon-Dalby replaced Simmons and had Pepper under-cutting and being caught behind.
Jordan Cox refused to be tied down amid the carnage and hit Hannon-Dalby for three successive boundaries, two angled down to third man and another driven straight. He pulled Rob Yates fiercely for six, attempted a repeat next ball that struck short-leg Hain plumb in the helmet necessitating his removal from the action, and then missed a reverse sweep two balls later and was bowled for 47.
Simon Harmer had earlier completed best season’s bowling figures of 3/93 and reached double-figures with the bat for only the second time in eight innings. However, when 13 he got a thin touch to Rae to give wicketkeeper Michael Burgess a fourth catch.
Yates wrapped up the innings for figures of 3/27 as Cook popped up a catch to Hain’s replacement at bat-pad and Porter left one alone and was bowled.
Warwickshire batted for an hour and a half in the morning. Burgess lasted just seven more balls while adding three to his overnight 105 before edging Shane Snater behind to end a seventh-wicket stand of 209 with Barnard.
Simmons was as equally confident with the bat as with the ball before attempting to sweep Harmer and was bowled. Rae fell the same way but only after launching Harmer’s previous two balls for sixes.
Barnard reached his 150 with a six off Porter and equalled his previous top score of 163 with another maximum over long leg’s head off Critchley. But two runs later he swung at the same bowler and was caught in the deep for his first dismissal of the day.
Day 1 Reaction: Mick Lewis
Day 1 Highlights
Day 1 Report
An unbroken double-century seventh-wicket stand between Ed Barnard and Michael Burgess rescued Warwickshire from the depths of despair and lifted them into a commanding position against Essex at Chelmsford.
The pair came together with the score on 104-6 soon after lunch and by the close, 56 overs later, they had established a Warwickshire record for the seventh wicket against Essex of 204 and counting that had stood for 92 years.
During an innings in which he initially had to knuckle down before breaking loose, Barnard took his tally in his last four Vitality County Championship innings to 336 runs with an unbeaten 115. Meanwhile, 105 represented Burgess’s highest score for the season by 62. Neither man’s innings was chanceless, but both looked imperious.
Essex had appeared well in control when they claimed five wickets before lunch – four of those wickets falling to catches by Simon Harmer – but they toiled for the last two sessions as their usually consistent strike-force was reduced to ordinariness. Warwickshire finished on 308-6.
With Jimmy Anderson’s international retirement announced this week, Essex paceman Sam Cook had an early opportunity to elevate himself on the list of candidates to replace him.
It took Cook just 13 balls to strike with his 26th wicket of the season after Warwickshire decided to bat on a grass-less wicket that encouraged the bowlers early on before easing significantly as the day progressed. It was unlucky 13 for Rob Yates, who edged low down to Harmer at second slip. Cook bowled another 44 balls before claiming his only other wicket.
In between Warwickshire slipped to 64-5 with Shane Snater grabbing two wickets in the space of six balls, inducing Will Rhodes to thick edge to Harmer again before the off-stump of Sam Hain was removed as he shouldered arms without scoring.
Harmer’s third catch of the innings came off his own bowling as Dan Mousley patted the ball tamely back down the wicket.
Alex Davies had remained resolute at the other end, taking his three boundaries in a 60-ball 19 off Jamie Porter, one driven straight past the bowler. However, Porter had the last laugh as Harmer pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch to his right to dismiss the Warwickshire captain.
Barnard swept Harmer for two fours in three balls, but otherwise settled into an obdurate sixth-wicket stand with Jacob Bethell, who got off the mark with a single from his 26th ball, and that thanks to a misfield at square leg.
Bethell was re-energised after lunch and multiplied this total by five when he tucked Porter off his legs to the square-leg boundary before rocking on to his back-foot to cut the same bowler for another.
The partnership steadied the ship for 20 overs while adding 40 runs before Bethell played down the wrong line and was Cook’s second victim. It was the last of the day to fall.
Burgess and Barnard accelerated the score with their first fifty coming from just 59 balls, though both players survived dropped catches. Barnard was on 17 when missed by Michael Pepper off Cook while Burgess was floored at bat-pad and then off a top-edge on 19 and 39.
A reprieved Burgess reverse-swept Harmer for a smart boundary and reached his half-century from 49 balls with a six over midwicket off Matt Critchley. When Burgess hit Harmer for another four, this time with a more orthodox sweep, he carried the stand past 150 in 40 overs.
Barnard was first to his century, scored off 198 balls; Burgess slowed as he neared three-figures but still reached it from 149 balls.
The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground
Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there are now only 15% of tickets remaining across all seven home fixtures, with two already sold out.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here(LAST FEW TICKETS) Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here 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
After a short encounter with Somerset in Taunton, and an opportunity to recharge over the bye week, Essex return home for the first time in May as Warwickshire arrive at The Cloud County Ground.
Despite bowling Somerset out for 128 in their first innings on a green pitch to establish a 28-run lead, the visitors fell to a narrow defeat in the West Country.
The hosts were skittled by five-wicket hauls for both halves of the Eagles’ deadly seam duo, Jamie Porter and Sam Cook, as 20 wickets fell on the opening day.
Essex then set Somerset a target of 167 for victory by the middle of the second afternoon, and despite Shane Snater claiming 4/55, the target was reached with the hosts seven down.
It was the Eagles’ first defeat of the season, but the bye week that followed in the interim allowed a chance to take stock.
Now, Anthony McGrath’s side face two further Vitality County Championship fixtures before the end of the first block of red-ball games, starting with the visit of the Bears to Chelmsford.
Squad
Head Coach McGrath has named a 14-man squad for this fixture, with Michael Pepper returning to the group after recovering from injury.
The Inside Line: Simon Harmer
The Opposition
Four draws from their opening five games have Warwickshire solidly in mid-table on 59 points, with their first defeat of the summer coming at the hands of Surrey in their last game.
Worcestershire doggedly held out for a draw in the season-opening Bears/Pears derby, before a high-scoring stalemate with Durham at Edgbaston followed, in which the hosts racked up 698-3 declared.
Further draws against Hampshire and Nottinghamshire preceded their nine-wicket defeat at the Oval on Monday, leaving Mark Robinson’s side as one of four sides yet to win in Division One this season.
Opener and new captain Alex Davies has been in sparkling form, racking up 509 runs already at an average of 72.71 with two centuries – including a new career-best knock of 256 in that Durham match.
Rob Yates also profited in that game and has 470 runs in 2024 at 78.33, with Davies’ predecessor as captain, Will Rhodes, on 414, making him the third member of the Bears squad to pass 400.
Bowling has been more of a struggle, with opener Yates’ part-time off-breaks also being their second-highest source of wickets with 11, but Oliver Hannon-Dalby remains consistent in leading the way with 13 scalps at 31.61.
Warwickshire squad:Alex Davies*, Ed Barnard, Jacob Bethell, Danny Briggs, Michael Burgess+, Sam Hain, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Jake Lintott, Dan Mousley, Michael Rae, Will Rhodes, Che Simmons, Rob Yates.
Last Time We Met
Essex secured a comfortable maximum-point victory over Warwickshire to maintain a title challenge during a scorching hot week at The Cloud County Ground last June.
With the match part of a round that saw the first use of the Kookaburra ball in English domestic cricket as part of a two-week trial, Tom Westley won the toss and eagerly elected to bat on a glorious day.
Westley himself continued his fine season with 114, while Dan Lawrence went even bigger by hitting 152 as the Eagles racked up 457 all out.
In response, spin king Simon Harmer made the trial ball dance to his tune, taking 5/65 as the Bears were rolled over for just 158, a deficit of 299.
Westley sent the visitors out to bat again, and though they put up more resistance at the second time of asking and avoided an innings defeat, they were too far behind to be able to make a difference.
Their total of 381, with Harmer completing match figures of 10/230, meant Essex needed just 83 to win, and it was a target they comfortably reached in just 15 overs as Feroze Khushi hit an unbeaten 44.
Division One Table
How To Watch
If you are not able to make it to The Cloud County Ground in person, the game will be streamed live on the EssexCricketTV 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
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 their use.
Meanwhile, general admission advance tickets are priced at £16 for adults, while young adults aged between 18 and 25 can buy at any time for £12 and under-18 tickets cost just £6.
A family ticket, covering two adults and two children, costs just £35, while a four-day ticket covering the entire match can be purchased over the phone for £44.
Please note that these two types of ticket are only available in advance of the fixture, and that individual adult tickets will rise in price to £20 if bought on the day.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 01245 254010 or 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 return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there are now only 15% of tickets remaining across all seven home fixtures, with two already sold out.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here(LAST FEW TICKETS) Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here 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
Suffolk and Essex will play each other for the first Robin Hobbs Trophy this summer in memory of the former leg spinner.
Hobbs, who passed away in March at the age of 81, represented both counties during a distinguished career which also saw him win seven England caps.
He made 325 appearances for Essex between 1961 and 1975, taking 763 wickets at an average of exactly 26.00.
Between 1976 and 1982 Hobbs played 32 matches for Suffolk in the Minor Counties Championship, claiming 144 wickets at an average of 19.24.
He took five wickets in an innings 10 times and twice took 10 wickets in a match as Suffolk were crowned Minor County champions in both 1977 and 1979.
The trophy will be presented to the winning side for the first time after the fixture at Woolpit CC on Sunday 21 July when the two counties meet in this year’s Showcase match.
Suffolk Cricket Chair Andrew Squire said: “As soon as the idea was suggested, after speaking to Robin’s son Nick, as a committee we jumped at the idea.
“It just seemed a great way to honour the memory of Robin, who played a pivotal role in the most successful period in Suffolk’s history, in addition to his achievements at Essex.
“We look forward to playing for the Robin Hobbs Trophy, which will add an extra dimension to this season’s fixtures against our neighbours.”
Essex Cricket Chair, Anu Mohindru, added: “This is a wonderful way to honour an Essex legend, and we are delighted to lend our full support to the creation of the Robin Hobbs Trophy.
“We look forward to the added layer of competition that this trophy being on the line will bring to the NCCA Showcase Match at Woolpit in July, as well as the games beyond across all representative sides.”
The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground
Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there are now only 15% of tickets remaining across all seven home fixtures, with two already sold out.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here(LAST FEW TICKETS) Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here 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
Sam Cook has been crowned the first wefinanceanycar.com Player of the Month of 2024 after receiving the most votes in a public poll.
With 50.5% of the vote, Cook won the award ahead of Dean Elgar, who received 27.8%, while fellow contenders Jordan Cox and Jamie Porter earned 11.1% and 10.6%, respectively.
The Chelmsford-born seamer has consistently shone in an Essex shirt over a number of years and, having taken 290 first-class wickets, possesses a stunning average in the format of just 19.19.
He raced out of the blocks in the season-opening fixture against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, claiming the fourth ten-wicket match haul of his career and returning figures of 10/73.
That included 6/14 in the second innings with a mostly-unresponsive Kookaburra ball as Essex blew away the hosts for just 80, winning by 254 runs.
Having been rested as a precaution for the fixture against Kent, he then returned in style against Lancashire and Durham, taking a further eight wickets to give himself an April average of just 10.39.
In the latter game at the Seat Unique Riverside, with Tom Westley unavailable, Cook captained Essex for the first time since being appointed Westley’s deputy in February.
One lucky voter in the poll will now win a replica Cook shirt, signed by the man himself, so to be in the running for this prize next month, make sure to vote in May’s Player of the Month poll!
The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground
Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex return to shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.
Demand remains exceptionally high, and there are now only 15% of tickets remaining across all seven home fixtures, with two already sold out.
With the Eagles aiming to go one better in 2024, there is no time to waste to snap up your seats.
Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here(LAST FEW TICKETS) Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here 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
Essex Hawks: Ronnie Jackson, Asif Patel, James Ward, Joe Moss, Matthew Edwards, Conor Berry, Ben Aust, Andrew Mowatt, Isaac Elles, Benny Fryatt, Alfie Jeeves, Jack Gair.
Middlesex: Umesh Valjee, Nasser Butt, Maddox Colby, Aryan Janjale, George Greenway, Joe Batten, Jai Charan, Mohammed Farooq, Matthew Jones, Ben Mason, Mark Rochester, Moazzam Rashid, Fraser Church.
Toss: Middlesex won the toss and elected to bowl Result: Middlesex won by six wickets
Essex Kestrels v Middlesex
Super 9s
Harlow Town Cricket Club
Sunday 12 May 2024
Essex Kestrels: Bradley Donovan, Brad Barker, Phillip Law, Oliver Kennedy, Harry Willis, Joel Barker, Alex Myles, Alex Scott, James Cole, Charlie Stack, Stephen Denham, Beth Law.
Toss: Middlesex won the toss and elected to bowl Result: Essex Kestrels won by 105 runs
Match Reports
Words: Brian Jeeves Images: Neil Robinson
Essex Hawks found themselves on the wrong end of a six-wicket D40 Quest defeat at the hands of a strong Middlesex side at Harlow Town Cricket Club.
The home side appeared to hold the upper hand after posting 191 for eight, with Joe Moss providing an excellent batting performance.
Stylish allrounder Moss scored 73 off 89 balls. His innings included seven 4s and two 6s. Skipper, Ronnie Jackson contributed 34 from 50, while Isaac Elles continued his decent early season form with the bat, and was unbeaten on 27* – Jai Charan, George Greenaway and Matthew Jones claimed two wickets apiece for the visitors.
However, an impressive opening stand of 118 between Umesh Valjee and Nasser Butt drove Middlesex towards their victory target. The partnership was eventually broken when Butt was bowled by Benny Fryatt on 58. Valjee carried his bat and was unbeaten on 94 at the conclusion.
Fryatt returned figures of 3-0-13-2, while leg-spinner Alfie Jeeves had 6-0-29-2, but all in vain for the home side, despite their collective best efforts.
Charlie Stack hit an unbeaten half-century, helping Essex Kestrels towards a sizable Super9s victory over their Middlesex counterparts at Harlow Tow Cricket Club.
Stack, returning to cricket following a lengthy break, was not out on 53 as the home side posted 129 for nine.
And that proved amply sufficient as the potent Essex attack took control. Oliver Kennedy returned superb figures of 3/7, while Harry Willis and Brad Barker took two apiece as the visitors were dismissed for 22.
If you’re finding it hard to choose between the Euros and the Vitality Blast, we’ve got you covered.
Join us on Thursday 20 June for a live screening of England v Denmark in the fanzone before settling in for a rematch of the 2023 Vitality Blast semi-final between Essex and Hampshire Hawks from 7pm.
Limited tickets released for Friday night T20
A limited number of tickets have been released for Essex’s first Friday night T20 of the season.
With tickets for Essex’s Friday night T20s in extremely short supply and no groups of allocated seats remaining, 50 seats have now been released in Block 14 of the Greene King IPA Stand, giving fans a limited time to buy groups of allocated tickets for the fixture against Glamorgan on Friday 07 June.
As well as the last remaining seats in the Eagles Area, there is also a small supply of unallocated seating available for all three Friday night fixtures in Block 26a, located at The Graham Gooch End.
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