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Wicket-keeper Harry Duke has joined Essex on a two-week loan deal from Yorkshire ahead of the Vitality County Championship matches away to Durham and Somerset.

Duke, 22, has made the temporary switch from Yorkshire, who he has represented in all formats since his debut in 2021.

A specialist keeper, he has 73 catches and four stumpings across 44 matches in red- and white-ball cricket for the Headingley side.

Duke has also struck five half-centuries and two hundreds in all formats, totalling more than 1,100 runs, and in January 2020 was included in England’s Under-19 World Cup squad.

He joins the Club with existing wicket-keepers Michael Pepper and Adam Rossington both currently receiving treatment for finger injuries.

Meanwhile, Jordan Cox is currently unable to keep wicket following his rehabilitation from a finger injury sustained during The Hundred last season.

Duke will wear the number 2 shirt during his time with Essex, and Head Coach Anthony McGrath said: “We’re really happy to have added quality to the squad with the signing of Harry.

“Obviously, the situation with injuries to our wicket-keepers is unfortunate and not what any of us would have wanted, but it’s about how you adapt and overcome challenges like this.

“By signing Harry, we’ve brought in a young, talented cricketer who possesses the ability to play at the top level, and we’re all looking forward to seeing him in an Essex shirt.”
 

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 is now just one Friday night fixture with availability remaining, the visit of Glamorgan to The Cloud County Ground on 07 June.

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
 

Experience more white-ball cricket than ever at The Cloud County Ground with 12 T20 matches taking place across the men’s and women’s game in 2024.

As part of the 2024 season, Chelmsford will host two of Middlesex County Cricket Club’s allocated ‘home’ games. This provides a unique opportunity to see the Lord’s-based team face off against Kent Spitfires and Gloucestershire in Vitality Blast matches this May and July.

• Friday 31 May: First up, Middlesex begin their Vitality Blast campaign by taking on Kent Spitfires, which will commence on Friday 31 May at 7pm.

• Thursday 18 July: Middlesex play their final ‘home’ group fixture on Thursday 18 July (7pm start) and will face Gloucestershire.

Ticket Information:

Tickets for these two Middlesex fixtures at The Cloud County Ground are available exclusively through Essex Cricket. All tickets are now on general sale, with early bird pricing available until Wednesday 01 May.

Take advantage of the Early Bird tickets for this fixture, priced at £25 Adults and £10 Juniors. Discounted prices are also available for Middlesex Members’ Guests and and Essex Members.

For Middlesex’s other fixtures at Lord’s and Radlett CC, tickets must be purchased directly from Middlesex.

Early Bird Ticket Prices:

– Middlesex Members: Free entry with a valid 2024 Middlesex CCC Membership card
– Adults: £25
– Middlesex Members’ Guest: £20
– Essex Members: £20
– Juniors (U18): £10

Middlesex Members can purchase additional tickets for themselves and up to two guests by calling our dedicated ticket line at 01245 254010. Please note, all Members must create an account on our website before making any purchases.

Hospitality:

Packages are now on sale for Middlesex’s fixtures being played at The Cloud County Ground. There are four packages available to book for Vitality Blast fixtures in 2024, which are priced from £186 per person.

Bookings can be made via our Premium Ticket platform, Seat Unique or directly with Essex’s Commercial Team by email to [email protected] or phone on 01245 254048.

>> Book Hospitality

Matchday Information:

Middlesex Members will have access to the Doug Insole Pavilion and Woodland Group Premier Marquee, providing exclusive bar facility for both fixtures.

Parking arrangements are streamlined for Middlesex Members, who can reserve a spot at the Meteor Way car park for just £2. Prepayment is required via the Essex Cricket ticket line – 01245 254010).

Your votes saw Shane Snater crowned Player of the Match for Essex’s crushing win over Lancashire that extended the Eagles’ lead at the top of Division One of the Vitality County Championship.

Snater, who claimed match figures of 7/59 as the hosts secured victory by an innings and 124 runs inside three days, received 58.1% of votes in the poll on Essex Cricket’s X page.

The returning Sam Cook finished second with 23.8%, while fellow seamer Jamie Porter took 15% and top-scoring captain Tom Westley earned 3.1%.

Dutch international Snater now has 13 wickets in three Championship games so far this season at a miserly average of just 14.85.

His burst of 4/42 in the first innings helped bowl the visitors out for just 146, before he followed it up in the second dig with a similarly-restrictive 3/17 as the Red Rose were again skittled.

It backed up his three wickets in each of Essex’s opening two matches of the season, away at Nottinghamshire and at home to Kent.

The all-rounder is now joint-fourth in the division’s wicket-taking charts, level with Worcestershire’s Nathan Smith and behind only colleagues Porter and Cook and Cameron Steel of Surrey.
 

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 is now just one Friday night fixture with availability remaining, the visit of Glamorgan to The Cloud County Ground on 07 June.

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
 

With last week’s game against Lancashire now complete, The Cloud County Ground in Chelmsford has officially overtaken Leyton County Ground in hosting the most Essex first-class matches.

The Eagles earned a three-day victory, skittling the visitors twice for 146 and 107 with Shane Snater’s match figures of 7/59 leading the way, to win by an innings and 124 runs.

However, off the field, the match marked a passing of the baton, as the Club’s first base in Leyton was replaced by its current home in Chelmsford for having hosted the most games.

To celebrate that fact, a three-day charity walk that raised money for the Essex Cricket Foundation, took place from 17 – 19 April, covering the 31-mile distance between the two venues.

Along the way, several former grounds that have also hosted Essex matches were visited, including Ilford, Gidea Park & Romford, Brentwood, and Ingatestone & Fryerning.

The participants included former Essex and England captains Graham Gooch and Nasser Hussain, along with several current Essex Cricket staff members.

Whipps Cross University Hospital in East London was also a stopping point as another significant place in Essex history, being the birthplace of Gooch.

So far, more than £700 has been raised of the £1,000 target, and the JustGiving page is still open for donations if you are in a position to give:

Essex v Lancashire

Vitality County Championship

The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford

Friday 19 – Monday 22 April 2024, 11am start

Team News:

Essex: Dean Elgar, Feroze Khushi Tom Westley*, Jordan Cox, Matthew Critchley, Michael Pepper+, Noah Thain, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter.

Lancashire: Keaton Jennings*, Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon, George Balderson, Tom Bruce, George Bell, Matty Hurst+, Tom Bailey, Jack Blatherwick, Will Williams, Nathan Lyon.

Match Details:

Umpires: Alex Wharf & James Middlebrook
Match Referee: James Whitaker
Toss: Essex won the toss and opted to field
Result: Essex won by an innings and 124 runs

Scorecard: View Here

Day Three Highlights

Day Three Reaction: Jamie Porter

Day Three Report

Jamie Porter and Shane Snater blasted through a brittle Lancashire batting line-up to give Essex victory by an innings inside three days at Chelmsford.

The Essex pace bowlers exploited a pitch playing low by taking three wickets apiece as Lancashire capitulated in just 41 overs for the second time in the match.

Porter set the ball rolling with the first of nine Lancashire wickets to fall in the session to finish with 3-24 before Snater took his match figures to 7-59 with 3-17 in the second innings.

Essex’s second win of the season, worth 22 points, took them further clear at the top of the Vitality County Championship with only three games played.

Lancashire had started day three on 10-1 requiring another 221 runs to make Essex bat again. They lost five wickets in the first hour and never recovered with the game wrapped up in extra time before the scheduled lunch interval.

Essex were forced to field 19-year-old Ronnie McKenna as substitute behind the stumps when Michael Pepper called off with a finger injury suffered the night before. The Basildon-born Second XI wicket-keeper, the third to do the job for Essex in three Championship matches this season, had four leg byes sail past him down the legside in the first over from Cook.

However, 11 balls into his First Team appearance, he was celebrating a first significant contribution as nightwatchman Will Williams edged Porter into his gloves having hung around for 36 balls.

That precipitated a catastrophic collapse with four wickets falling in 16 balls. Josh Bohannon lasted 25 balls before he walked across a ball from Cook and was lbw, while Luke Wells was beaten all ends up by Snater to be bowled for a 54-ball 21.

In the same Snater over George Balderson saw the umpire’s finger go up as he played down the wrong line before Tom Bruce had his off stump sent cartwheeling by Porter.

There was a 10-over hiatus while Matty Hurst and George Bell put on 30 runs before the wicketkeeper scooped Snater into square leg’s hands.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer had not bowled much on this seamer’s paradise, but in his fourth over of the innings he had Tom Bailey walking down the wicket and patting the ball back for a simple caught and bowled.

Next over Jack Blatherwick followed Bailey’s lead and gave Harmer more catching practice by chipping the ball back to the bowler.

Bell had hung around for 40 balls and appeared to be heading for a third fifty in four innings at Chelmsford when he nicked Cook to Dean Elgar at first slip to wrap up the match.

Day Two Reaction: Sam Cook

Day Two Highlights

Day Two Report

Tom Westley kick-started his season with an innings that helped underpin Essex’s commanding position against Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship at Chelmsford.

The Essex captain chalked up 1,130 runs last season but had contributed just 56 in four innings this time around. However, his fluent 81 from 138 balls signalled a personal return to form and helped Essex construct a 231 first-innings lead against ailing Lancashire. By close of play Lancashire had lost captain Keaton Jennings while crawling to 10-1 in 10 evening overs as they battled to avoid an innings defeat.

In a throwback to earlier times, there was a Cook scoring runs near the top of the Essex order, though this was the unlikely figures of Sam rather than Sir Alastair. The nightwatchman hung around for nearly two and a half hours and 126 balls for a highest first-class score that marooned him one run short of a maiden fifty.

Essex had overhauled Lancashire’s first-innings total inside 36 overs for the loss of the overnight wicket of Feroze Khushi, who had laid the foundations with a half-century at a strike-rate of 160. Elgar and Cook were more circumspect, though their impact was just as demoralising for the flagging fielding side as they put on 120 in 36 overs.

Cook pulled George Balderson for one consummate boundary while Elgar also pulled Balderson to the ropes and followed next ball with an angled glide to third man for another of his 10 fours.

Lancashire did not help themselves when just after he had brought up the century partnership in 187 balls, Cook was dropped at third slip by George Bell on 44. He went to lunch on 49 and was back in the pavilion promptly afterwards, caught first ball at slip misdriving outside off-stump against Balderson.

Elgar passed 17,000 first-class career runs during his three-and-three-quarter-hour stay, but was eventually out caught behind when wafting at Will Williams on 79, his third 50-plus score in five innings for his new county.

There was no let-up with Elgar’s departure. Westley and Jordan Cox settled into a steady rhythm, Westley characteristically strong off his legs and Cox helping on its way to the boundary a Lyon ball that drifted down legside.

Their partnership was worth 57 when Cox dragged Jack Blatherwick tamely to short midwicket. Matt Critchley, centurion against Kent last week, came and went quickly, Lyon finding one to turn sharply and catch the angled bat on its way into slip’s hands.

The introduction of Luke Wells’s spin just before tea resulted in a flurry of scoring, his only over in the spell conceding 17 runs. Westley whipped a delivery through the covers to reach his fifty and then Michael Pepper twice lofted over long-on for a combined total of 10 runs.

Pepper treated Bailey and the new ball with similar distain, hooking a six to fine leg and then driving through midwicket along the ground. But he played down the wrong line to Williams in the next over and was caught in the slips for 30 from 31 balls.

Noah Thain played attractively on his Championship debut for 24 from 50 balls before being undone by one that kept low from Balderson and disturbed his middle and off stumps. Four overs later, Westley was also the victim of another low delivery from Lyon that beat his mistimed swish and hit his protruding front pad.

The innings was wrapped up in the space of eight balls when Wells trapped both Shane Snater and Simon Harmer.
Lancashire’s reply faltered when Jennings, a century-maker against Hampshire last week, went for his second single-figure score in the match, lbw misjudging a delivery from Jamie Porter. Nightwatchman Williams might have gone first ball but Harmer put down a routine chance at second slip.

Day One Highlights

Day One Reaction: Shane Snater

Day One Report

Shane Snater continued an impressive start to the season to drive a massive hole in some fragile Lancashire batting on a rain-shortened day at Chelmsford.

The Zimbabwe-born Dutch international blasted out the top three in the Lancashire order at a personal cost of one run before returning to add a fourth for figures of 4-42.

Snater battled an injury-ravaged campaign last year, having taken a combined 67 wickets in the two previous seasons but now has 10 already in three Vitality County Championship matches this April.

He was ably supported by fellow seamer Sam Cook, who managed to marry both hostility and parsimony to finish with 3-18 from 14 overs, as Lancashire limped to 146 all out.

In 12 overs under the floodlights, Feroze Khushi refused to hang about with nine fours in a whirlwind 53 from 33 balls as Essex knocked off 68 of the deficit for the loss of his wicket, caught in the slips off George Balderson.

A mid-morning downpour encouraged Essex captain Tom Westley to ask Lancashire to bat on a green-tinged wicket and local knowledge proved decisive inside the 45 minutes possible before lunch once Snater had been introduced.

The seamer removed Keaton Jennings to a magnificent flying catch in the gulley by Matt Critchley in his first over, and trapped the freewheeling Luke Wells plumb lbw in the next.

Wells had plundered 13 runs – including a straight-driven four and a six flicked off his legs – in a Jamie Porter over that led to the bowler’s departure from the attack after conceding 22 runs from three overs.

The brief morning session completed, the players had barely reached the pavilion for lunch when the latest April shower lengthened the interval by more than an hour and three-quarters.

When they did return in mid-afternoon, Josh Bohannon faced just nine more scoreless balls before he edged Snater and Dean Elgar took a stunning one-handed catch low down at first slip.

Cook bowled unchanged for nearly two of the truncated sessions and gained reward in his ninth over when Balderson failed to withdraw his bat in time and was caught behind.

George Bell hit two of his four career half-centuries at Chelmsford last season, and added a high of 99 against Hampshire last week, but Snater’s first ball after tea had him bang to rights in front of his stumps for just four.

The Lancashire slide continued apace when Matty Hurst hung his bat out to Cook and was a second victim for wicketkeeper Michael Pepper.

Tom Bruce got a leading edge to chip Porter to mid-on before 19-year-old Noah Thain claimed a wicket on debut with his third ball in first-class cricket when Tom Bailey steered to second slip.

However, the ninth-wicket partnership between Jack Blatherwick and Will Williams proved to be the biggest of the innings, helping to repair the damage of 92-8 with some lusty hitting.

With a six apiece, the pair put on fifty in 36 balls before Blatherwick went for another heave to Simon Harmer’s second ball of the game and holed out on the long-leg boundary.

Cook wrapped up the innings when he had Nathan Lyon held at point to leave Williams not out on 32.

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

Demand remains exceptionally high, and there is now just one Friday night fixture with availability remaining, the visit of Glamorgan to The Cloud County Ground on 07 June.

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

Ahead of Essex Women’s season-opening game against Sussex on Sunday 21 April at Felsted School, spinner Prisha Bedi and batter Cath Dalton looked ahead to the season.

The Eagles will compete on three fronts in 2024, including a defence of their London Championship trophy, in addition to taking part in the annual one-off Battle of the Bridge T20 fixture against Kent.

That match, on Wednesday 07 August at 6pm, will be one of three that will be played at The Cloud County Ground.

The Canterbury outfit will also visit in the London Championship on Friday 26 July, while the Eagles will entertain Sussex again in the same competition on Wednesday 14 August.

For now, their season begins on Sunday, and fresh from the confirmation that the Club will host a Tier One professional team from 2025, Bedi and Dalton gave their thoughts on the Sussex clash.

Watch the full interview below:

Women’s Cricket at Chelmsford in 2024

The full fixtures for Essex Women’s 2024 season are available to view here with three fixtures staged at The Cloud County Ground, including the Battle of the Bridge T20 clash against Kent on Wednesday 07 August (6pm start).

England Women return to Chelmsford on Wednesday 29 May with Heather Knight’s team facing Pakistan in Metro Bank One Day International. Play begins at 1pm for a day/night fixture under the lights at The Cloud County Ground.

Sunrisers will compete in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint (50-over) and Charlotte Edwards Cup (20-over) competitions at The Cloud County Ground with their opening 50-over match taking place on Saturday 27 April (10:30am) against The Blaze.

Ticket for all these fixtures are available now from essexcricket.org.uk and visit here for further information.
 

Luc Benkenstein claimed stunning career-best match figures of 12/168 as Essex Second XI earned a thrilling 28-run victory over Warwickshire at Portland Road in Birmingham.

Benkenstein returned figures of 5/79 in the first innings, including at one point taking three wickets in five balls, before going even better in the second dig with a haul of 7/89.

His sparkling match figures were the second-best by any Essex Second XI bowler against Warwickshire, as well as the fifth-best return ever seen in the Second XI Championship altogether.

After captain Nick Browne elected to bat having called correctly on the opening day, the Eagles totalled 229 all out in their first innings, with Jamal Richards’ 48-ball 55 the top score.

In response, the Bears were then dismissed for 235, with Benkenstein’s haul leading the way and Noah Thain also picking up 4/92, as a middle order collapse reduced the hosts from 109-1 to 146-6.

Such a small deficit between the teams at the halfway point suggested an exciting conclusion was in store, and the visitors went on to post 298 in their second innings, setting Warwickshire 293 to win.

Benkenstein shone with the bat in that innings too, hitting a fluent 87 off 96 balls that included 17 fours, while Ben Allison struck an unbeaten 76 to underpin a recovery from 197-7.

Those lower-order runs proved crucial, as the hosts were ultimately dismissed again in tense fashion for 264, as despite Nikhil Gorantla’s 102, Benkenstein’s bowling proved the difference.

At 220-5, the Bears were well set, only for the leg-spinner to rip through their lower order and reduce them to 259-9, with his final wicket being the crucial one of Gorantla.

Alex Gosling then wrapped up victory by claiming the final wicket of Matthew Burton, caught behind by Simon Fernandes, to hand the second-string Eagles an important win.

The visitors returned from Birmingham with 19 points, and next face the South Asian Cricket Academy in a three-day friendly from Tuesday, 23 April.
 

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 is now just one Friday night fixture with availability remaining, the visit of Glamorgan to The Cloud County Ground on 07 June.

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 v Lancashire

Vitality County Championship
The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford
Friday 19 – Monday 22 April | 11:00am start

 
Having been denied a second successive win by the rain on the final day against Kent earlier this week, Essex are back in action from tomorrow as Lancashire visit The Cloud County Ground.

Matt Critchley was the star of the show last time out, as he became the first Essex player since Graham Napier in 2016 to both hit a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same First-Class match.

Critchley, who struck an unbeaten 151 in Essex’s first-innings total of 530-7 declared, was joined in the centurions’ club by Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox, who both hit their first tons in Essex colours.

Elgar made 120 in the first innings, while Cox slammed a whirlwind 89-ball 116 in the second dig to set up a victory push on the final day.

However, intermittent showers forced a significant reduction in the available overs, and the Eagles fell just short of being able to bowl out their rivals again.

Despite that, Anthony McGrath’s men remain top of Division One, and will hope to go one better in the second of their back-to-back home matches over the next four days.

Squad

Head Coach McGrath has named a 13-man squad, with one change to the group that faced Kent last week.

Paul Walter has sustained an injury to his left toe, and the medical team are still assessing the extent of the damage; therefore, he will miss this game.

The Inside Line: Michael Pepper

Having deputised for the injured Adam Rossington during last week’s clash with Kent, Michael Pepper will again take the wicketkeeping gloves against the Red Rose.

Ahead of the fixture, he discussed standing in for Rossington, the performances of the team so far, and the challenge that this week’s visitors will pose.

Watch the full interview above.

The Opposition

Lancashire rather flattered to deceive in last season’s County Championship; despite having been touted by many as title contenders, their habit of drawing too many games saw them fall well short.

The Red Rose were well off the pace by the time they won their first game, against Hampshire in June, having drawn all of their opening five matches.

They would go on to secure further wins against Surrey and Northamptonshire, but although they only lost once all season – to Essex, coincidentally – they drew a total of ten matches to finish in mid-table.

However, in aiming to turn draws into wins, the Old Trafford outfit caused a minor earthquake on the county cricket scene over the winter by announcing the signing of Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

Along with Lyon in the bowling corps, Lancashire possess a high-quality batting line-up, featuring last season’s Division One leading run-scorer Josh Bohannon, and captain Keaton Jennings.

They have drawn both of their matches so far, but that is hardly out of step with the majority of the rest of the division, and they come to Chelmsford in seventh place with 21 points, 14 behind Essex.

Lancashire squad: Keaton Jennings (c), Tom Aspinwall, Tom Bailey, George Balderson, George Bell, Jack Blatherwick, Josh Bohannon, Tom Bruce, Tom Hartley, Matthew Hurst, George Lavelle, Nathan Lyon, Luke Wells, Will Williams.

Last Time We Met

A thrilling four-day joust unfolded by the seaside the last time Essex met Lancashire, with the game being played in the outground surroundings of Blackpool Cricket Club.

Having won the toss and opted to take first use of the surface, the Eagles posted 282 with Tom Westley striking 135 and Paul Walter adding 76.

McGrath’s side then exerted strong control on the contest as they shot their hosts out for 145, with Sam Cook claiming 4/42 and Walter impressing with the ball too in taking 3/20.

Despite facing a sizeable first-innings deficit of 137, the hosts fought back to reduce Essex to 27-3 in their second innings, raising the home crowd’s hopes.

However, a stunning counter-attacking 135 from Dan Lawrence off just 125 deliveries, coupled with a barbarous 35-ball 61 from Doug Bracewell, helped the visitors to 292-8 declared.

That set the Red Rose 430 to win, and although Rob Jones’ masterful 111 saw them incredibly close, they were eventually bowled out for 383 with just ten balls to spare, handing Essex a nail-biting win.

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 is now just one Friday night fixture with availability remaining, the visit of Glamorgan to The Cloud County Ground on 07 June.

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

Round Three of the Vitality County Championship sees Lancashire visit The Cloud County Ground and an opportunity for Essex to record a second victory.

Following the rain affected draw against Kent, Tom Westley’s team will have the Dukes ball in hand again with the highly anticipated battle between Simon Harmer and Nathan Lyon set for the main stage.

Gates Opening Times:

Gates open from 10am on all four days via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street or the Tees River Gate, which is closest to Chelmsford City Centre and the Bus/Train Stations.

Scheduled Hours of Play:

Toss (Day One): 10:30am
Morning Session: 11am-1pm
Afternoon Session: 1:40pm-3:40pm
Evening Session: 4pm-6pm
Close of Play: 6pm

Members Entry & Matchday Tickets:

Vitality County Championship cricket is part of the 2024 Membership and Members are required to scan cards on entry.

Supporters visiting individual matchdays can purchase discounted tickets in advance to speed up entry into the ground.

Advanced tickets are available online at £16 for Adults [£20 on the gate], £12 for Students/Young Adults (18-25) [£12 on the gate] and £6 for Juniors (U18s).

These can be purchased online via the following link or by phone (01245 254010) in person at The Cloud County Ground.

Tickets will also be available on the gates from 9:30am each day and this is strictly card sales only. Post-lunch tickets are priced £11 for Adults, with entry free of charge after the scheduled Tea break.

Matchday Purchases:

The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchasing tickets and scorecards on the gates, plus food and drink purchases in the Doug Insole Pavilion and concourse areas.

Scorecards will be available for £1 on the gates via contactless payment, however, cash purchases can be made in the Essex Cricket Store.

Accessibility:

Accessible Parking:
Accessible car parking spaces are located at The Cloud County Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that these cannot be pre-booked before visiting to provide an equal opportunity for all supporters.

Accessible Seating:
Accessible seating can be found in the Graham Gooch End (formerly Hayes Close End) of the ground and a wheelchair-accessible platform is located in Block One of the Tom Pearce Stand.

Carers can enter the ground on a companion ticket which is free of charge. This is upon the presentation in the Membership & Ticketing Office or on the gate with proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old.

Accessible Facilities:
New accessible toilet facilities located by Block 31 will be open for all spectators this season. Additional toilets for wheelchair users are located at the rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion and main scoreboard.

We can also accept a Blue Badge and Access card.

Accessible Toilets:
Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located behind the main scorecard (Red Area), rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion (Blue Area) and adjacent to Block 25 at County Corner (Green Area).

Ahead of Your Visit:

In the event of adverse weather conditions on the day of the match, please keep up to date with the prospects of play via the Club’s Twitter and Facebook channels.

Please note that the Prospect of Play phone line is no longer in use and all updates will be available online via the official social media channels.

Travel:

Parking:
• Spectators travelling by car will need to locate a public car park in the proximity of the ground as there is no parking available on-site at The Cloud County Ground.

• The High Chelmer multi-storey will be open across all four days.

• The Meteor Way car park will be available for Members’ to book during the 2024 season. There are a limited number of spaces available at Meteor Way and we advise that Members pre-book for £2 as spaces aren’t guaranteed to be available on the day and the price of parking on the day will increase to £3.

Season Passes for the Vitality County Championship have now sold out along with all pre-booked spaces for Friday 19 April.

There is still availability for the remaining days of the Lancashire fixture as well as all remaining Vitality County Championship fixtures.

The car park is open three hours before the start of play and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Public Transport:
• Chelmsford Bus Station is situated on Duke Street, next to Chelmsford Train Station, with connections to all over the county. Alternatively, bus numbers 13, 46 and C1 shuttles, stop on New London Road, which is approximately a two-minute walk to the Ground, via New Writtle Street.

• Chelmsford Railway Station, managed by Greater Anglia, is about a 10-minute stroll from The Cloud County Ground. Direct train services depart regularly from Chelmsford to London, Stratford, Shenfield, Romford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Chelmsford is situated on the Liverpool Street to Norwich mainline.

Ground Entry:

• Spectators are able to enter the ground via the Main Gate located on New Writtle Street or through the Tees River Gate.

• For the safety of everyone at the ground, there will be bag checks in operation and security present throughout the fixture.

• In the event of rain forecast on the day of the match, spectators can bring a small umbrella into the ground but metal spiked umbrellas are not permitted.

• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for Members upon the presentation of a valid Membership card and accessible by entering the ground through the Main Gate.

• Members are not required to pre-book a match ticket and can enter by scanning their Membership card on the gate. If you require a replacement card, please get in contact with the Membership & Ticketing Office before the fixture to arrange a replacement or this may cause delays on entry for you and other spectators.

• Entry to this fixture is included in 2023 Membership and encourage Members to arrive in plenty of time to secure your seat. All seating for Championship games is Unallocated and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• There will be an open ground for this match allowing spectators to walk around the whole concourse area at The Cloud County Ground with access to the Club shop and other facilities.

Members will still have access to dedicated Members’ seating areas which will be located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for Members and general public.

General Public Seating:

• Supporters who have purchased tickets can enter the ground by scanning the QR on your tickets that has been sent to you via email following your purchase. If you choose to print out your ticket, please ensure that the match details (including name and seat details) are included as per the image below. Make sure you have your match ticket available on your phone or printed out so it is easily accessible for ticket scanning on arrival. Please do not take a ‘screen grab’ of your QR code as that will not be read by the scanners.

• Ticket holders can sit in all areas of the ground for this match, except for the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower stands.

Around the Ground:

• Spectators are welcome to enter the pitch during the lunch & tea breaks when instructed over PA or by a member of the Club’s stewarding team. Please follow the guidance to the specific areas permitted to enter and please respect the playing surface. We encourage spectators to play on the outfield but please use softballs.

• Spectators are permitted to walk around the full concourse area with better access to the Club Store and other facilities.

Members will still have exclusive access to dedicated Members’ seating areas, which are located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for both Members and general public.

Please note that seating for Vitality County Championship fixtures is unallocated so will be available on a first come, first served basis.

• Spectators are permitted to move behind the Doug Insole Pavilion but please respect the players’ area and walkway.

• A faith and reflection room is available for all spectators who wish to use this facility. It is open for the duration of the match and located within the Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.

• The Club Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open for spectators for the duration of your visit.

• The Peter Edwards Museum & Library is located on-site adjacent to the Essex Cricket Store and will be open for the duration of the game.

Visit during the match to view a new exhibition on the career of Nasser Hussain and entry is free of charge.

• If you experience any anti-social or discriminatory behaviour during your visit to The Cloud County Ground then, please contact your nearest steward. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or text ‘CROWD’ including your stand and issue to 60066.

• Free Wi-Fi is available at The Cloud County Ground for every matchday giving supporters the opportunity to access the internet and the Club’s live stream online. Simply logon to ‘EC-Public’ from your seat to access.

Food & Drink:

• At the Doug Insole Pavilion, you can enjoy a diverse selection of hot and cold beverages from the bar, along with a variety of snacks for purchase.

• Anne’s Pantry will be offering a choice of home-cooked meals, cakes/snacks, and drinks from their refreshment kiosks located in the Graham Gooch End and Sir Alastair Cook End.

They will be serving a range of meals suitable for all dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free, as well as children’s portions.

• Other refreshment kiosks include bar areas located at either end of the ground in County Corner and Spinners Bar, serving drinks and snacks.

• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground for this fixture but please ensure all bags can be stored underneath your seat. A limit of four cans of beer/lager or one bottle of wine per person is in place for this fixture and there is strictly no glass or sharp objects permitted into the ground.

• Please note that facilities in the County Corner area of the ground will be closed on Day Four of this fixture and please make sure you bring a suitable method of card payment for your visit.

Leaving the Ground:

At the conclusion of the day’s play, we ask spectators to leave the ground in a safe and patient manner. Stewards will be on hand to help direct you safely out of the ground.

We hope you have an enjoyable visit to The Cloud County Ground and further information regarding the match, including squad announcements and a full match preview will be available on www.essexcricket.org.uk ahead of the match.

Get in touch with us by email if you have any further questions at [email protected] or via the Club’s official Twitter and Facebook channels.

Watch The Action On the Move

Our live stream will be available to watch over the four days with multi-angled ball tracking, replays and commentary courtesy of BBC Essex. Head to the Essex Cricket Matchzone to watch the action live ahead of the toss on Day One, plus view an interactive scorecard, stats and individual match clips.

Visit Matchzone