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Essex wicket-keeper batsman James Foster captured the 2018 Global T20 Canada title on Sunday as his Vancouver Knights beat West Indies B by seven wickets.

Foster joined up with the Canadian side as their Assistant Coach last month after being granted permission by Essex to take up the role and further his coaching experience and knowledge. He has been supporting the Knights’ Head Coach, Donovan Miller, who is also part of the Essex Cricket coaching team, and the pair have helped guide their side to a win in the inaugral competition.

The 38-year-old had already spent time coaching in the Bangladesh Premier League with the Khulna Titans and with both Andy Flower and Paul Farbrace within the England set-up.

Last night at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground, his side restricted West Indies B to just 145 runs and reached their target of 146 with 2.3 overs to spare.

Knights won the toss and opted to bowl, quickly reducing West Indies B to 53 for 5. A 34-run stand for the sixth wicket between Kavem Hodge and Anthony Bramble steadied the ship, but once Fawad Ahmed struck in quick succession it wasn’t long before they were all out for 145.

Knights didn’t have a great start and found themselves 22 for 3, which included the wicket of Chris Gayle. However, Saad Bin Zafar and Rassie van der Dussen combined for an undefeated 126-run partnership which ensured it was Vancouver who became the first winners of the Global T20 Canada.

Anthony McGrath is urging his side to improve their overall game for tonight’s sell-out Vitality Blast match with Glamorgan at The Cloudfm County Ground starting at 7pm.

The Eagles lost by 39 runs to Surrey at the Kia Oval last night and Head Coach McGrath welcomes the instant chance to get back to winning ways.

“It’s good that we have an immediate opportunity to put the defeat to Surrey behind us but we’ll need to up our performance levels if we are going to get the result we want against Glamorgan,” he acknowledged.

“If we get the win, that will give us two wins from our four matches so far which would be acceptable at this stage before we have a bit of a break before the next tranche of matches.

“Surrey got away from us in the last 5 overs of their innings but up until that stage, we were pretty satisfied with the way things had gone. We felt that if we could keep them to around 200, we’d have a really good chance but then they added 72 runs including 52 off the last three. That was not acceptable, obviously it can happen in T20 but that was far too many and we need to look at that.

“I thought we batted well off the first 10 overs, we were around the asking rate but you need someone to have a sensational innings when you are chasing 223 to get you across the line but that didn’t happen and, as a result, we fell short.

“Chasing that score in T20 cricket is a big, big challenge and it means someone has to have a big day out but unfortunately, we didn’t have anyone to go on and play that big innings we needed.

“Varun (Chopra) and Adam (Wheater) have been sensational since they got together as an opening partnership and have laid the platform for us but we haven’t really been able to capitalise because the middle-order haven’t fired yet. At some point, they are going to have to stand up and be counted.

“We paid a heavy price for two dropped catches, one against Aaron Finch and the second off Ben Foakes and if you give two top players like them a second chance, they’ll come back to haunt you. Those misses cost us big time.”

Essex Eagles have named an unchanged 14-man squad for tonight’s match with the possibility that there could be a change or two from last night’s starting line-up.

Essex Eagles squad to face Glamorgan:

Ryan ten Doeschate (27) Captain
Adam Wheater (31) wicket-keeper
Ravi Bopara (25)
Varun Chopra (6)
Matt Coles (1)
Sam Cook (16)
Simon Harmer (11)
Dan Lawrence (28)
Jamie Porter (44)
Matt Quinn (94)
Neil Wagner (13)
Tom Westley (21)
Ashar Zaidi (99)
Adam Zampa (88)

England Under-19s selectors have chosen a 15-man squad for the three-match Royal London One-Day Series against South Africa later this month, and includes Essex’s Jack Plom, fresh from taking 7 wickets in opening ‘Test’ earlier this week.

Tom Banton, the Somerset batsman who was appointed captain for the two four-day “Tests” against South Africa – and scored a century in England’s win in the opening ‘Test’ in Scarborough this week – will again lead the team.

He will be joined by 12 more members of the “Test” squad, and two newcomers: Jordan Cook, an off-spinner from Nottinghamshire; and Jamie Smith, a batsman from Surrey.

Jon Lewis, the Young Lions head coach who joined John Abrahams and David Graveney on the selection panel, said: “The focus for our players remains on four-day cricket, with our second ‘Test’ at the Emirates Riverside starting on Monday. But the three-match Royal London One-Day Series is just as important in terms of giving our young players experience of international white-ball cricket – especially with the first game of the series being shown live on Sky Sports, which will be a new experience for the majority of our squad.

“As with the selection of the four-day squad, we have followed a policy of allowing players who are gaining regular first-team experience in county cricket to stay with their counties. The performances of guys like Harry Brook, Henry Brookes, Will Jacks and Dillon Pennington this season are so encouraging for all of us who worked with them on the Young Lions programme over the last couple of years, to see how they’re kicking on.

“We made a similar decision with Jamie Smith who would have been a strong contender for our ‘Test’ squad but has gained the experience of making his senior debut for Surrey in a Vitality Blast match against Middlesex at Lord’s.

“But we’ve agreed with Surrey that Jamie would benefit from playing Under-19 international cricket with us, and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the squad with Jordan Cook from Nottinghamshire, who impressed for the Invitational XI against the South Africans in Loughborough last week.”

England Under-19s squad for Royal London One-Day Series against South Africa

Liam Banks – Warwickshire
Tom Banton – Somerset (captain)
Ben Charlesworth – Gloucestershire
Sam Conners – Derbyshire
Jordan Cook – Nottinghamshire
Jack Davies – Middlesex
Adam Finch – Worcestershire
Alfie Gleadall – Derbyshire
Jack Haynes – Worcestershire
Luke Hollman – Middlesex
Nick Kimber – Nottinghamshire
Jack Plom – Essex
Ollie Robinson – Kent
Jamie Smith – Surrey
Harrison Ward – Sussex

The ODI matches take place on 23rd July (Emirates Riverside), 26th July (South Northumberland CC) and 29th July (Scarborough CC). All start at 11am, with the first to be shown live on Sky Sports.

Essex Eagles are set for back-to-back matches this week when the Vitality Blast campaign continues. On Thursday, the Eagles make the short trip to London to meet Surrey at the Kia Oval, before hosting Glamorgan on Friday in another sold out clash at The Cloudfm County Ground.

With one win and one defeat from the opening two matches in the competition, all-rounder Ravi Bopara is keen for the Eagles to put together a winning run of form.

“It’s been mixed fortunes so far, we weren’t happy with our performance in the defeat to Sussex Sharks but then we put our first win on the board by beating Middlesex last Friday, so we are okay,” said the all-rounder.

“Our aim at this stage in the competition is always to reach the knockout stages by finishing top of our group. A few wins and that gives you momentum and hopefully, we’ll get a couple more positive results this week.

“Qualifying for the next stage is the number one objective.”

The 33 year-old, who made 38 T20 International appearances for England, believes that the Eagles have a couple of aces in their bowling attack in the shape of spinners Simon Harmer and Adam Zampa.

“Spinners around the country are playing a key role in matches this season and that doesn’t surprise me particularly with the hot weather we’ve had,” he said. “The wickets are dry and they are going to turn or at least hold for the spinners.

“Generally anyway, in my experience, spinners play a big part in T20 and to have the two world-class performers that we have in Harmer and Zampa should give us a huge advantage. Regardless of where you play matches, spinners are always in the game and will always take wickets.

“Obviously the batters have got to do their part as well but I’d like to think our spin options will be vital in helping us to get to the next stage.”

Surrey are still looking for their first Vitality Blast win this summer after losing to Middlesex and Kent Spitfires but their ranks have been boosted by the arrival of big-hitting Australian duo Aaron Finch and Nic Maddinson. Both have experience of playing in the IPL and Big Bash, and Finch arrives in scintillating form.

Playing for Australia against Zimbabwe in a International T20 just over a week ago, Finch hit 172 from 76 deliveries in Harare. His first 50 runs took 22 deliveries before bringing up his second IT20 century from just 50 balls.

The Eagles squad to face Surrey:

Ryan ten Doeschate (27) Captain
Adam Wheater (31) Wicket-Keeper
Ravi Bopara (25)
Varun Chopra (6)
Matt Coles (1)
Sam Cook (16)
Simon Harmer (11)
Dan Lawrence (28)
Jamie Porter (44)
Matt Quinn (94)
Neil Wagner (13)
Tom Westley (21)
Ashar Zaidi (99)
Adam Zampa (88)