Essex Coach, Donovan Miller, was recently named Head Coach of the Vancouver Knights in the inaugural Global T20 competition in Canada.
Miller played a role in assisting the County during the 2016 and 2017 Championship title seasons.
“It’s been an amazing five years in terms of my development as a young coach,” Miller said
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Chris Silverwood and John Childs for giving me the opportunity in the first place to develop with the County.
“Chris is not only a top coach but special human being and will continue to be incredibly successful as a coach. It has been equally great to work alongside Anthony McGrath and all the playing staff over the course of the 2018 season.”
Miller has also spent a few days with England, helping them prepare for Test series against Pakistan and also assisted the World XI Team at Lord’s.
Miller will be assisted in Canada by Essex wicket-keeper, James Foster, who recently accepted the role of Assistant Coach for the duration of the tournament.
Essex wicket-keeper batsman, James Foster, will head to Canada at the end of the month to become Assistant Coach of Vancouver Knights in the Global T20 League.
Foster has been given permission by the Club to take up this coaching opportunity to further his coaching experience from 28 June to 17 July after which he will return to the club to continue his playing duties.
Having spent much of the winter coaching in the Bangladesh Premier League with the Khulna Titans alongside Head Coach Mahela Jayawardene and gaining coaching experience with Andy Flower and Paul Farbrace with respective England teams, the 38-year-old is looking to broaden his horizons as he reaches the latter stages of his playing career.
Foster is thrilled the Club have been so supportive and allowed him to take up the opportunity in Canada and said: “I am incredibly grateful that the club have given me the opportunity to pursue this coaching role in the Canadian Global T20 League.
“I did a lot of coaching over the winter and was fortunate enough to be offered some incredible opportunities, and this summer I was involved with the ICC Rest of the World Team vs the West Indies. I have always had a passion for coaching and have been working at Forest School for the last few years. But these recent opportunities have enthused me even more and the opportunity to travel to Canada was one that I had to accept looking longer term.
“I approached the club expressing my keen interest in taking this wonderful opportunity but given the dates it became clear that I would have to miss the Somerset 4-day game starting on the 25th June. Essex kindly agreed to let me take up the coaching role, but they felt it was in the best interest of the side to have the same wicket keeper for the block of three Championship matches against Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Somerset.
“This was a decision I gave great consideration to, knowing the hard work it took me to get back into the side during the 2017 championship winning season, however I felt this was the right thing for me personally as coaching is the direction I want to explore when I eventually finish playing. I respect the club’s decision to bring Adam in and wish him and the team the best of luck.
“I am thankful that the Club are helping with my transition into coaching and my career development. However, I am still feeling fit, enjoy training and playing and feel that I have a lot of cricket left in me.
“When I return from Canada I will be putting my all into contributing to Essex and I believe I still have a lot to offer this team and want to be playing for Essex beyond this season.”
Essex Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, is pleased that Foster has been offered such an opportunity, and added: “This a great chance for Foz to continue his coaching development in a high profile environment, with high quality players.
“This is a recognition of both his coaching ability, but also how respected he is within the game and I am sure it will be another great opportunity to learn and aid his career development.
“At James’ stage of his life he needs to start looking ahead to the future, and this is another chance to boost his coaching CV further. It is encouraging to see the growth of Michael Pepper who has played a lot of Second XI cricket, and he will be understudy to Adam Wheater until Foz returns.”
Varun Chopra, Essex’s talismanic batsman of this season’s Royal London Cup campaign, recognises the void left by the absence of captain Ryan ten Doeschate from today’s quarter-final against Yorkshire at Chelmsford.
Ten Doeschate misses the 50-over showdown, the first of a two-match suspension for an outburst during the Specsavers County Championship win at Old Trafford earlier this week.
Chopra said: “It’s going to be a big loss. He’s our leader out there. He’s a big-hitter as well, coming in at six. His scoring ability when you are in a hole, and also the acceleration he can provide at the back-end, is great for us as a side.
“He probably didn’t hit his straps in the group stages, but he is one of those guys who you know when it’s a big game – a quarter-final, a semi-final – you want in your side. But we’re still going to go out there with a strong side, and if we play well we’ll get the result.”
The blow will be softened somewhat by the availability of Alastair Cook for his first game in the competition this year, to open the batting with Chopra. “Tendo will be a big loss,” said Chopra, “but it’s not a bad replacement coming in. Cookie was our best player in this format last year, he’s been in good touch this summer, and hopefully he’ll put in a big performance for us in the quarter-final.”
Cook’s return will mean a halt to the prolific first-wicket partnership between Chopra and wicketkeeper Adam Wheater, which has been worth 537 runs at 67.12 in the eight Royal London matches so far. It has provided the platform for Essex to win five of their matches and snatch second place – and this home quarter-final – from Kent in the last match.
Chopra said: “Me and Wheater have worked well together. We run well, him being shorter, me being taller, perhaps helps. We complement each other at the top of the order. It’s been nice to bat with him.
“In this format, if you do set a base in the first 10-20 overs, with the extra fielder in the circle, with two white balls, a good wicket and the sun out, you can really capitalise. If we’re 50-60 for no loss, or even if 60 for two, we feel quite comfortable. Wheats and my job is to get the side off to a solid start. We do that by playing strong cricket shots and being positive, not having a dash like some pinch-hitters have in the past.”
Chopra has slotted consummately into Cook’s role this season totalling nine runs short of 500 runs, with a career-best score of 160 and three fifties, one of them unbeaten and just shy of a second hundred, and an average of 61.37. He admitted: “It’s been a good tournament for me, no doubt. The longer you play the game, you do have good months and bad months, good seasons and bad seasons. I’ve played long enough not to take anything for granted out there. But, yes, this competition has been good for us as a batting side, and for me personally.
“The 160 against Somerset was particularly pleasing, just the way I managed to construct it. I think I was 40 off 25-30 [balls] to start with, and was going really well. Then we lost three quick wickets. Somerset bowled really well and Ravi [Bopara] and myself had to absorb a lot of pressure for a period of time. We managed to get in and free up after reaching 100 I then hit something like 60 off 30 balls in the last 10 [overs]. It was satisfying as a batter to play an inning where you’ve had to put a lot of thought into it. To get the win as well made it extra special.”
Yorkshire inflicted Essex’s only Championship defeat of the season last month. “That Yorkshire game was disappointing after the first innings [when Yorkshire were dismissed for 50]. But you’ve got to give credit to the opposition sometimes, and also accept that as sportsmen you’re not always going to have your best days.
“But we’ve won three on the bounce now and if we put in another good performance tomorrow we can move on to another semi-final. Then we’re two games from Lord’s.” And ten Doeschate would be back to lead them in the final.
The Eagles head into Thursday’s Royal London One-Day Cup play-off match against Yorkshire Vikings brimming with confidence after three consecutive wins in the competition.
Alastair Cook returns to the squad to bolster the batting ranks and Anthony McGrath believes his side have found form at the right time heading into a crucial encounter at The Cloudfm County Ground.
“We had been a bit inconsistent earlier on in the competition but those last three matches have seen us really get our act together,” he said. “The win over Kent Spitfires was probably the nearest you will get to a perfect performance in one-day cricket.
“Now we have to carry that level into the tie with Yorkshire, who are a good side, and we know the standards we have to achieve on Thursday if we want continue in the competition.
“It’s a bonus to have a home tie and to have the majority of the crowd behind us but whoever and wherever you play; you know you are going to be in for a tough game.
“Every team in the play-offs knows that you are only two wins from a Lord’s Final, that’s the incentive for all of us, not only the players but all the staff and supporters and hopefully, we can take everyone one step closer to that Lord’s Final.”
The Eagles will be without their Captain, Ryan ten Doeschate, who is suspended for the next two matches after an incident in the Lancashire County Championship game.
Eagles Head Coach McGrath added: “Obviously it’s a bitter blow to lose Ryan who has led the side superbly ever since assuming the captaincy. I’m really disappointed for him because I know how passionate he is about leading the side and bringing success to the Club.
“But now we have to now plan for the next two matches without him.”
Essex and Yorkshire have clashed on four occasions in knockout cup ties at Chelmsford since 2000 and the honours have been evenly shared.
The teams met twice in 2002, firstly in a Benson & Hedges Cup tie that the home side won by 7 wickets after an unbeaten 136 by Nasser Hussain. Then in a C&G Trophy quarter final tie when Yorkshire won a thrilling contest by virtue of losing fewer wickets when a certain Anthony McGrath, playing then for the White Rose, ended 72 not out.
In a Friends Provident Trophy tie in 2008, the home side won by 87 runs and McGrath again top-scored for Yorkshire.
The teams then met at the quarter final stage in the Royal London Cup in 2015 when Yorkshire emerged winners by 20 runs.
So does the current Essex Head Coach have any sentiments about playing his former County where he spent 17 years as a player?
“Not at all,” he insists. “I loved my time there but that’s all in the past, all my focus now is with Essex and trying to help them with trophies.”
The Eagles have named a 13-man squad for the match against Yorkshire Vikings.
Essex Eagles squad:
21 Tom Westley (C)
31 Adam Wheater (WK)
25 Ravi Bopara
6 Varun Chopra
1 Matt Coles
26 Alastair Cook
16 Sam Cook
11 Simon Harmer
28 Dan Lawrence
44 Jamie Porter
94 Matt Quinn
13 Neil Wagner
99 Ashar Zaidi
Graham Gooch OBE is set to take on a 193-mile walk to raise funds for the PCA Benevolent Fund and Graham Gooch Scholarship this September in ‘Goochie’s Coast 2 Coast 2018’.
Gooch, who previously donated £50,000 to the PCA Benevolent Fund from his Scholarship, is now aiming to raise £20,000 to be split across both charities as he undertakes the famous ‘the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk’ from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.
Gooch, who will be joined by his partner and three friends, is hopeful that the funds raised will help the Benevolent Fund and his Scholarship continue their “great work.”
“We want to raise money for all the great things the PCA supply for present players, past players and future cricketers,” he said.
“I’ve seen first-hand what work goes into supporting these cricketers and to help this is something I’m very passionate about.”
The PCA Benevolent Fund is part of the PCA’s commitment to helping former and current players and their dependants in times of hardship and upheaval or to readjust to the world beyond the game.
The charity provides support in a huge variety of ways, both reactively and increasingly proactively with a drive to help and educate PCA members on all health and wellbeing issues key in helping players to negate problems further down the line.
Gooch, who was named PCA President in March 2018, has also run his own Scholarship programme for fifteen years under the umbrella of the Essex Cricket Foundation.
Having previously played for the county for 24 years, Gooch’s Scholarship supports initiatives including the Essex Cricket Academy with the charity funding their recent Indian coaching camp in February 2018. The Scholarship frequently sends young Essex players on overseas coaching and playing tours, trips that Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara and most recently Aaron Beard have benefited from.
Embarking on the 193-mile hike which starts in Cumbria on September 17 with the finish line in North Yorkshire on September 29, the former England Captain recognises this different approach as he attempts the gruelling 14-day challenge. The fundraising trek is something that “excites” Gooch as he looks to step out of his comfort zone.
“I wanted to branch out from the usual fundraisers, it’s a physical challenge and something I’m really looking forward to,” he continued.
“We do like challenges and I think this is a different approach to raise some funds for two excellent causes.
“The walk averages just over 15 miles a day. In the Lake District the first five days will be tough because it’s very up and down.
“We’re training for it, it should be fun, but it is going to be a challenge.”
Gooch is encouraging day walkers to join him on the trail across the coast to support with raising funds.
To donate visit ‘Goochie’s Coast 2 Coast 2018’ Just Giving page, where there will also be an option to include Gift Aid.
For more information on how to get involved contact Sam Relf – [email protected]
Essex County Cricket Club is pleased to announce that Australian International, Peter Siddle, will return to the Club on August 1 and be available for all competitions.
Siddle will be available for eight Vitality Blast games, and the quarter-finals should we progress, as well as the Specsavers County Championship matches against Somerset, Hampshire and Surrey.
The 33-year-old made a significant impression during his brief stint with the Club in April and May, and took 20 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 16.10.
The Victorian is delighted to be returning to the Club and said: “I loved my time at the Club earlier in the season, and I can’t wait to get back to Chelmsford and play for the Eagles again.
“It was a little bit of a stop start period with the weather, but I am looking forward to getting a run of games together in both Blast and Championship cricket.
“I have seen first-hand how passionate the Chelmsford crowd is for Championship cricket, and I have heard amazing things about T20 games as well. Hopefully I can bring my experience in both red-ball and white-ball cricket to the team and help continue the good work so far this season.”
Essex Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, is equally excited to see Siddle returning and added: “Peter made an excellent contribution both on and off the pitch earlier on in the season, and made a brilliant impact on everyone at the Club.
“He not only continued to show how good a bowler he is, and the skills he has, but he also showed what a great person he is, and that is equally important for fitting into the way we work.
“We know he will have an impact with the red-ball, but Sids was also outstanding in the Big Bash for the Adelaide Strikers over the winter, and we hope he can bring those skills to our T20 side during his stay with the Club.”
Essex’s Overseas signings are in partnership with Seven Investment Management, the Eagles’ Vitality Blast official sponsor.
A 5-wicket haul from Jamie Porter inspired victory inside three days over Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford. In a crazy day’s cricket, Essex started the day working towards Lancashire total of 301.
After surpassing the score by one run, an extraordinary series of events followed as Jamie Porter and Sam Cook rattled through the Lancashire batsmen. Porter’ first spell saw him have figures of 4 for 14 runs off 7 wickets, including three maidens.
Jamie spoke after play to try and sum up the crazy day’s cricket.
Lancashire v Essex
Specsavers County Championship
Saturday 9 June – Tuesday 12 June
Emirates Old Trafford
Lancashire team | Keaton Jennings, Haseeb Hameed, Alex Davies, Liam Livingstone (c), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dane Vilas (wk), Jordan Clark, Joe Mennie, Tom Bailey, Graham Onions, Matthew Parkinson.
Essex team | Alastair Cook, Varun Chopra, Tom Westley, Dan Lawrence, Ravi Bopara, Ryan ten Doeschate (c), Adam Wheater (wk), Simon Harmer, Neil Wagner, Jamie Porter, Sam Cook.
Umpires | Jeremy Lloyds & Steve O’Shaughnessy
Toss | Uncontested, Essex elected to bowl
Result | Essex won by 5 wickets
Match Reaction | Anthony McGrath
Day Three | Match Highlights
Day Three Report:
Essex recorded a third win of the Specsavers County Championship season by beating Lancashire by 5 wickets at Emirates Old Trafford inside three days.
An eventful third day saw Essex roll over the home side for 105, after the Champions had gained a 1 run advantage on first innings. This was before Ravi Bopara with an unbeaten 36 helped overcome a few nervy moments for the visitors on their way to victory.
However, it was Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer who set up the success. Porter took 5 for 30 and Harmer 4 for 34 as Lancashire reeled against the incisive duo.
The hosts began their second innings just before lunch but by the time the interval came, they had lost both openers without a run on the board. Porter removed England opener Keaton Jennings for the second time in the match and his new ball partner Sam Cook accounted for Alex Davies.
Lancashire’s problems continued to mount after lunch as they slumped to 29 for 6 as Porter and Harmer weaved their magic although Sam Cook was forced off the field with suspected sore shins.
Porter had Haseeb Hameed caught behind for 4 and then pinned Liam Livingstone in front of his stumps for 17 before trapping Jordan Clark leg before to boast figures of 4 for 14 in 6.2 overs.
Harmer claimed Dane Vilas thanks to a brilliant catch by Ryan ten Doeschate at short leg when he took a catch off a ferociously struck shot before the bowler added Shivnarine Chanderpaul who walked across his stumps and was leg before to leave Lancashire 41 for 7.
Joe Mennie and Tom Bailey put on 34 in 8 overs before Harmer had the latter caught at short leg for 16 then persuaded Graham Onions to hole out to Alastair Cook in the deep for 13 with the score now 95 for 9.
Joe Mennie meanwhile had looked the most accomplished at the crease for the hosts and had reached 32 from 61 balls when he ran out of partners after Porter bowled Matt Parkinson for 1.
That left Essex a modest target to secure the “double” over Lancashire this season although the visitors suffered a few jitters along the way as Onions caused a few problems to the top-order with a spell of 3 for 18 in 4.2 overs.
Varun Chopra scored 6 before he lost his off stump, Alastair Cook was caught for 9 at third slip with Hameed completing the catch at the second attempt and Tom Westley was caught behind for 14 to leave Essex 39 for 3 inside 10 overs.
Dan Lawrence went 2 runs later, bowled by Mennie, to give the home side a glimmer of hope but a partnership of 52 in 16 overs by Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate steadied the ship.
Waiting patiently to punish the looser delivery, the partnership had taken Essex to within 12 runs of victory when the skipper was caught in the covers off leg spinner Parkinson for 19.
Successive reverse sweeps by Wheater, who was 11 not out at the end, off Livingstone brought up the 100 before a sweep to the fine leg boundary by Bopara off Parkinson brought the winning runs.
Earlier in the day Essex added 81 runs to the overnight score before losing the remaining four wickets all to Bailey.
There had been a half-hour delay after just 3 overs of play in the morning when a spectator was taken ill with a heart attack and an air ambulance landed on the outfield before taking the spectator to hospital.
Wheater had reached 41 before he was one of three lbw victims for the bowler who claimed Harmer (29) and Porter (0) in the same manner. His other scalp was Neil Wagner who drove freely to score 29 and figured in a last wicket stand worth 42 with Sam Cook that ensured the Champions three batting points to double the tally they had accrued so far this season.
Cook scored 8, a career-best in the Championship, and remaining unbeaten in the competition this summer after five innings.
Day Two | Match Highlights
Day Two Reaction | Alastair Cook
Day Two Report:
Essex had reached 214 for 6 in reply to Lancashire’s first innings total of 301 all out when bad light and then rain prevented any play after 4:37pm in the Specsavers County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.
Alastair Cook contributed his third Championship half-century of the campaign while Ryan ten Doeschate and Tom Westley hit 40’s but it was the loss of four wickets for 10 runs shortly after lunch that put Essex on the backfoot.
It was left to ten Doeschate and Adam Wheater to overcome a difficult period with a partnership worth 81 in 21 overs that carried their side to 211 and a batting point before they were parted.
The Champions had started the afternoon session on 114 for 1 with Cook and Westley looking in charge after the loss of Varun Chopra for 3 but then both fell to paceman Joe Mennie within four overs to leave their side 120 for 3.
Cook was caught behind for 58 and Westley had his of stump knocked back by a yorker when on 41 and the loss of two more wickets left Essex in deep trouble.
Dan Lawrence was pinned in the crease by Graham Onions for 2 and Ravi Bopara (6) edged to second slip when facing Mennie as the batting side capitulated to 130 for 5 having lost four wickets for ten runs in 47 deliveries.
Cook and Westley had survived a testing start to their partnership but emerged to play with confidence and some authority as they composed a stand of 110 with a selection of well-timed drives on both sides of the wicket.
Cook was dropped by Haseeb Hameed at slip on 18 but soon took successive boundaries against Onions whilst Westley also regularly found the ropes.
They raised a century stand in 21 overs before lunch and there was little indication at that stage of the problems that lay ahead for the visitors.
Mennie was given a well-earned break having enjoyed a destructive spell of 7-3-9-3 and ten Doeschate and Wheater set about refashioning the innings. Their fifty stand came up in 77 balls before Wheater, on 25, was dropped by Liam Livingstone off leg-spinner, Matt Parkinson.
However, in the next over, the Essex skipper perished for 43 after a wonderful piece of work by wicket-keeper Dane Vilas who chased after a ball that had been played into the off side by ten Doeschate who set off for a run.
Vilas threw off his glove, picked up the ball and threw down the stumps at the non-strikers end with ten Doeschate inches out short of the crease.
Wheater was joined by Simon Harmer and the pair eased their side through to tea and then the seven deliveries of the final session before rain arrived to curtail play for the day.
Wheater, who has so far batted for a little over an hour and a half facing 67 deliveries is 30 not out and Harmer has a single to his name.
They will resume tomorrow with Essex requiring another 88 for a first innings lead.
At the start of the day, Harmer took the remaining Lancashire wicket with his eighth ball of the morning when Tom Bailey was caught sweeping the ball to Neil Wagner at deep backward square leg for 38 to finish with figures of 3 for 35.
Day One | Match Highlights
Day One Reaction | Sam Cook
Day One Report:
Lancashire reached 297 for 9 at the end of the opening day’s play at Old Trafford in the County Championship after Champions, Essex, had reduced them to 59 for 5 at one stage.
The revival was led by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Jordan Clark who both scored half-centuries and together put on 131 for the sixth wicket to restore an innings that had been ailing back into life.
Pick of the Essex attack were Sam Cook and Simon Harmer, the latter striking twice in three balls.
After an uncontested toss, the home side lost both openers in the first hour of play and both to Jamie Porter who removed Alex Davies and Keaton Jennings for 2 and 19 respectively before Neil Wagner had Haseeb Hameed caught by Adam Wheater behind the stumps.
Then Cook, accounted for Liam Livingstone for 11 and then had Dane Vilas trapped in the crease, both wickets falling wither side of lunch that had seen Lancashire reach the interval on 59 for 4.
Chanderpual and Clark though dominated the rest of the afternoon session carrying the total onto 158 for 5 at tea. Veteran West Indies Test player, Chanderpaul batted vigilantly in his attempt to address the earlier problems arriving at his half-century from 172 balls that included 8 boundaries.
Clark was altogether more aggressive and positive in his stroke play taking 58 balls to reach his fifty that also included 8 fours.
It was the introduction of Harmer to the attack that sent both back to the Pavilion. Chanderpaul was his first victim when bowled for 58 and the off-spinner than beached the defences of Clark who had scored 79 to leave the home side 193 for 7.
However, Essex were frustrated in the attempts to polish off the innings.
Joe Mennie and Tom Bailey posted 36 for the 8th wicket before Cook brought a ball back in to Mennie (15) to gain the lbw verdict.
The new ball was taken with the score 223 for 7 but Graham Onions hit out with abandon contributing 41 out of a 52 runs stand with Bailey that spanned 6 and a half overs before Wagner had Onions caught by Varun Chopra at first slip when the batsman failed to contend with a sharply lifting delivery that gave Essex their third bowling point.
Matt Parkinson joined Bailey as the home side survived the remaining four overs until the close with Bailey unbeaten on 41 and Parkinson 1 not out.
Cook ended the day with figures of 3 for 65, Harmer 2 for 32, Porter 2 for 62, Wagner 2 for 91 and Ravi Bopara 0 for 33.
Treat your Dad to lunch with Graham Gooch OBE this Father’s Day! The event takes place on Sunday 17 June at The Cloudfm County Ground with a chance to enjoy lunch with your family and to hear from the legendary Essex and England captain throughout the day.
The package includes a three-course meal, with a welcome drinks reception and post-meal tea & coffee. The perfect gift for any cricket loving dad with places priced at £35.00 per Adult and £17.00 per child (U12).
There’s a calendar of events available throughout 2018, including a 70s & 80s Tribute Night, National Afternoon Tea Week and a Michael Buble Tribute Event. For the full list of events – view here.
Tickets for the Father’s Day Lunch and all the other events this year, can be purchased in person at The Cloudfm County Ground or online now:
Having secured a home tie in the quarter-finals of the Royal London Cup by beating Kent Spitfires emphatically on Wednesday, Essex now turn their attentions to the red ball when they travel to Old Trafford to face Lancashire.
The County Championship clash starts on Saturday and the visitors are boosted by the inclusion of England opener Alastair Cook who is named in a 13-man squad for the trip north.
Having completed a two-match series with Pakistan, England do not face another Test match until 1 August and Cook has been made available to play for his county in all formats in the interim period.
“We are always delighted when we have Cookie around, everyone knows the quality of the guy and what he brings to the team both on and off the field with his ability and experience,” Essex Head Coach Anthony McGrath enthused.
“He loves playing for Essex and it’s great that he’s back with us.”
The return of the England left-hander is timely as regular Championship opener Nick Browne is still sidelined with a broken finger.
McGrath does not believe the switch from the limited overs to four-day format should affect his side.
“Our batsmen have been in really good form in the One-Day Cup and we are hoping that they can transfer that into the red ball stuff,” he said. “There’s no reason why not, I know the balls do behave differently but we are looking for the momentum we’ve got with the bat to continue into the four-day game.
“We are expecting another tough encounter, Lancashire are a good side but when we do realise our full potential, we’ll prove ourselves a very good team as we did last season.
“We have only collected three batting points this season and although I appreciate it was tough early on, that was the same for all teams. I have to say that in Championship cricket, we haven’t batted as well as we can and it would be good to rack up some big first innings scores and get the bonus points.
“I think that with our bowling attack, providing we can get the scores on the board of say of 400 or 450, then we are always going to have a chance of winning matches with the bowlers we have.
“Overall, I’m reasonably satisfied with our Championship form. As I say, we could have done with a few more batting points and that would have got us the table a little bit more but it’s very tight up there.”
“Given that we’ve had one game rained-off, we’ve had two wins out of the four we played,” McGrath continued. “We’ve not been at our best yet but still managed to pick up a couple of victories. We’ve now got three red ball matches before the end of this month and we are hoping to get plenty of points on the board.”
One of those two wins this season came in the corresponding fixture between the two teams at The Cloudfm County Ground in April when Essex won an absorbing contest by 31 runs.
Last year’s runaway Champions start the match in fourth place, 14 points adrift of early pace-setters Nottinghamshire, while Lancashire are two places and five points behind Anthony McGrath’s side.
27 Ryan ten Doeschate (C)
31 Adam Wheater (WK)
25 Ravi Bopara
6 Varun Chopra
1 Matt Coles
26 Alastair Cook
16 Sam Cook
11 Simon Harmer
28 Dan Lawrence
19 Michael Pepper
44 Jamie Porter
13 Neil Wagner
21 Tom Westley
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