Your votes saw Sam Cook crowned Player of the Match for Essex’s season-opening 254-run victory away to Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge this week.
Cook, who returned match figures of 10-73, the fourth occasion he has taken ten wickets in a first-class match, received an overwhelming 95.6% of votes in the poll on Essex Cricket’s X page.
Contenders Paul Walter, Jordan Cox, and Dean Elgar, who all impressed with the bat, all received between 1 and 2% of the remaining votes.
However, it was Cook’s bowling performance, with the Kookaburra ball in hand, that saw him win the Player of the Match Award in the first Vitality County Championship game of 2024.
Having claimed a hat-trick in the first innings, Essex’s first in Championship cricket since 2009, Cook went on to spearhead a skittling of the hosts for just 80 in the second dig, taking 6-14.
Those figures meant that, coupled with his hat-trick, he bowled a consecutive return across both innings of 9-14.
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
Nottinghamshire: Haseeb Hameed*, Ben Duckett, Ben Slater, Joe Clarke +, Matthew Montgomery, Jack Haynes, Lyndon James, Calvin Harrison, Brett Hutton, Dillon Pennington, Dane Paterson.
Essex: Dean Elgar, Feroze Khushi, Tom Westley*, Jordan Cox, Matt Critchley, Paul Walter, Adam Rossington +, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter.
Match Details:
Umpires: Tom Lungley & Steve O’Shaughnessy Match Referee: Steve Davis Toss: Nottinghamshire won the toss and elected to field Scorecard:View Here Result: Essex win by 254 runs
Day Four Highlights
Day Four Reaction: Jamie Porter
Day Four Report
Sam Cook and Jamie Porter shared nine wickets as Essex bowled out Nottinghamshire for 80 on Day 4 at Trent Bridge to win the first Vitality County Championship game of the season by 254 runs.
Beneath heavily overcast conditions, Cook and Porter underlined their status as one of county cricket’s most potent bowling duos to claim combined figures of 9-57.
Cook, who claimed a hat-trick in Notts’ first innings, led the way with 6-14 to complete match figures of 10-73, the fourth time in his career he has achieved the feat in first-class cricket.
Not one home batter made it beyond 20 as the Eagles, who declared their third innings on 374-9, clinically defended a target of 335 to execute a comprehensive win in just 34.3 overs of bowling.
Having resumed on an overnight 329-8, with a lead of 289 already in the bank, ninth-wicket pair Adam Rossington and Shane Snater continued their free-scoring approach early on.
In all, the duo put on 63 together in just 73 balls, with Rossington in particular providing the highlight as he lifted Dillon Pennington for an almighty six over midwicket and into the Larwood & Voce Stand.
Their rapid scoring was briefly interrupted when Snater was caught by Pennington off Lyndon James for 47, just one ball after being dropped by wicketkeeper Joe Clarke.
Last man Jamie Porter was then sent in for one ball which he heartily slapped back past James for a straight four, prior to which the Eagles immediately then declared, with Rossington unbeaten on 39.
That left Essex with 88 overs to bowl in which to taken ten wickets and win the match, and the quest to do so got off to an ideal start, with the hosts reduced to 50-4 by lunch.
Dangerman Ben Duckett was bowled by a beauty from Porter inside three overs, before captain Haseeb Hameed suffered the same fate at the hands of Cook.
Ben Slater was then caught at second slip by Simon Harmer, before the hosts’ situation became even worse when first-innings centurion Clarke was bowled by Shane Snater for an innings top-score of 19.
Notts did at least reach lunch without further loss, but the rampage continued early on in the afternoon, as only nine balls after the restart, Matt Montgomery was bowled by Cook.
Within the next ten overs, all of Jack Haynes, Calvin Harrison, and Brett Hutton followed him back to the pavilion, with the former two lbw to Cook and Porter respectively, and the latter castled by Cook.
That gave Cook his five-for, before he made it ten for the match when Pennington was caught by Elgar to leave Notts hurtling towards defeat at 73-9.
Although last man Dane Paterson provided some late resistance with a six, the game was complete when he had his furniture rearranged by Porter to confirm a big Essex win.
Day Three Highlights
Day Three Reaction: Paul Walter
Day Three Report
Paul Walter and Matt Critchley put on a vital stand of 132 as Essex battled into a strong position on Day Three of the Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
At one point on the third morning, the Eagles stood at 129-5, a lead of only 89, but half-centurions Walter, who hit 79, and Critchley, who made 68, valiantly pushed back during the afternoon.
They increased the lead to a far-healthier-looking 221, and a further unbeaten 29 from Shane Snater, in just 30 balls, pushed Essex’s total beyond 300 before bad light and rain brought an early close.
Heading into the final day of what has so far been a gripping contest, the visitors stand at 329-8, leading by 289.
With the Eagles having resumed on 65-1, with a slender lead of 40, Sam Cook continued his impressive game by overcoming the loss of Dean Elgar in the day’s third over to belie his nightwatchman status.
Between Elgar being bowled by Lyndon James and his own wicket, caught behind by Joe Clarke off Brett Hutton, Cook batted assuredly alongside Tom Westley to score 29 in 42 balls.
Such was his confidence at the crease that he even pulled South African international seamer Dane Paterson for six into the Fox Road Stand, an act that brought up Essex’s team 100.
However, when he and Jordan Cox fell in successive balls to Hutton, the hosts sensed an opening, and gave themselves further hope when Dillon Pennington saw Tom Westley caught behind for 22.
It was at that point, though, that Walter and Critchley came together, and they ticked off the first aim of reaching lunch without further loss four overs later, with Essex on 139-5, a lead of 99.
The afternoon then allowed them to take a far more free-flowing approach, and by tea their alliance was worth 132, both had reached fifties, and Essex were 221 to the good.
Leg-spinner Calvin Harrison did strike twice in in three overs as Walter, who had batted with growing confidence for his 79, edged the third ball after the break to be caught at slip.
Simon Harmer was then snapped up by Clarke for his fourth catch of the innings before Hutton removed Critchley leg before in the fifth over with the new ball.
However, a late flurry of attacking shots at the other end saw Pennington concede five boundaries in two overs as the Essex lead edged towards 300 before rain arrived.
Day Two Highlights
Day Two Reaction: Sam Cook
Day Two Report
Sam Cook claimed a masterful hat-trick as Essex fought back against a Joe Clarke century to keep the Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire tantalisingly in the balance at halfway.
With his fourth, fifth, and sixth deliveries with the second new ball in hand, Cook removed Lyndon James, Brett Hutton, and Dillon Pennington to record Essex’s first Championship hat-trick since 2009.
It helped Essex roar back against a partnership of 159 for the fourth wicket between Clarke, who hit his ton in 173 balls before falling for 104, and Jack Haynes, who made 77.
From 259-4, Cook led the way in ripping through the Notts lower order to see the hosts dismissed for 293, replying to the Eagles’ 253 all out.
Dean Elgar then overcame the late wicket of Feroze Khushi to end the day unbeaten on 16 alongside none other than Cook, now filling the role of nightwatchman, on 10, giving Essex a lead of 25.
Resuming on 244-9, Cook and Jamie Porter added six vital runs to pick up a bonus point for Essex, before Pennington had the former caught by Matt Montgomery for six to end the innings.
The duo then immediately returned to the action with ball in hand, but it was Snater who forced the first opening, knocking back Ben Duckett’s off stump for 21 with his very first ball.
Cook then followed up by pinning Ben Slater lbw for just nine, before Porter produced a beautiful delivery that took off and found Haseeb Hameed’s edge on its way through to Adam Rossington.
With their captain gone for 34, the hosts were 93-3 at lunch and still more than 150 adrift of the Eagles’ first-innings total.
Snater then struck again just three overs into the afternoon, as he found Matt Montgomery’s outside edge to give Harmer a routine catch at second slip.
However, that brought together Haynes and Clarke, who, for a little more than 44 overs, resisted everything the Essex attack could throw at them.
Both hit half-centuries shortly before tea, which was taken with the hosts having added exactly 100 runs throughout the afternoon, before Clarke advanced to three figures with a driven four.
The breakthrough was finally delivered by Harmer a little before the halfway point of an extended evening session when Clarke swiped the South African into the hands of Paul Walter at mid-on for 104.
Haynes then followed him back to the pavilion as Matt Critchley joined the party, with substitute fielder Ben Allison holding on at midwicket, but it was what followed that was truly remarkable.
The new ball was taken at the earliest possible opportunity, with the hosts on 278-6, and following Porter being allowed first use of it, Cook wreaked havoc in finishing with figures of 4/59.
Bowling from the Stuart Broad End, named for a man known for his ability to produce explosively unplayable spells, the 26-year-old pinned James and Pennington lbw either side of bowling Hutton.
With the crowd barely able to process the speed of what they had just witnessed, Porter then wrapped up the innings by knocking Dane Paterson’s leg stump out of the ground.
Facing a small deficit of 40, Elgar partnered Khushi for 11 overs before the latter was caught by Montgomery off Pennington for 32, prior to seeing out the day with hero of the hour Cook.
Day One Highlights
Day One Reaction: Jordan Cox
Day One Report
Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox began their Essex careers with half-centuries as the Eagles kicked off the 2024 season by hitting 244-9 on Day One against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Cox top-scored with 84 from 150 deliveries, including 12 boundaries, as the two new signings gelled together to add 112 for the third wicket.
Meanwhile, South African Elgar repelled the pressure of replacing the legendary Alastair Cook at the top of the Essex order in scoring a fine 80 from 156 balls, with his knock also taking in 12 fours.
Notts’ overseas seamer Dane Paterson was the standout with the ball, claiming figures of 5/49 in a day that was cut short by a mix of weather and bad light.
Overnight rain in Nottingham forced a short delay to the start of the 2024 campaign, though play was able to begin by midday, as home captain Haseeb Hameed won the toss and asked Essex to bat first.
That allowed Elgar an early opportunity for his competitive Eagles debut, and he made an instant impression by striking the first ball of the match, a full Brett Hutton delivery, for four.
The fluent start reached its zenith when Feroze Khushi hoisted Dillon Pennington for six over the leg side to take the visitors to 30 without loss in just 31 balls.
However, seamer Pennington hit back in his next over as Khushi edged to Matt Montgomery at first slip, before captain Tom Westley became Paterson’s first wicket, caught behind by Joe Clarke.
It fell to Elgar and Cox to guide Essex to lunch, which was taken with the total on 62-2, but it was as the sun illuminated Trent Bridge that the duo really began to spread their wings.
Elgar was the first to 50, reaching the milestone in 86 deliveries with a sharply-run three to long-off, before he took four more off Pennington through backward point to bring up the team 100.
The exact same outcome in Pennington’s next over posted the 50 partnership, before Cox clubbed spinner Calvin Harrison for four more to bring up his individual half-century in 76 deliveries.
Elgar’s departure, shortly after the partnership reached three figures, brought about a stutter, driven by Paterson, either side of tea as Essex slipped to 194-6.
A battling innings from Simon Harmer, in conjunction with the still-unbeaten Cox, saw Essex past 200, before he and Shane Snater both fell to Lyndon James.
Cox’s innings was brought to a close in between those two, bowled by Harrison, which left last pair Sam Cook and Jamie Porter to see out what remained.
They did so successfully for almost four overs before the umpires called a halt to proceedings as dark clouds swirled, with play then formally abandoned for the day shortly afterwards.
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
Vitality County Championship
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Friday 05 – Monday 08 April | 11:00am start
Following the end of a long winter, the starting gun on the 2024 season is finally fired tomorrow as Essex journey to Trent Bridge to face Nottinghamshire.
Having fallen agonisingly short of dethroning champions Surrey last time out, motivation amongst the Eagles to go one step further will be high heading into the new campaign.
There was significant movement in the Essex camp during the off-season, with Alastair Cook and Dan Lawrence leaving, though new faces Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox are ready to step into their shoes.
A trip to Trent Bridge will be an early opportunity for Anthony McGrath’s men to lay down a marker for the season ahead.
Squad
With a fully fit squad to choose from, Head Coach McGrath has named a 14-player squad for the trip to Nottingham, with new signings Elgar and Cox included in a competitive Eagles group for the first time.
The Inside Line: Anthony McGrath
The Opposition
Nottinghamshire finished sixth last season in what was their first campaign back in Division One for four years, having achieved promotion from the second tier in 2022.
They were somewhat inconsistent last season, failing to string together two consecutive wins but also never losing more than two back-to-back games either.
Coached by former England boss Peter Moores, and newly captained by Haseeb Hameed, the Green and Golds have made three key signings in their efforts to kick on in 2024.
Batter Jack Haynes, who is an especially eye-catching addition, and bowlers Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington all made the move from Worcestershire in the winter.
Haynes is complemented in Notts’ top order by Hameed and Joe Clarke, with the latter having struck more than 1,000 runs in a season for the first time in his career last time out.
Meanwhile, Tongue and Pennington join a seam battery that already features Brett Hutton, the leading red-ball wicket-taker in the country in 2023 with 62 victims, and South African import Dane Paterson.
Nottinghamshire squad:Haseeb Hameed (c), Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett, Luke Fletcher, Calvin Harrison, Jack Haynes, Brett Hutton, Lyndon James, Matt Montgomery, Tom Moores (wk), Dane Paterson, Dillon Pennington, Toby Pettman, Ben Slater
Last Time We Met
A highly-competitive draw was played out the last time Essex travelled to Trent Bridge for a red-ball match, in May last year.
Having been inserted after losing the toss, the Eagles amassed 298 in their first innings, as Alastair Cook top-scored with 72 and Tom Westley added 66.
The hosts raced into a first-innings lead of 146 thanks to Matthew Montgomery’s 177 as well as fifties from Ben Slater and Joe Clarke, despite three wickets apiece for Sam Cook and Matt Critchley.
Cook and Westley, who were both dismissed in the 90s – the former in particular falling an agonising one run short of a first Trent Bridge ton – battled again in the second dig to halt Notts’ momentum.
By the time the Eagles declared their second innings on 362-8, with a lead of 216, the draw was the likely outcome, and the handshakes came just two hours later, with the hosts on 97-4.
Division One Previews
Click here for Part 1 of a team-by-team preview of each of this year’s Division One contenders, and click here for Part 2.
How To Watch
If you are not travelling to the East Midlands in person, the game will be streamed live on the Trent Bridge Live YouTube channel and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
Daily highlights will be available after each day’s play via the Club website, while live updates will be provided on the Club’s social media channels.
Tickets
A general admission ticket to any of the four days’ play at Trent Bridge entitles you to sit in any available and vacant seat anywhere in the ground, with the exception of Members’ areas.
Essex Members who are making the journey to Trent Bridge will need to buy a ticket, but once in the ground, will be able to join their Nottinghamshire counterparts in the Members-only seats in front of the Pavilion.
Tickets, which are priced at £23 for adults, £18 for seniors and for those aged between 16-21, and £6 for under-16s, 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.
With over 20,000 tickets sold and two Friday night fixtures already packed out, demand is running high, so there’s no time to waste to secure the best seats as the Eagles aim to go one better in 2024.
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
Insurance broker Price Forbes have been confirmed as Essex Cricket’s newest Official Partner on a three-year deal.
As part of the agreement, Price Forbes branding will be displayed on the pitch covers at The Cloud County Ground, as well as prominently across the front of the Tom Pearce Stand.
The Price Forbes logo will also be printed on the collar of the Vitality County Championship and Vitality Blast shirts, alongside further branding across Club channels.
Price Forbes, part of Ardonagh Specialty, is the largest independent broker in the London market with offices around the globe.
The company has been in operation for over a century and possesses a global network that includes bases in locations such as Dubai, Singapore, Johannesburg, and Miami.
With over 100 years of history, Price Forbes is a widely respected authority in open market insurance, with a bold and progressive agenda to better meet clients’ needs.
It has expert teams in energy, casualty, property, aviation & space, marine, professional & financial lines, cargo, specie & fine art and construction.
Graham Kilby, CEO Property, Programmes, Construction & Real Estate at Price Forbes said, “We are delighted to support Essex County Cricket Club and proud to partner with a local club that has a longstanding and recognised history in county cricket.
“We wish the whole team good luck for the upcoming season and look forward to enjoying some outstanding play, alongside the rest of the Essex CCC fans.”
Daryl Townson, Commercial Manager at Essex Cricket, added: “It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome Price Forbes as our newest Official Partner.
“Adding such a globally-renowned company to the Club’s portfolio is a hugely positive move for all involved.
“We are looking forward to seeing their branding displayed across the ground and on our shirts as Essex once again aim for success in 2024.”
Essex Cricket and Ambassador Cruise Line have extended their partnership for an additional three years.
As part of the extended partnership, our Official Cruise Partner, Ambassador, will be the headline sponsor of the Club’s 50-over shirt, showcasing their commitment to supporting our Men’s, Women’s and Ability teams over the next three years. This partnership has been instrumental in enhancing the fan experience at matches and events, offering unique opportunities and exclusive benefits to Members and supporters.
Commenting on the partnership extension, Essex Cricket’s Commercial Manager, Daryl Townson, said: “The partnership between Essex and Ambassador Cruise Line has gone from strength-to-strength since our first launch in 2022. We are delighted to extend our relationship with Ambassador as a Principal Partner of the Club for another three years and look forward to working closely with Gordon and the team as we continue to grow and innovate.”
Ambassador Cruise Line, Chief Marketing Officer, Gordon Nardini, said: “The team at Ambassador Cruise Line are incredibly proud to have extended our partnership with Essex Cricket through to 2026, supported by a striking new kit and the launch of a new and exclusive competition. The announcement comes off the back of two successful years with the Club engaging with the fans and members at The Cloud County Ground. Through our continued partnership, we look forward to continuing to work with Essex in their inspiring work, schemes and support of the local community of Essex and East London, which is home to our head office, many of our staff and our homeport of Tilbury. Courtesy of our partnership, we have seen a significant number of members, fans and fellow partners book onto sailings over the last two years and we look forward to welcoming many more onboard in the months and years ahead.”
Win A Cruise with Ambassador Cruise Line
To mark the extension of our partnership with Ambassador, the premium value, no-fly cruise line is offering supporters the opportunity to win one of nine pairs of hospitality tickets for the Metro Bank One Day Cup game on Friday 9 August against Surrey – with all entrants then going into a draw to win a cruise for two on a cricket-themed sailing later in the year. Plus, there will be additional monthly prizes too!
Ambassador’s Cricket Cruise departs from London Tilbury on December 12 and will offer guests the chance to meet and greet Cricket legends Graham Gooch, Henry Blofeld and Jonathan Agnew, expertly hosted by sports broadcaster Garry Richardson. This festive sailing promises to be very special, featuring ports of call into Amsterdam, Antwerp and Honfleur in France together with Ambassador’s amazing entertainment, outstanding cuisine and exceptional service.
To be in with a chance of winning premium hospitality at Essex Cricket and be in the draw for a place on Ambassador’s Cricket Cruise, supporters have until Wednesday 31 July to enter the competition, with the winners of the matchday tickets announced soon afterwards.
The draw for the Cricket Cruise will be held on the day of the Metro Bank One Day Cup game against Surrey on 9 August. The names of all those that entered the competition will be included, with the winner’s name announced live at the ground!
Our next Members’ Forum will take place on the evening of Tuesday 09 April at The Cloud County Ground.
The Q&A style Forum will begin at 7pm in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Members will be joined by Chief Executive John Stephenson and Head Coach Anthony McGrath to look ahead to the new season and the opening home match of the Vitality County Championship, which takes place on Friday 12 April against Kent.
The Forum will be hosted exclusively for 2024 Members in person at The Cloud County Ground. Please note that attendees will be able to access the ground via the main entrance on New Writtle Street. Parking at The Cloud County Ground will be free of charge for all attendees.
The Doug Insole Pavilion bar will be open before the Forum and an arrival drink will be available – please note we are a cashless venue.
Attendees are invited to submit questions in advance by midday on Tuesday 09 April to [email protected].
With the 2024 season now just around the corner, the Club assembled a trio of county cricket pundits to give their thoughts on how Essex will perform in this season’s County Championship.
Those who contributed are presenter of BBC Radio Essex’s Around the WicketVictoria Polley, freelance cricket journalist Ciaran McCarthy, and Aaron Viles of The County Cricket Podcast.
First up, how do you think Essex will perform in 2024?
Victoria Polley: Last season Essex fell at the final hurdle chasing Surrey for the County Championship title but to have kept the title alive going into the last couple of games of the season made for an exciting finish to the summer for county cricket fans in general I think.
But Sir Alastair Cook’s retirement and the departure of Dan Lawrence mean there will be changes to the Essex side for this season and it will be interesting to see how the batting line-up copes with those big losses and how the likes of Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox, who has signed from Kent, fit in. I have high hopes.
Ciaran McCarthy: The elephant in the room, or perhaps no longer in the room, is Dan Lawrence, and his departure for Surrey. It’s a significant one for Essex given he hit more than 800 runs last season. That the side has been gutted of his talent and that of legend Alastair Cook suggests this season will perhaps be a slightly worse one than last.
There is still a lot of talent in the squad, though, and Jordan Cox and Dean Elgar’s additions following the departure of Lawrence and Cook were some of the best that could have been made. Essex should still be in the fight for a top-four spot, but replicating last season’s second-placed finish may be difficult.
Aaron Viles: I fully expect Essex to be right back in the mix yet again. Although the batting line-up might be without the presence of legendary opener Alastair Cook and Dan Lawrence, the signings of Dean Elgar and innovative wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox should provide the perfect cover in their absence.
Factor in the sheer strength of the seam attack, spearheaded by the potent new ball pairing of Sam Cook and Jamie Porter, as well as the dynamic spin duo of Simon Harmer and Matt Critchley, and Essex really do have all the makings of being a seriously strong title contender once more.
Who do you think will be Essex’s one to watch?
VP: I would like to see more of batter Feroze Khushi this season, in both red and white ball cricket. The 24 year-old was having a great Blast campaign in 2023 until he suffered a hand injury and having been offered a one year contract extension over the winter, I feel like this has to be his breakthrough season. He already has a County Championship century to his name, he just needs to nail down that permanent spot in the side by consistently scoring runs.
CM: Dean Elgar’s had five years away from county cricket, and it’s difficult to suggest he’s not impressed wherever he’s gone – 185 during South Africa’s demolition of India in a Test in December in case in point. Cook’s are big shoes to fill, but the former Protea should be able to do that just fine.
AV: I’ll go with Chelmsford’s very own Sam Cook. ‘Little Chef’ has a tremendously impressive First-Class record and is one of the most complete red ball bowlers in the country right now, combining a majestic mix of textbook in-swingers, looping out-swingers and wily wobble-seam deliveries to great effect.
How about the Eagles’ leading run-scorer and wicket-taker?
VP: I’d back captain Tom Westley, who finished as fourth highest run scorer in the CC last season, to lead by example again and steady the batting ship as it goes through a transitional period but wouldn’t it be great if overseas signing Dean Elgar came straight in and got to work scoring runs?
There’s one thing that hasn’t changed for Essex and that’s the potent bowling attack and I expect Simon Harmer, Sam Cook and Jamie Porter all to be battling away for the leading wicket-taker title both with Essex and in Division One as a whole once more.
CM: With the bat, it’s difficult to look past Tom Westley following on from a 1,130-run season. With the ball, Sam Cook really showed his quality last season, and he could follow on from a good winter in Johannesburg with some more big poles, though it would be crazy to suggest Simon Harmer won’t be up there.
AV: I’m choosing Tom Westley after he finished with a mightily impressive tally that was bettered only by Lancashire’s Josh Bohannon in Division One. Whilst I also believe that Dean Elgar and Matt Critchley will have notable campaigns with the bat, I just couldn’t look past Westley’s consistency and dependability.
As for the leading wicket taker, I’ll have to go with Simon Harmer. Given the additional usage of the Kookaburra ball in 2024, which should see even more emphasis placed on his bowling, as well as his ability to carve through opposition batting line-ups with clinical ease, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Harmer’s name right up towards the top of the Division One wickets column.
Which Essex youngster are you tipping to break through in 2024?
VP: The One Day Cup side was a very young one last season and that showed in results but it will be good to see more of the likes of Noah Thain, Charlie Allison and Luc Benkenstein, who all featured for England Under 19s at the World Cup this winter.
I think they’re all exciting prospects but Noah Thain in particular has all the attributes to go on to be a great Essex all-rounder. He’s already been compared to Graham Napier quite a lot…which I’m sure he’ll get bored with soon! But what potential to have!
CM: After starring in last season’s One Day Cup, if Charlie Allison is given opportunities in first-class cricket, his talent and style suggests he should be able to make the step up and put together as good a run in red-ball cricket as he did in limited overs last time out.
AV: 19-year-old leg spinner Luc Benkenstein is one of the brightest spin-bowling prospects in the entire country, and I expect to see a lot more of him in an Eagles shirt this year after injury ruled him out of a large chunk of the 2023 season. If you’re a fan of phantom-like drift, mystical wrong ‘uns and troublesome top spinners, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy seeing Benkenstein in action; he really has got a tremendously high ceiling.
Who is your player to watch out for from Division One overall?
VP: I watched James Rew play a really classy knock at Chelmsford last summer and there’s so much more to come from him. I’m looking forward to watching Nathan Lyon v Simon Harmer too this season… let the spin battle commence!
CM: It’s hard to think anywhere beyond Alex Lees, after he was the best batter on the county circuit last season, in a Durham side that have a point to prove this season after returning to the heights of Division One.
AV: With an embarrassment of riches to choose from, I’m going to opt for an all-rounder who probably deserves a little bit more recognition, Warwickshire’s Ed Barnard. I expect him to play an even greater role in the Bears’ red ball side than he has done previously, especially with the bat in hand. I have a feeling that this will be a big year for him in all departments of the game.
Finally, who are your tip to be 2024’s county champions?
VP: Looking at the Surrey squad, it does feel like their County Championship title to lose but Essex ran them close last season and despite the changes in the batting line-up, it has often been the bowling that has seen them over the line before.
I think competing in the top three and settling the batting line-up is the priority but this is an ambitious club and they will be gunning for silverware anywhere possible.
CM: Durham have a genuine chance at going all the way given the wealth of talent in their ranks, but Surrey are a juggernaut, and one that will be seriously hard to contain yet again this season.
AV: Considering the presence of five or six teams that have a legitimate shot of winning the division, this really is anyone’s guess. With this sheer amount of choice in mind, I’ll lean with my heart and go with Warwickshire.
Essex Cricket can confirm a host of reciprocal entitlements for Members to access throughout 2024.
As well as free or reduced entry at 12 county grounds, 10 of which also allow access to Members’ facilities, Members will also get free entry to eight days of racing at four UK racecourses, including Chelmsford City and both days of the ‘The Final Meeting’ at Newmarket in November.
Counties offering free entry to Vitality County Championship fixtures are Hampshire, *Lancashire, *Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Glamorgan. Kent and Sussex offer a discounted entry to Essex Members of £7 and £10 respectively. Essex Members can also access Members-only areas at each of these grounds with the exception of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
While there is no discount on entry, Essex Members can access Members’ Areas during the Vitality County Championship at Surrey and during the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Warwickshire and Yorkshire.
Please note, this year’s reciprocal with Gloucestershire does not include entry to their Vitality County Championship fixture against Glamorgan at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.
Horse racing
Chelmsford City, Hickstead, Huntingdon and Newmarket racecourses are all welcoming Essex Members for free on the following dates:
Chelmsford City: Thursday 18 April, Thursday 06 June, Saturday 26 October Hickstead: Friday 21 June, Friday 26 July Huntingdon: Tuesday 12 November Newmarket: Friday 01 November, Saturday 02 November
Become a Member
By becoming an Essex Member for the 2024 season, you not only unlock all of the reciprocal entitlements above but you also get entry to all Vitality County Championship and Metro Bank One Day Cup matches at The Cloud County Ground as well as exclusive discounts and events.
Essex Cricket is excited to reveal that uptake in Junior Membership has risen by over 140% ahead of the 2024 season.
Recognising the importance of making the game accessible to children from an early age, the Membership Team have introduced new initiatives to attract Junior Members.
To date, 212 new Junior Members have joined the Club in time for the 2024 season, rising from 87 in 2022/23. The number of renewals has also risen, resulting in an overall increase in Junior Membership of 65%. In 2023, Junior Members made up 8.3% of the yearly Membership, with that number already at 15% in 2024.
The ‘gift a Membership’ scheme proved particularly popular with existing Junior Members able to gift a Membership to a new Member under the age of 18, helping spread the support of Essex Cricket within friendship groups and families across the region.
Numbers are expected to continue to rise with the scheme still live and referrals coming in. Although the Membership early bird window has closed, a Junior Membership is only £30 and the cost of this can effectively be halved by gifting a Membership to a friend or family member.
On the success, Membership and Ticketing Manager Eliza Rowley said: “We are always looking for new ways to attract juniors to the Club and we’re really encouraged by the latest results.
“Junior Membership is a really attractive product, with the Metro Bank One Day Cup being played during the summer holidays and the potential of eleven days of Vitality County Championship cricket being played on weekends in 2024.
“The Cloud County Ground is a great space for families and the benefits extend beyond just the cricket. As a parent you can also access The Doug Insole Pavilion as a Members guest where there is indoor seating, toilets, changing areas and somewhere to get food and drink.”
Outside of Membership products there is yet more incentive for families to spend time at the Club, with Essex’s Vitality Blast T20 campaign being bookended by family days at The Cloud County Ground.
Essex’s opening fixture against Middlesex on Sunday 02 June has the added attraction of half-price Junior tickets, costing just £5. This means that a family of four (2 adults and 2 under 18s) can enjoy a T20 fixture for as little as £60.
There will also be family-focused entertainment during both the fixtures against Middlesex and Surrey on Sunday 14 July.
Bring your party to our party! Enjoy the festivities with colleagues and friends at The Cloud County Ground. Set in the heart of the city, enjoy a first-class Christmas meal before dancing the night away with our live DJ entertainment until midnight.
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