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Westley selected for Sri Lanka Lions Tour

Posted on Tuesday 13 December 2016

Essex Vice-captain Tom Westley has been selected in the England Lions four-day squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in February and March.

Keaton Jennings will lead the England Lions for the series off the back of his recent debut hundred against India for the full squad.

Westley impressed in the recent tour match against Afghanistan in Dubai scoring 84 in the first-innings and earned praise from Graham Thorpe.

James Whitaker, the National Selector who watched the Lions beat Afghanistan in an historic first-class match in Abu Dhabi last week, said: “The Lions play such an important role in bridging the gap between county and international cricket, and after a successful training camp in the UAE culminating in an excellent win against Afghanistan, this tour of Sri Lanka is a great opportunity for the players to gain experience of playing on the subcontinent.

“Keaton Jennings impressed everyone on the Lions programme, with his leadership skills as well as his batting – he was named captain for their one-day games against the UAE, and scored a century in the first. That has already led to his call into the England Test set-up in India, but the Sri Lanka tour offers him the chance to gain further captaincy experience as well as playing some high-quality cricket in different and challenging conditions.

“Haseeb Hameed had also made such a promising start in Test cricket before it was cut short by injury. Like Keaton and Ben Duckett, who will be returning to the Lions after playing some brilliant innings for them in the home Tri-Series against Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A last summer, I know he will relish the chance of playing some quality cricket in Sri Lanka in the New Year.

“Congratulations also to Tom Helm and Josh Poysden. They have been on the selectors’ radar for a while as players of promise, and that’s why they were invited to join the Lions in training in Dubai – where they made a big impression on the Lions coaches.”

Details of the fixtures have still to be finalised with Sri Lanka Cricket, but will be published as soon as possible.

England Lions squads for Sri Lanka tour, February 6 – March 13

For first section, including four-day matches v Sri Lanka A: K Jennings (Durham, capt), H Hameed (Lancashire), N Gubbins (Middlesex), T Alsop (Hampshire), T Westley (Essex), J Clarke (Worcestershire), L Livingstone (Lancashire), B Foakes (Surrey), S Curran (Surrey), T Curran (Surrey), T Roland-Jones (Middlesex), T Helm (Middlesex), C Overton (Somerset), O Rayner (Middlesex), J Leach (Somerset).

Westley earns praise from Thorpe after Lions runs

Posted on Friday 9 December 2016

Tom Westley was praised by Graham Thorpe after his scores of 84 and 27 helped England Lions set Afghanistan a target of 217 to win the four-day tour match.

Three late wickets from the Curran brothers has left the game evenly poised going into the final day with Afghanistan 18 for 3 overnight needing another 199 runs to win.

Ex-Essex batsman Ben Foakes top-scored in the second innings with 89 not out but Westley also drew high praise from the former-England batsman.

“Tom Westley in the first innings showed good technique against spin and brought a little bit of experience to the table with that, and settled things down. Get forward and play straight against the legspinner early on is the key and Tom did.

“That’s what you’re hoping the lads get educated and pick up on. There’s been some who have missed out, and that happens in Asia – a spinner can get a couple of wickets very quickly, it’s never easy starting against them. If they recognise they might have been too anxious to score, they learn from it as well, then for me that’s also a good thing for them.”

Spin bowling played a pivotal role in Division One team’s success last season and Westley will look to draw on these experiences to hit the ground running in 2017.

Westley top scores for England Lions on Day One

Posted on Wednesday 7 December 2016

Tom Westley revealed that he had benefited from some inside knowledge from his Essex captain Ryan ten Doeschate after seizing his first chance of the winter with the England Lions in Abu Dhabi today.

Westley, the only member of the Lions squad not to play in the three-match one-day series against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, top-scored with a battling 84 in the first innings of their historic four-day match against Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.

He received excellent support from Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes in a fifth-wicket stand of 125 but four of the Lions top seven were dismissed by Rashid Khan, an impressive legspinner who bowled with unusual pace.

But that was no surprise to Westley. “Their legspinner has been playing with Ryan in the Bangladesh Premier League, so I knew he was going to be a good bowler,” said the 27-year-old.

“I think it’s fantastic to see the development of Afghanistan cricket. They’ve obviously got some very talented cricketers, as shown by the fact they’re playing in tournaments around the world like the BPL. I played against Afghanistan for Essex second team, it would have been nearly 10 years ago, and although they beat us they were very raw. It’s nice to see how they’ve developed from there, to be playing a first-class fixture against the Lions at this stadium.

“It was definitely a challenge facing them. They bowled to their fields, and the wicket assisted them just enough, and it was quite hard to score. But I thought Foakesy came in and played beautifully, and I think the openers as well, set us off really nicely. It just would have been nice for one of us top three to kick on and get a really big score, then maybe we could have ended the day 320 for five rather than 280 for nine.

“Having been here for three weeks and not played a game, I knew that I only had one maybe two innings on the whole tour. So it was nice to get some runs under my belt today although there is a tinge of disapoointment that me and Foakesy couldn’t carry on for 10 more overs. But from a personal point of view it’s nice to get a few runs.

“It’s not like playing at Chelmsford. I experienced it a little bit playing in Sri Lanka a couple of years ago. It does create a bit more of an intense atmosphere, but fair play to them.”

Neil Wagner

Posted on Wednesday 7 December 2016

Neil Wagner will return to the County Champions in May and be available for all competitions.

The 31-year-old made an excellent impression both on and off the pitch in 2017 and took 31 wickets, including best figures of 6 for 48, as Essex romped to a first Championship title for 25 years.

Wagner has since impressed over the winter for the New Zealand Test team and will initially sign until the end of July, with the Club having the option to extend his contract for the duration of the season, subject to New Zealand Cricket approval.

Date of Birth: 13/03/86
Squad No: 13
Nationality:
Debut 2017
Capped –
Role in Team: Bowler
Batting: Left-Hand
Bowling: Left-Arm Medium-Fast
@NeilWagner13

 

Wagner signs on for first half of 2017 campaign

Posted on Wednesday 7 December 2016

Essex County Cricket Club are delighted to announce the signing of New Zealand International bowler Neil Wagner for the first half of the 2017 season.

The 30-year-old will join the Club during pre-season and will be available for selection in both the Royal London One-Day Cup and Specsavers County Championship up until the end of June.

The left-arm seamer has represented New Zealand in 27 Tests taking 108 wickets including a best of 6 for 41.

Wagner also linked up with Lancashire CCC last year in the Specsavers County Championship Division One taking 32 wickets in nine matches at an average of 29.28.

Chris Silverwood will look to Wagner to bring valuable experience to a youthful bowling attack during the Club’s foray into Division One next season.

Silverwood said: “Neil will bring vast experience at the highest level to the Club, as well as a skill set that will be valuable in the opening months of the season.

“He performed excellently for Lancashire last year and is also useful with the bat lower down the order. Hopefully he can help us hit the ground running in 2017.”

Wagner is thrilled to be joining the Club and added: “I really enjoyed my time in England with Lancashire last season, but I am excited about linking up with Essex and building on the team’s success in 2016.

“I want to bring my experience to the team and help us win games. I hope to help the squad get off to a good start in both competitions.”

Essex’s Overseas signings are in partnership with Seven Investment Management, the Eagles’ NatWest T20 Blast sponsor.

Graham Gooch kicks starts PCA’s 50th Anniversary Appeal

Posted on Wednesday 7 December 2016

Graham Gooch has kick-started the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s 50th Anniversary Legacy Appeal with a generous donation of £50,000.

The donation has been made from the Graham Gooch Scholarship, which was set up by Gooch 15 years ago, and which operates under the umbrella of the Essex Cricket Foundation charity at the county he played for from 1973 to 1997.

Normally the Graham Gooch Scholarship supports initiatives including the Essex Cricket Academy and sending young Essex players on overseas coaching and playing trips with England Test captain Alastair Cook and former England Test players James Foster and Ravi Bopara among those who have benefited from the funding.

But Gooch has now decided to support the work that the PCA and the PCA Benevolent Fund, supported by Royal London, do in helping past and present players and educating them about the dangers of addictive behaviour, including gambling.

“I am a PCA Ambassador and I have been for a number of years. I have great respect for what the PCA represent and do in terms of looking after present professional cricketers in our great game and ex-players who have fallen on hard times and generally promoting cricket and looking after people who have served the game well,” Gooch said.

“It will be the PCA’s 50th Anniversary in 2017 and I had the funds available. I wanted to support a good cause so I thought I would branch out and support the PCA and all the good work that they do.

“I particularly want to put an emphasis on linking my contribution to a specific activity and that is educating young cricketers about the dangers and worries of gambling addiction and trying to educate them at an early stage in their career.

“I am a great believer in what the PCA do helping all cricketers young and old through the PCA Benevolent Fund. We have heard some heart-rending stories about players who have fallen on hard times and I am very supportive of the help they have received from the PCA.

“But I am very keen on educating young players about the dangers of gambling addiction before they go astray.

“It’s a real and present danger that people need to be aware of. In the internet and mobile phone world that we now live in, everything is so accessible which means that you don’t have to go into a shop to place a bet.”

David Leatherdale, PCA Executive, thanked Gooch for his generosity ahead of a busy year of fund-raising by the Association.

“Graham’s donation is incredibly generous and shows the high regard in which the PCA’s work is held,” Leatherdale said.

“Through our network of Personal Development Managers, transitioning players into and out of their cricketing careers, while supporting their personal and educational needs, is a key focus and Graham’s amazing donation will help provide new and additional support to all our past and present professional cricketers.”

The PCA – originally the Cricketers’ Association – was formed in November 1967 after a meeting of visionaries, which included Fred Rumsey and the late Jack Bannister, and will reach its landmark Golden Jubilee in 2017.

The organisation has developed from humble beginnings into one that has led the way in player representation, Personal Development and Welfare, mental health awareness and extensive education programmes for anti-corruption and gambling addiction in sport.

To mark the 50th anniversary, the PCA aims to raise £250,000 for the PCA Benevolent Fund by encouraging all its 3,500 members – past and present professional cricketers in England and Wales – to donate an item of memorabilia or pledge a service that they can provide which will be auctioned throughout the Golden Jubilee year.

 

Westley named in England Lions team for Afghanistan match

Posted on Tuesday 6 December 2016

Tom Westley will make his first appearance of the England Lions winter, in the four-day match against Afghanistan which starts in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Westley was the only member of the 16-strong party not to have played in the one-day series, but head coach Andy Flower confirmed he will definitely play against Afghanistan after naming him in a 13-man squad.

“We have a couple of fitness concerns – Liam Livingstone was unable to come to the stadium in Abu Dhabi with us for practice because of illness, and Ollie Rayner has a sore knee,” said Flower.

“I know Tom will be looking for a strong performance in his first competitive chance of this section of our winter programme.

“We’ve combined red-ball and white-ball training in our time in Dubai, and to have this first-class game against Afghanistan is a good opportunity for the guys to show what they can do – and also for James Whitaker, the National Selector, to see them doing exactly that.

“We’re expecting Afghanistan to be competitive. They play an aggressive brand of cricket, they’re a proud young cricket nation, and they’ve got a really good cricket story. So we’re all really looking forward to this match.”

For Afghanistan, the match is both historic – because they have never played any England team in a first-class fixture – and also valuable, as they prepare for an Intercontinental Cup fixture against rivals Ireland next March.

They have named a 16-man squad led by Asghar Stanikzai and including several other players with considerable experience, notably Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari and wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai. But there are also a handful of teenagers such as Rashid Khan, a legspinner who has been playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, plus Ihsanullah and Karim Janat, who were members of their ICC Under-19 World Cup squad earlier this year.

The Lions players return home on Sunday night – with Flower and several other coaches staying to work with the Young Lions squad, who arrived in Dubai at the weekend and have started their training camp at the ICC Academy.

Flower will keep a close eye on Essex young bowler Aaron Beard who linked up with the Young Lions over the weekend in Dubai.

Aaron Beard heads to Dubai with England Young Lions

Posted on Monday 5 December 2016

Young Essex Cricket bowler Aaron Beard has linked up with the England Young Lions this week in Dubai.

Beard joined up with the squad at two-short training camps in Loughborough in November before jetting off with the squad on Saturday.

This winter, the two main features of the Young Lions programme will be a three-week training camp in Dubai in December (including two one-day matches and one three-day match), and then an England Under-19 tour of India in January and February (including two four-day matches and three one-day matches against India Under-19s).

Andy Hurry is the head coach, and in Dubai he will be supported by many of the Lions coaches, including Andy Flower, Graham Thorpe, Peter Such, Chris Taylor and Bruce French, as well as the former Durham team-mates Neil Killeen and Paul Collingwood.

The 19-year-old will look to build on his first-team breakthrough and previous experiences with the Young Lions in the summer to further cement his place in the selectors thoughts going forward.

Young Lions squad: Aaron Beard (Essex), Max Holden (Middlesex), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), George Bartlett (Somerset), Josh Dell (Worcestershire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Ben Green (Somerset), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Delray Rawlins (Sussex), Amar Virdi (Surrey), Josh Coughlin (Durham), Will Jacks (Surrey), Euan Woods (Surrey), Liam Banks (Warwickshire), George Panayi (Warwickshire), Jack Blatherwick (Nottinghamshire), George Scrimshaw (Worcestershire).

LISTEN | John Faragher speaks to BBC Essex after suspension of Colchester Festival

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016

Essex County Cricket Club Chairman John Faragher spoke to BBC Essex last week after the decision to suspend Colchester Festival.

Due to fixture scheduling and the lack of a competitive fixture at The Essex County Ground for three months, the Club took the tough decision to suspend Colchester for the year.

This is by no means the end of Colchester Cricket Festival with the decision to be reviewed going forward depending on scheduling.

The full interview is available below.

Stuart Kerrison receives praise at Groundsman of the Year awards

Posted on Friday 25 November 2016

Essex CCC Head Groundsman Stuart Kerrison and his team attended the Groundsman of the Year awards at the Brightside Ground in Bristol this evening.

Kerrison finished joint runner-up in the four-day category as well as receiving a commendation in the one-day pitch category.

Yorkshire’s Andy Fogarty retained his title as Groundsman of the Year.

Fogarty was recognised for producing the best four-day pitches in the county game at the annual awards night for the first-class groundsmen, the third time in six years he has won the main prize.

Nottinghamshire’s Steve Birks won the one-day pitches award for the second time in six years, with Surrey’s Lee Fortis runner-up, and further commendations for Durham’s Vic Demain, Hampshire’s Karl McDermott.

Mackay also received a discretionary award for a five-year improvement programme at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove, and there was also recognition for Gloucestershire, who were hosting the presentations, with Christian Brain runner-up to Dodds in the outground category for the quality of the pitches at Cheltenham College during the Brewin Dolphin Festival.

“Congratulations to Andy Fogarty, to Yorkshire, and to all the other groundsmen who have been recognised,” said Chris Wood, the ECB’s Pitches Consultant.

“Andy has set an impressive level of consistency with the quality of the four-day pitches at Headingley, and has also begun a substantial extension of the square in addition to becoming more involved with the recreational game.

“Steve Birks has been a very consistent performer in both four-day and one-day categories, and it was good for us to recognise Andy Mackay’s work at Hove where he has completed a reconstruction of the outfield, made major improvements to the net area, and is gradually relaying the whole square – all in house and to budget.

“More generally, this is an opportunity to thank and congratulate all our groundstaff for their work over the last 12 months. There were major challenges from the weather last winter, and from the change in regulations around the toss in the Specsavers County Championship.

“They responded magnificently, as they always do. It’s good to have this chance to recognise them.”