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Today marks the birth of a legend who made a significant impact to Essex County Cricket Club and cricket on the whole.

Trevor Bailey CBE was born in Westcliff-on-Sea on Essex 3 December 1923 and made his first-class debut at the age of 22 in September 1945.

He later tragically died during a house fire in 2011 and will be forever remembered by the Club for his service on and off the field of play.

Debut: 18 May 1946 v Derbyshire at Valentines’ Park, Ilford
Appearances: 482
Runs: 21,460
First Class Average: 34.50
Highest Score: 205 v Sussex at Eastbourne in 1947
Centuries: 22
Fifties: 119
Wickets: 1,593 @21.99
10 wickets in an innings: 10
5 wickets in an innings: 91
Catches: 320

Trevor was one of the finest cricketers to have donned an Essex sweater and will be forever remembered for his exploits on behalf of the county both on and off the field.

Only Morris Nichols and Peter Smith claimed more wickets for Essex but Bailey scored 5,000 runs more than either of them.

He captained the Club from 1961 to 1966 and in addition to his on-field achievements, he also acted as Assistant Secretary, and then Secretary of the Club from 1955 to 1965.

He proved to be England’s leading all-rounder during the 1950’s when English cricket enjoyed eminence during the decade.

Trevor joined the Royal Marines upon leaving school and was demobbed in 1946 playing his first match for Essex in May that year at Ilford against Derbyshire when he opened the batting and bowling.

He went up to Cambridge the following year and played for the county during the holidays during which time he recorded 205 against Sussex at Eastbourne, which was to prove the highest score of a first-class career that, in total, saw the right-hander strike 28 centuries and 150 fifties aggregating 28,641 runs at an average of 33.42. He also held 426 catches.

Trevor’s statistical contribution to Essex cricket can speak for itself but no less valuable to those who played with him was the enjoyment of time spent in his company – Doug Insole

Trevor was one of the great all-rounders of English cricket at a time when England enjoyed their most successful in Test cricket and for a period, was just about the best fast bowler in England when his right-arm fast-medium pace and prowess brought him 2,082 first-class wickets @ 23.13 from his 682 matches with the telling ingredient of thirteen instances of 10 or more wickets in a match.

His best match return was 14 for 130 against Hampshire at Romford in 1957 whilst he also recorded five or more wickets in an innings on 110 occasions – an extraordinary achievement.

In 1949 at Clacton, he took all ten Lancashire wickets in an innings (10-90) and one year later, playing against Glamorgan at Newport, he claimed a hat-trick. Yet on both occasions, he finished on the losing side.

He achieved the season’s double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets eight times whilst he was also a wonderful fielder at slip or in the gully. In 1959, he scored 2,000 runs and took 100 wickets and remains the only cricketer to have achieved this record in post-war cricket.

Bailey went on five-Test tours, the first in 1950 to Australia in a year that saw him named Wisden Cricketer of the Year. He produced a series of headline performances including a number for a defiant approach and application.

His 68 at Brisbane in 1958-59 took him over 7 and a half hours whilst against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in 1954, he contributed 27 to a fifth-wicket stand of 192 while Denis Compton (278) ran amok. Another obdurate performance came against South Africa at Headingley in 1955 when he occupied the crease for two hours in making 8, once refraining for 79 minutes from scoring a run. Yet he could bat with flair when he felt the occasion demanded.

By the time he left the international arena, he had scored 2,290 Test runs @ 29.74, taken 132 wickets @29.21, and held 32 catches in his 61 Test appearances.

He played for Essex for a further nine years, in six of which he captained the county before retiring when he was in his 44th year.

But while his performances on the field are the stuff of legends, some of his greatest contributions for his beloved Essex stemmed from his efforts off it. Whilst still a player he filled the role of county secretary from 1955 to 1965 and was responsible for borrowing £10,000 from Warwickshire to purchase the county’s Chelmsford headquarters.

He was a founder member of Ilford Cricket School and on a trip to Barbados, discovered Keith Boyce who was to become such a favourite with the Essex supporters and Trevor’s powers of persuasion also saw off-spinner Jim Laker, who had made his name with England and Surrey, spend three of his twilight playing years with Essex.

Trevor was also an accomplished footballer and won an FA Amateur Cup medal with Walthamstow Avenue before 100,000 spectators at Wembley in 1952. A year later he helped his team draw with Manchester United in an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford.

Upon retirement, he developed his business pursuits and later became a director of Southend United. He also wrote on cricket and football for the Financial Times for 25 years. For many years, he was an astute and forthright summariser on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special until 1999.

Bailey’s services to cricket were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 1994 with the award of the CBE.

Deep into middle age, he could be found playing for Westcliff, where he lived all his life, A fierce competitor on the field of play, he imparted a tremendous generosity of spirit off it.

He lived life to the full, was a devoted family man and his dry wit and fund of stories made him a great companion and a much-sought after-dinner speaker.

None knew him better than Doug Insole. The former Essex captain who was to become President of the Club in his latter years penned this tribute to his close friend in the Essex Year Book upon Bailey’s retirement from playing cricket.

Doug wrote: “Between 1948 and 1966 the names of Trevor Bailey and Essex were pretty well inseparable. During that time, observers of cricket and of life saw the evolution of three distinct stages in Trevor’s sporting career, and they can hardly have failed to be interested and intrigued by what they saw.

“It is commonplace to say of somebody that figures alone do not reflect his true value to the team, but in Trevor’s case, this is a particularly valid comment. Some critics are of the opinion that Trevor occasionally succumbed to the lure of figures, but among the multitude of records of various descriptions in which he features, there is hidden a vast number of performances which defy statistical analysis and which place Trevor as a cricketer, a fighter, a tactician, and a personality far above the mere consideration of averages.

“When he first played for Essex in 1946, Trevor was only just out of the ‘schoolboy wonder’ category, and it was a comparatively slight and fairly impetuous young man who spent two years at Cambridge and a further couple of years as a player and Assistant Secretary with the County sorting out the kind of role he wanted to play.

“By the time of his first trip to Australia in 1950/51, his style of play was established and there followed for him something like ten years of success in Test cricket, and the emergence not only of one of the most valuable all-rounders in English cricket history but also of a strong personality with a keen sense of humour and a fast-developing business sense.

“In the last portion of his active career, Trevor was a mature and a quite invaluable member and later, captain of the Essex team, until the recent inappropriate and rather a sad ending to a period of participation in County cricket (injuries had taken their toll) to which he had made a major contribution to the enjoyment of the game in Essex and indeed throughout the country.

“Trevor is now involved in a series of business and sporting enterprises which are likely to keep him busy for as long as he wishes. These include radio and television commentating and sports journalism so that his fans in Essex and elsewhere need not go short of Bailey provided they read the right papers and watch the appropriate channels. His testimonial raised £4,388 which should provide him with chewing gum and cigarettes for a year or two and which is some tangible appreciation of his twenty years of work as player and administrator.

“Trevor’s statistical contribution to Essex cricket can speak for itself but no less valuable to those who played with him was the enjoyment of time spent in his company, ” Doug concluded.

Just over 3 years ago, Chris Silverwood led Essex to a first County Championship title in a quarter of a century. The County were in dreamland, and rightfully so, but before being given a chance to defend the title, England came calling.

Silverwood departed Chelmsford to take up the role of Fast Bowling Coach in the England set-up, which left the Club in a bit of a predicament. Who was going to fill the hole left by Spoons? It was going to be a mammoth task for whoever was appointed, as Silverwood was a true fan favourite, but it turned out that the man for the job was a fellow Yorkshireman who already happened to be at The Cloudfm County Ground.

Anthony McGrath was appointed as the Club’s Assistant Head Coach & Batting Coach in February 2016, with Silverwood saying at the time: “I’ve known Anthony for a very long time, and he is a great addition to our staff.

“We have a strong batting line up and I’m confident Mags will complement it perfectly.”

Spoons, as normal, was spot on. During his first season with the Club, Essex earned promotion after capturing the Division Two title.

During that season they secured 58 batting points, the most of any team in the country, something McGrath was no doubt responsible for in one way or another.

We all know what happened in 2017. An unprecedented season in which most had Essex as relegation favourites. They couldn’t have been more wrong, with the County Championship title being secured with games to spare and Ryan ten Doeschate’s side ending the campaign unbeaten.

Two titles in his first two years at the Club, not bad for Mags, but everything was about to change as he was about to become the main man.

After he was appointed Head Coach, McGrath said: “The Club have put faith in me to take over the excellent job Chris did and really continue the success we have had over the last couple of years.

“I don’t think much needs to change from the formula Chris and myself introduced a couple of years ago, to be honest.. Obviously, I will put my own stamp on things, but we have a competitive squad who are all extremely passionate about the Club and winning trophies.”

That passion for winning trophies has been as clear as ever over the 3 years McGrath has been at the helm. In 2019, Essex became the first side ever to complete a T20 and County Championship double, with Mags being named the ECB Coaches Association Coach of the Year. That accomplishment was followed up with more success earlier this year, with McGrath’s side becoming the first-ever winners of the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s.

2018 Season

Essex batsman Dan Lawrence echoes the previous notions from McGrath and believes his similarities to Silverwood has helped the Club continue to win trophies.

The 23-year-old said: “The transition of him going from Batting Coach & Assistant Coach to Head Coach was really straightforward for us as players.

“We had a great team when Silvers was Head Coach and when he was the Assistant, but the ethos and direction of the two of them as Head Coaches is exactly the same. The fact they are pretty similar is what probably made the switch simple for us as players and has helped us win more silverware.”

Lawrence had another excellent year for Essex, impressing in both red and white-ball cricket, and he credits a lot of that down to McGrath.

“When Mags first came over he noticed that I had a similar technique to him with all my triggers, and he’s been influential in helping me improve as a batter.

“I think with Mags, because he’s such a good person and such a knowledgeable man, it means that everybody completely trusts him. He may notice something in training and ask you to do something slightly out your comfort zone, but you know 9 out 10 times whatever he’s seen and is asking you to do is going to be beneficial to your game.”

2019 Season: Specsavers County Championship & Vitality Blast Champions

Club Captain Tom Westley has also reaped the rewards of working closely with McGrath, adding: “He’s helped me improve and develop as a batsman but from a personal perspective, it’s been extremely helpful having someone to talk to who’s been on a similar journey to myself.

“Mags knows the highs and the lows of batting and when I’ve been going through some tough times he’s always been someone to turn to and lean on, which I can’t thank him for enough.”

Westley was appointed Club Captain in January 2020 and has been working the Head Coach on a much more personal level, saying: “My appointment has meant that I’ve got to spend a lot more time with Mags, which has been great. He’s light-hearted and funny, but there’s a drive and dedication to be the best which filters down.

“One of the things that surprised me was the hours he puts into research and number crunching. We can be travelling to an away match and he’s analysing clips of players or is studying his spreadsheets. He’s non-stop and he lives and breathes the role.

“It’s not your normal 9-5 job and his efforts and attitude is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”

Nearly every Essex Member and fan would say Simon Harmer is the most important signing the Club has made in the last 10 years. It’s hard to argue against it, as the Club have won 2 Division One titles whilst he’s also skippered the side to a maiden T20 title.

For Westley though, no capture has been bigger than Anthony McGrath.

“In the last decade the Club have made some fantastic signings, but none have been more influential or more important than Mags.

“We talk in the dressing room about the golden era of Essex Cricket with Gooch, Fletcher and Acfield and how we want to create our own dynasty. Since he joined it’s no coincidence that we’ve won 5 trophies in 5 years and we’re now well on the way to building that dynasty.”

23-year-old Lawrence agrees, commenting: “It’s great fun playing for Essex at the moment.

“We’re winning trophies, we have a great bunch of lads playing for the Club with a good atmosphere and Mags has been integral to all of that. It’s a privilege to play for him and hopefully we can continue winning for years to come.”

2020 Season: Bob Willis Trophy Champions

Essex Cricket and moneycorp are supporting International Men’s Day, which is celebrated all around the world on 19 November every year.

The three core themes for International Men’s Day in the UK are:

• Making a positive difference to the wellbeing and lives of men and boys.
• Raising awareness and/or funds for charities supporting men and boys’ wellbeing.
• Promoting a positive conversation about men, manhood and masculinity.

With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the world hard, it has never been more important to consider someone’s mental health, as well as their physical health and wellbeing.

In partnership with moneycorp, Essex Cricket’s Club Psychologist William Winstone spoke to Sam Cook, Jamie Porter and Tom Westley to discuss several issues that could be affecting their mental health.

The group discussed what they did to keep active and keep morale high during the first wave of the pandemic, the ups and downs of being a professional athlete and how that affects everyday life, and who their role models are and why.

Lee McDarby, Managing Director of U.K. International Payments at moneycorp, said:

“It is crucial to check in on our mental health at the best of times and given the year many of us may have experienced in 2020, now more than ever, it is important to take a step back to make sure that we within ourselves and those around us are ok. It is also ok to not be ok and if that is the case then reach out to a friend or a loved one to talk about it. Understanding our mental health is a journey to be taken one step at a time.

“It is a privilege to have worked with our great partners at Essex Cricket to produce this short and insightful video. Some of the players at the Club spent some time with the Club’s in-house psychologist to candidly discuss how they deal with the pressure of performing at the highest level of men’s competitive sport in a world that feels far from normal right now. Please take a moment to watch the video and speak up if you need a helping hand, as our mental health and our physical health go hand in hand when it comes to our overall well-being.”

For more information on International Men’s Day and what you can do to show your support, please click here.

William Winstone is the Club Psychologist at Essex Cricket and is the co-founder of Mezzana Partners. Mezzana Partners are world-renowned team development specialists and high-performance experts with a heritage of delivering Olympic success since 1992, and are trusted by leading businesses to transform their leaders and teams.

About moneycorp:

Established in 1979, the moneycorp group serves the growing foreign exchange and payments needs of global businesses, importers and exporters, online sellers and personal clients. Headquartered in London, with a worldwide presence, moneycorp pride themselves on providing exceptional customer service. A global company with local expertise.

• moneycorp is a trading name of TTT moneycorp Limited – one of the UK’s fastest exchange providers.
• moneycorp provides an international payments service to individuals and a wide range of businesses, offering quick and comprehensive solutions to foreign exchange challenges.
• moneycorp traded £36.9bn worth of currencies, handling millions of transactions in 2019.
• moneycorp offers telephone, mobile and online payments on a multi-currency platform, helping thousands of customers exchange across 120 currencies in the last year.
• moneycorp began dealing in foreign exchange in 1979. The business was acquired by Bridgepoint Advisors Ltd in 2014. In 2016, moneycorp acquired a Gibraltar banking license, leading to the establishment of moneycorp Bank.
• moneycorp is a trading name of TTT Moneycorp Limited which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Service Regulations 2017 (reference number 308919) for the provision of payment services.

Essex County Cricket Club is announcing today that Chief Executive Officer, Derek Bowden will leave the Club at the end of October. Derek has decided to cease full-time employment and the Club wishes him all the best in the future.

We would like to thank him for the work he has undertaken and for his contribution to the Club’s success during his time as Chief Executive Officer.

Commenting on this, Derek Bowden, said: “I am extremely proud of what the Club has achieved, particularly over the last five years, where after gaining promotion to Division One it has secured five trophies in five years, the high point being the winning of the ‘double’ in 2019.

“I wish everyone at the Club the best of luck for the future and hope that there is further success in the years to come.”

Commenting on Derek’s departure, Essex County Cricket Club Chairman, John Faragher, said: “I would like to thank Derek for all his hard work and support during his time at Essex.

“The last five years have been really special for the Club, and Derek has been instrumental in taking the business to the next level. We wish Derek all the very best for the future.”

Essex have the opportunity to lift another trophy when they meet Somerset in the Final of the Bob Willis Trophy starting at Lord’s on Wednesday.

The competition was introduced into the domestic calendar this year after the effects of COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the County Championship. All 18 teams were split into three regionalised groups, with the two highest-scoring teams meeting in a decider at The Home of Cricket.

The match will be staged over five days and if a positive outcome cannot be reached, then the team with the most runs after the first innings will be declared the winners. Should the weather prevent that criterion, then the title will be shared.

Head Coach’s View:

Essex Head Coach Anthony McGrath is excited at the prospect of the opportunity to bring another major trophy to Chelmsford following the County Championship and Vitality Blast double last year.

McGrath said: “I think over the last couple of years, both teams have proved themselves to be very, very consistent and most people in the game wouldn’t argue that the two best teams in the country are meeting in the Final.

However, the Head Coach insists that the Bob Willis Trophy winners must not be considered as County Champions.

“I don’t think anyone can kid themselves about that, “he stated.

“Normally in a County Championship, you are rewarded for consistency, skill and stamina over the full 6 months, but this competition hasn’t been that, it’s just been 5 games.

“So it’s not the County Championship but we are going out to win this competition. We discussed this with the players at the start of the tournament and we all agreed that the opportunity of playing a red-ball Lord’s Final over five days might not happen again.

“So that, of course, is special and I know that all the lads are looking forward to it and are desperate to get their place in the team and play their part in what we hope will be in Essex victory.”

Squad News:

Essex will pick their team from a 13-man squad.

The Final Preview:

The Opposition:

Somerset Head Coach Jason Kerr is backing his side to overcome Essex and lift the Bob Willis Trophy.

He said: “The best two teams in the country have reached the Bob Willis Final and if we continue to play the brand of cricket we produced in the group stage of the competition we can come out on top.

“As things stand, Essex are the number one red ball team and we are number two. It would be great to reverse those standings and that is the aim.

“I believe we have improved on our skills from last season, not least through the emergence of some really exciting youngsters and I am really looking forward to the game.

“The prospect of seeing how they perform against a side as good as Essex with a trophy at stake is incredibly exciting for me as a Coach.”

Squad News:

Tom Abell (c), George Bartlett, Dom Bess, Jack Brooks, Eddie Byrom, Josh Davey, Steve Davies, Ben Green, Lewis Gregory, Tom Lammonby, Jack Leach, Craig Overton and Roelof van der Merwe.

Record Between The Sides:

Essex and Somerset have clashed on 146 previous occasions in first-class cricket, with Essex claiming victory on 58 occasions, whilst Somerset have won 36. There have been 51 drawn matches plus 1 tied game.

Last Meeting:

The last time that Essex played in a Final at Lord’s was back in 2008 when they beat Kent Spitfires to clinch the Friends Provident Trophy. After dismissing their old adversaries for 214, Essex won by 5 wickets with 7 balls to spare, with Grant Flower guiding them to victory with 70 not out.

Somerset are more recent visitors to a Lord’s Final having lifted The Royal London One-Day Cup in 2019 by 6 wickets, with James Hildreth posting an unbeaten 69 from 68 balls.

However, a major red-ball title still eludes the West Country outfit whilst their opponents have proved themselves masters of that format, with County Championship titles in 2017 and 2019.

In the last two years, Somerset have had to settle for the runners-up position in that competition. Last season, they entertained Essex at Taunton in the final match of the campaign needing victory to be crowned Champions for the first time but in a rain-affected match, Essex gained the draw they needed to deny the Cidermen their taste of glory.

Now both teams go head-to-head once more in a winner takes all clash. They arrive at Lord’s with identical group records of 4 wins and 1 draw apiece although Somerset did record more batting and bowling points.

While we will go head-to-head with old rivals Somerset on the pitch in search of honours at Lord’s this week, off the pitch the focus will be on one man – Bob Willis.

The former England captain and Sky Sports pundit, who made over 90 test appearances for his country in a playing career that spanned two decades, died from prostate cancer in December 2019. His death united the cricket world, with the ECB ensuring his legacy would live on in the sport by naming the first tournament of 2020 – and the first following the Covid-19 pandemic – the Bob Willis Trophy.

Captain, Tom Westley, said: “Bob was a true England legend and a player that we all looked up to and were inspired by as youngsters. Everyone in the sport was devastated to hear of his passing last year, so it’s great to see his life and career remembered through the Bob Willis Trophy.

“Hearing that prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK and that it kills one man every 45 minutes is pretty shocking. But they’re stats that we can all help to overcome by supporting the work of Prostate Cancer UK.

“Prostate Cancer UK is blazing a trail in raising awareness of the disease across the sporting world, and it’s excellent to see that extend into cricket with their presence at the final of the Bob Willis Trophy this week.

“The Man of Men pin badge has become iconic in football, and I’m hoping that it can help drive awareness and change in cricket too. It represents Bob, and all the men lost to the disease and their families and shows why we must come together in the fight against prostate cancer.”

His wife, Lauren Clark, has teamed up with leading men’s health charity Prostate Cancer UK to raise vital funds and to encourage men at greater risk of prostate cancer to visit their GP.

“The fact that in the UK, prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed of all the cancers goes to show why a lot more needs to be done into prostate cancer research,” she said.

“Yes, it’s true that only men can get it; I can’t get it, but like too many wives, partners and families – I couldn’t have been more affected by it. I want to help people with prostate cancer. I want Bob to have a legacy.”

One in eight men in the UK will be affected by prostate cancer at some point in their lives, with that statistic rising to one in four for black men. It is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, reinforcing the need to take action. This month, Prostate Cancer UK launched a new online risk checker, when men and their families can find out if they are at increased risk of the disease and what steps they can take – and that extends to the Essex cricketing family.

The inaugural Bob Willis Trophy final at Lords will see branding from Prostate Cancer UK around the ground and on the stumps, with the winner’s trophy based on a drawing of Bob by Lauren. Royalties from Bob’s book, Bob Willis – A Cricketer and a Gentleman, have also come to the charity.

Fans can text BOB to 70004 to donate £10 to Prostate Cancer UK or visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bobwillis

The Essex Eagles are now unable to qualify for the knockout stages of this season’s Vitality Blast, following the defeat on Friday.

The Eagles lost by 4 wickets to the Kent Spitfires at Canterbury to leave them with just pride to play for when they meet Sussex Sharks at The Cloudfm County Ground on Sunday, with the match starting at 1pm.

When the teams clashed less than a week ago at Hove, the Eagles won by 12 runs in a match when Dan Lawrence took the plaudits.

He scored 81 from 44 balls that included 6 sixes and 6 other boundaries in the Eagles score of 197-5, before claiming the top two Sharks scorers, Aaron Thomason and Delray Rawlins at a personal cost of 3 runs in his only over. The home side ended on 185-8 from their 20 overs with Sam Cook taking 2 wickets in 3 balls towards the close of the innings.

McGrath’s View

Reflecting on the Eagles T20 campaign, Head Coach Anthony McGrath said: “Overall, we lacked the consistency you need in this format. At times there were some good batting performances, at times some good bowling performances, but we didn’t manage to combine the two in the same match.

“After last year’s success in the competition, we are naturally bitterly disappointed because we feel that we are a better side than the group table shows.

“It was only in the second half of the group matches that any of our batsmen managed to score a half-century, so that made things difficult.

“There were a couple of plus points we can take, some of the younger players came in and did well for us, players like Aron Nijjar, Jack Plom and Michael Pepper and they showed they can be a key part of our squad moving forward.

“Now we face Sussex Sharks who we beat recently so it would be nice to complete the double over them before we turn our attention back to red-ball cricket and the Bob Willis Trophy Final.”

Squad News

The Eagles will select their starting XI from a 14-man squad that includes Feroze Khushi, Ben Allison, and Will Buttleman, as well as 19-year-old Josh Rymell and 18-year-old Robin Das.

The Opposition

The match will see the return of Ravi Bopara to the Club that he served so well since making his debut back in 2002, until leaving at the end of last season.

During his time at Chelmsford, he scored 19,620 runs and took 503 wickets across all formats. He also made 13 Test appearances for England, plus 120 ODI appearances and also played in 38 T20I matches.

Sussex also include anther one-time Essex player, Tymal Mills, in their party although the bowler missed Friday’s win against Middlesex with a sore back.

Sussex all-rounder George Garton turned in a stunning display to help the Sharks overcome Middlesex last Friday and keep their hopes of a place in the last eight of the competition alive.

He took 4 wickets and then struck 24 from 9 balls to see his side to victory.

Garton said: “When I came in to bat it was a sticky situation so I tried to take the pressure off and have some fun. We knew we only needed one good over and fortunately, I had a swing and it came off.

“It was nice to get some wickets as well. I know what my role in the side is now, which is to try and bowl aggressively in the powerplay and today it paid off.

“We probably need to get something against Essex on Sunday to finish second but we won’t worry about the permutations. We will just go out there and back ourselves to win the game.”

Sussex Sharks Squad

Salt (WK), Wright (C), Rawlins, Wiese, Bopara, MacLeod, Thomason, Garton, Robinson, Briggs, Claydon, Brown, Carson, Meaker, Mills.

Record between the two sides

The sides have met 27 times in T20 fixtures, of which Sussex Sharks have won 14 contests and the Eagles 13.

Kent Spitfires v Essex Eagles

Vitality Blast (South Group)

The Spitfire Ground, Friday 18 September

Team News:

Kent Spitfires: Zak Crawley, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Joe Denly, Heino Kuhn, Sam Billings (c & wk), Alex Blake, Jack Leaning, Grant Stewart, Matt Milnes, Imran Qayyum, Fred Klaassen.

Essex Eagles: Cameron Delport, Tom Westley, Dan Lawrence, Michael Pepper (wk), Ryan ten Doeschate, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer (c), Matt Quinn, Jack Plom, Aron Nijjar, Sam Cook.

Match Details:

Umpires: Martin Saggers & Nigel Llong
Match Referee: Steve Davis
Toss: Essex Eagles who elected to bat
Result: Kent Spitfire win by 4 wickets

Match Report:

Title-holders Essex Eagles are out of the Vitality Blast competition after Kent Spitfires won the clash at Canterbury by 4 wickets with two balls to spare after the Eagles had set their opponents a target of 168.

The match was in the balance when the home side reached 137 for 5 with three overs remaining but Jack Leaning grabbed the initiative, moving to a 30-ball half century to guide the Spitfires over the line.

But it was Grant Stewart that concluded the match in style when sending a full toss from up and coming fast bowler Jack Plom over the ropes to ensure Kent’s place in the quarter-finals.

Plom had earlier claimed three wickets including internationals Zak Crawley and Sam Billings and also that of the prolific Daniel Bell-Drummond to add to his impressive list of victims that started with Hampshire’s James Vince 48 hours earlier. However, Plom would end on the losing side and was to taste the disappointment of conceding the 9 runs that Kent still required when the last over began.

The Eagles, having won the toss and playing the same eleven that beat Hampshire, were indebted to Ryan ten Doeschate who oversaw the addition of 92 runs whilst he was at the crease.

The 40 year-old, yet again, was forced to hold the innings together as others around him perished cheaply. He posted his highest Vitality Blast score of the season but despite a promising start, the Eagles innings faltered and the visitors missed the opportunity of setting a demanding target.

In one productive sequence spanning 13 balls before the end of the third over, Tom Westley hammered six boundaries and Cameron Delport one as the score raced to 35 and Westley continued the onslaught when he cleared the ropes against Stewart to raise a half-century opening partnership stand from just 29 balls, but Westley departed to the next delivery when he picked out Crawley and the innings lost momentum.

Dan Lawrence and Michael Pepper went in the next two overs and when Delport was run out for 28 having faced 25 balls, the Eagles had lost 4 wickets for 24 runs in 21 balls to undo the excellent work at the top of the innings.

At 78 for 4, it was left to Ryan ten Doeschate to find some substance to the Eagles innings. He started this game as the highest Essex run scorer in the competition this year with 203 runs @ 50.75 and improved those figures with a 33-ball contribution of 52 which included 2 sixes and three fours.

Paul Walter struck 19 out of 28 before he was caught at cover while Simon Harmer accompanied ten Doeschate in a partnership worth 41 in 4.1 overs before both batsmen were dismissed within seven balls to leave the Eagles 161 for 7.

Pace man, Fred Klaassen, picked up two of the outstanding wickets to finish with 3 for 36 leaving the visitors to reflect on what could have been.

Kent, who included Sam Billings and Joe Denly following the conclusion of England’s international fixtures, reached the halfway stage of their reply on 78 for 3, having lost Crawley for 9 to Plom’s first delivery. Joe Denly had also fallen for 23 off the bowling of Simon Harmer and Heino Kuhn was dismissed for 3 when he was stumped by Michael Pepper against Aron Nijjar.

Two wickets fell to Plom in three balls to reduce the Spitfires to 80 for 5 as the 21 year-old removed Bell-Drummond, caught by Harmer for 25, and Billings who top-edged to Pepper for 18.

The Eagles were sensing victory and a potential opportunity to qualify for the latter stages of the competition but those hopes were dashed by a partnership worth 67 in 7.2 overs courtesy of Jack Leaning and Alex Blake.

With 21 runs still required Blake was caught at mid-wicket off Matt Quinn for 29 with the first ball of the penultimate over, however, Leaning continued to flourish, guiding his side to victory whilst ending with an unbeaten 55. Leaning was at the non-strikers end when he had the pleasure of watching Grant Stewart thump a full toss over the ropes to conclude the game in style, Stewart ending 8 not out.

The Eagles are looking to continue their current run of success in the Vitality Blast when they travel to The Spitfire Ground to face Kent Spitfires on Friday.

The Eagles have enjoyed back-to-back wins this week after beating Sussex Sharks at Hove on Monday and Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl on Wednesday.

With all teams having just 2 matches to play, Kent Spitfires start the match in second position in the South Group on 10 points and victory would guarantee their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Meanwhile, the Eagles start the match with 6 points, 3 fewer than Sussex Sharks who currently occupy third place.

The top two in each of the three regional groups will be joined by the two highest third-placed points scorers.

The Eagles therefore need to win both of their remaining two matches (they meet Sussex Sharks on Sunday at The Cloudfm County Ground) and hope that other results are in their favour.

Plom’s View

Aron Nijjar and Jack Plom made the headlines with the ball on Wednesday with slow left-armer Nijjar returning career-best figures of 3 for 22 whilst Plom removed England batsman James Vince with the first delivery of his 4 over spell. It was his maiden senior wicket for the Club amongst personal figures of 2 for 18.

Basildon born Plom, who is the latest player to make the First Team from the Essex Academy admits that the win kept the Eagles hopes of making the quarter-finals alive.

He said: “It was a bit of a slow start to the tournament but we still have a slim chance thanks to the boost of back-to-back wins.

“A couple of the boys said it (the pitch) was a bit slow and sticky early on but the batters did their job and the bowlers followed it up.

“We had our plans and we stuck to them, Harmy trusted us bowlers and that is what we like.

“We got wickets early after he talked about attacking the stump, we did that and it came off, and then we kept the pressure on in the middle overs and the wickets kept coming our way.

“We are very happy for Aron [Nijjar]. He bowled his 4 overs straight which some people don’t deal well with. The skipper had faith in him and he bowled really well.”

Squad News

Essex will select their starting XI from a 14-man squad with Michael Pepper continuing to deputise behind the stumps for Adam Wheater who is unavailable due to family reasons.

Record between the two sides

The teams have met on 33 previous occasions in the competition with the Spitfires enjoying 17 successes and Essex 15 whilst 1 match was declared a no result.