Essex Eagles: Feroze Khushi, Josh Rymell, Tom Westley (c), Grant Roelofsen, Robin Das, Aaron Beard, Shane Snater, Aron Nijjar, Luc Benkenstein, Jamal Richards, Ray Toole.
Glamorgan: David Lloyd, Sam Northeast, Colin Ingram, Kiran Carlson (c), Tom Bevan, Tom Cullen (wk), Dan Douthwaite, Andrew Salter, James Weighell, James Harris, Prem Sisodiya.
Match Details:
Umpires: Anthony Harris & Mark Newell Match Referee: Jason Swift Toss: Essex won and chose to bat Result: Essex won by 103 runs
17-year-old leg spinner Luc Benkenstein sliced through the Glamorgan middle-order with 6 wickets in 36 balls to ease Essex Eagles to back-to-back Royal London Cup victories at sizzling Chelmsford.
The son of former South African all-rounder Dale came on to bowl the 22nd over with Glamorgan making good progress towards their target of 342. But Benkenstein’s incredible quick-fire haul included the crucial wicket of Sam Northeast for 70, who was going along nicely at just under a run a ball. Benkenstein finished with figures of 6-42 in the 103-run win.
Essex’s imposing total, after electing to bat against the reigning Champions, was underpinned by a second-wicket partnership of 203, a record for any Essex wicket in the competition against Glamorgan, between Feroze Khushi and Tom Westley, who both finished with 104 to their names.
For Khushi his 86-ball knock, including 5 sixes, was his second century of the season, scored on successive Sundays, while Westley recorded a ton in consecutive matches from 110 balls. However, once they departed Essex crashed from 247-3 to 303-9 in the blink of an eye with Andrew Salter’s off-breaks claiming 3-72.
Glamorgan’s tails were up when Josh Rymell thick-edged the second legitimate ball of the game from James Harris to slip. They had to wait more than 30 overs for their second success by which time Essex had motored beyond 200.
In between Khushi and Westley set about the bowling with an almost nonchalant relish. Westley, coming in at 3, dominated the initial part of the partnership, contributing 49 of the first hundred and then reaching his own half-century from 51 balls.
Khushi was slightly more subdued at the outset and managed just 2 fours in his fifty scored from 57 balls, but he kept the scoreboard ticking along with singles and doubles.
However, it was in the latter stages of his innings that he burst into life. His first fifty included a straight six off Douthwaite. There was a second swept off Prem Sisodiya before Colin Ingram was taken out of the attack after three legside sixes in an over that had the umpires reaching regularly for the spares box.
Khushi’s second fifty took just 29 balls as a single to deep cover took him to three figures. But in the same over he played all around a delivery from David Lloyd and was bowled.
Westley was a spectator for a spell while Khushi ran rampant, but reached his own ton with a push into the onside from his 101st ball. But he was bamboozled by a delivery from Salter that was going down legside, he overbalanced and was stumped off a wide.
The two centurions removed, Glamorgan’s bowlers suddenly detected a soft underbelly and six wickets went down in six overs before a last-wicket flourish added 38
Only Grant Roelofsen, entering at 4, avoided the carnage at the other end and finished unbeaten on 69 from 55 balls, reaching his half-century with a six into the visitors’ dressing room.
In response, Lloyd struck 7 boundaries in a 17-ball 30 before he picked out Snater on the square-leg boundary to give New Zealander Ray Toole a first wicket on debut.
Apart from a pulled six, Ingram struggled for any fluency despite a half-century stand with Northeast. He had reached 17 from 25 balls when he took a swish at Nijjar and was lbw.
Northeast lost his skipper Kiran Carlson after another fifty partnership when he chopped Benkenstein to backward point. Benkenstein’s second followed soon after when Northeast decided to charge and was stumped by Roelofsen, and the third arrived when Khushi raced in from the cover boundary to dive and dismiss Tom Bevan.
Douthwaite leant back and tried to force Benkenstein away, only to play on. Two balls later Tom Cullen went walkabouts and was stumped.
Nijjar had Weighell caught behind off an attempted reverse sweep before Benkenstein returned to dismiss Harris, courtesy of Nijjar’s snatch around the corner off a top edge.
Steelbacks: Will Young (c), Emilio Gay, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Rob Keogh, Saif Zaib, James Sales, Lewis McManus (wk), Nathan Buck, Tom Taylor, Jack White, Alex Russell.
Essex Eagles: Feroze Khushi, Josh Rymell, Tom Westley (c), Grant Roelofsen, Robin Das, Will Buttleman (wk), Aaron Beard, Shane Snater, Aron Nijjar, Jamal Richards, Jamie Porter.
Match Details:
Umpires: David Millns & Simon Widdup Match Referee: Alec Swann Toss: Essex won and chose to bat Result: Steelbacks won by 3 wickets
Northamptonshire’s Saif Zaib treated a record Royal London Cup crowd at Wantage Road to a commanding 136, as Northamptonshire pulled off their highest-ever run chase in one-day cricket to beat Essex Eagles in a thrilling 50-over clash.
It was a maiden List A century for Zaib, who was forced to retire hurt on 129 after diving for a second run with Northamptonshire still needing 110. But he returned later to record his highest score in all forms of First Team cricket before Tom Sales and Nathan Buck saw their side home.
Zaib had combined with Captain Will Young in a stand worth 212 in 27.1 overs to set Northamptonshire on their way. Zaib was in aggressive form throughout, hitting boundaries all around the wicket, finishing with 14 fours and 4 sixes.
The Eagles’ total of 343 was set up by a sparkling century from Feroze Khushi who shared a partnership worth 169 in 23.4 overs with his Captain Tom Westley (67). It was his second List A hundred since making 109 against Durham on List A debut last summer. But hopes of capitalising on that start were dashed by Buck who took 3 wickets in the space of 7 balls to finish with career-best figures of 5/59.
Essex had lost a wicket in the second over when Josh Rymell chopped on to Buck. Khushi though showed immediate intent, stroking consecutive boundaries off Buck and hooking him for six before greeting a loosener from Tom Taylor with disdain, smashing it square for four. He was equally adept against the slower bowlers Alex Russell and Zaib, firing the ball down the ground and playing a delicate cut to the ropes.
He had some moments of luck, earning a reprieve on 43 when he was caught hooking a Taylor no ball. Later, one delivery after hitting Zaib for a big six over deep midwicket, he was caught in the deep by Ricardo Vasconcelos who threw the ball back in just before he stepped over the ropes. Then on 86, he was dropped at long-on off Zaib but dispatched the next delivery over the bowler’s head for six to move into the 90s.
Westley meanwhile kept up the rate at the other end, scoring at a run a ball, stroking the ball sweetly around the park, hitting 8 boundaries before he fell to a brilliant diving catch by Will Young at short cover off Russell.
Grant Roelofsen (16) played a few aggressive shots but departed when he picked out Vasconcelos on the deep square leg boundary to give Russell a second wicket.
Khushi’s stay finally ended when he swung Taylor to Young at deep midwicket. In total, he hit 12 boundaries and 3 maximums off just 93 balls.
Robin Das got off the mark by hooking Tom Taylor for four to bring up Essex’s 200 in the 30th over and took consecutive boundaries against Zaib. But on the verge of a half-century, he smacked Jack White straight to Young at short cover for a well-made 47.
Buck’s spell though was telling. He bowled Will Buttleman and picked up Aaron Beard and Aron Nijjar, both to catches, in quick succession before celebrating his maiden List A 5-wicket haul when Shane Snater was caught on the boundary.
Northamptonshire lost 2 early wickets in the chase against a tight opening burst from Beard and Jamie Porter. Emilio Gay was caught off a leading edge, the first of 2 quick wickets for Beard who also got one to nip back and bowl Vasconcelos (11).
Young and Zaib began the process of rebuilding, the Captain pulling Porter for four while Zaib steered Beard for 2 boundaries behind square in the same over.
Northamptonshire ended the powerplay on 58-2, 13 behind Essex at the same stage, but soon started to make up lost ground. Young stroked the seamers around the park, but reserved his biggest shot for slow left-armer Nijjar when he swung an enormous six over deep midwicket and moved to his half-century off 51 balls.
Zaib meanwhile swung Porter through midwicket and hit Nijjar ferociously through the covers for another boundary, moving to his half-century off 47 balls. He greeted Jamal Richards by hooking him high over backward square leg for six followed by an off-side four to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150 in the 23rd over.
He reached three figures off just 79 deliveries and showed no signs of slowing down, hitting a Beard delivery out of the ground over deep extra cover.
Young finally fell lbw to Nijjar, one ball after hitting him for six and Northamptonshire quickly lost a second when new batter Rob Keogh was adjudged lbw to Snater.
With Zaib still there and Northamptonshire well ahead of the run rate, there still seemed little cause for panic until Zaib went down after diving for a second run.
Keeper Lewis McManus (28) though held his nerve, hitting Nijjar down the ground for six and combining in a 54-run stand with Taylor (27). When both fell, Zaib returned to the crease to a huge ovation and dispatched Snater down the ground for six.
When he was out caught off Richards, Northamptonshire needed 26 off the last 2 overs. Snater gifted 2 no balls before James Sales struck consecutive boundaries and ran a three. Buck hit down the ground for six and played a deft cut down to third to leave Northamptonshire needing just 3 runs off the final over.
Grant, who originates out of South Africa, was added to the Eagles squad for the 2022 Royal London Cup, coming following the loss of multiple players to the Hundred.
26-year-old Roelofsen, who represents the Dolphins in his native South Africa, has been playing club cricket for Billericay over the summer as well as making three appearances for the Essex Second XI Team.
The batter, who can also ply his trade as a wicketkeeper, has represented South Africa at the under-19 level. However, he caught the attention of head coach Anthony McGrath after a remarkable 2022 season for both Billericay, where he scored 1553 runs in 17 games at an average of 103.53 with five 100s. This came before retaining his form in the Essex Second XI, where he has scored 364 in just 6 innings.
Mark Steketee joined Essex in March 2022 to play the first six games of the 2022 LV= Insurance County Championship campaign. The 28-year-old plays for Queensland, with performances earning him a call up to the Australia Test squad for the tour of Pakistan in early March 2022.
The Aussie was the leading wicket taker in the 2021/22 Sheffield Shield, taking 32 wickets in six matches at an impressive average of just 17.93, with best match figures are 10/92. After making his first-class debut in 2015, he’s taken 185 wickets at an average of 25.80, helping Queensland to two Sheffield Shield titles in 2018 and 2021.
Essex Eagles are set to return to the picturesque grounds of Saffron Walden Cricket Club as they prepare for the Royal London Cup campaign.
On Sunday 31 July, Essex Eagles will play Cambridgeshire in a National Counties 50-over contest starting at 11am with tickets and spectator information available via the Saffron Walden Cricket Club website.
The fixtures, played between every First-Class County and a National County over a three-day period, are not only a chance for sides to warm up for the Royal London Cup, but also to showcase the talent within the National Counties system. That was on display for all to see when the two sides met last year.
The Eagles fielded a strong side including Alastair Cook and Ryan ten Doeschate and completed a comfortable victory in the end, but young left-arm spinner Harrison Craig put in the performance of the day for Cambridgeshire, picking up 5/14 in his 7 overs.
The preparation clearly worked for the Eagles, who won four of their first five games on their way to a 2nd place finish in Group 1.
Essex then went on to hammer Yorkshire in the Play-Off at Chelmsford, before the campaign came to an end in Cardiff with a defeat against eventual winners, Glamorgan.
Royal London Cup fixtures come thick and fast after the National Counties game on 31 July with the Eagles making the journey up to Sedbergh for the opening game of the tournament against Lancashire on Tuesday 02 August.
Chelmsford will host four Royal London Cup fixtures between 05-17 August and tickets for those fixtures on sale now and discounted when purchased in advance, priced £15 for Adults, £10 Students/Young Adults (18-24), £5 Juniors, and free for Members.
The Cloud County Ground, Monday 25 – Thursday 28 July
Team News:
Essex: Nick Browne, Alastair Cook, Tom Westley (c), Dan Lawrence, Paul Walter, Matt Critchley, Adam Rossington (wk), Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Aaron Beard, Jamie Porter.
Somerset: Matt Renshaw, Tom Lammonby, Tom Abell (c), George Bartlett, Lewis Goldsworthy, James Rew (wk), Lewis Gregory, Kasey Aldridge, Craig Overton, Peter Siddle, Jack Leach.
Match Details:
Umpires: Nicholas Cook & Chris Watts Match Referee: Simon Hinks Toss: Essex, who elected to bat Result: Match drawn
Tom Banton and James Rew celebrated contrasting maiden LV= Insurance County Championship centuries as Somerset and Essex meandered to the inevitable draw.
Banton only entered the match at the beginning of the day as a concussion replacement for Lewis Goldsworthy and enjoyed himself with a scintillating 126 off 120 balls.
Rew, the 18-year-old who only made his Championship debut last month, was the picture of serenity throughout his vigil. As Nick Browne and Matt Renshaw before him, he ground the bowlers down and ended unbeaten on 101.
The Somerset scorecard became a curiosity at the start of the play. Seven batters had started their innings, three had been dismissed, and four not out batters were listed.
Tom Abell had already halted his innings on 90 after injuring his hamstring on Day Three while attempting a quickly run second.
While Abell could technically continue, Lewis Goldsworthy’s absence from the match was permanent. The 21-year-old had turned his head into a Shane Snater short delivery, but despite undergoing two concussion tests on the field, it was decided overnight that his condition had worsened.
Banton replaced him in the XI and showed an attacking flair rarely seen during this match. He seemed particularly keen to get on top of Simon Harmer with sweep shots, often from well outside his off stump.
He had previously topped out at 79 in the Championship but strolled to his ninth career 50, and third of the season, in 66 balls.
Banton, who had scored 92 runs in the morning session, had only played 27 first-class matches ahead of this game and went to three figures in 104 balls with a flick to the leg side and a fist pump.
At the other end, Rew accumulated with his compact set-up. Risks were rarely taken, but reverse sweeps were consistently timed impeccably. He reached his maiden century in 209 balls.
Rew and Banton put on 164, with 199 runs in total added for the fourth wicket, before the latter was caught at long-on, soon after he had been dropped in the same position.
Rew and Lewis Gregory ticked through another 70 runs before Gregory was run out and Craig Overton was stumped before Tea, which brought a declaration with a 100-run lead.
Browne, who had been left 234 not out in the first innings, only lasted 5 balls before edging Peter Siddle to Renshaw at first slip but that is where the excitement started and ended as Tom Westley and Paul Walter batted out the rest of the day.
Day Three Highlights:
Day Three Match Report:
Matt Renshaw mimicked Nick Browne’s run accumulation as Somerset and Essex headed towards a draw in the LV= Insurance County Championship clash at Chelmsford.
Australian Renshaw was unflappable to gather 146, his highest score in the Championship, having spent 6 hours and 34 minutes at the crease.
He put on an unbroken 193 runs with Tom Abell for the second wicket before the Somerset Captain was forced to retire hurt on 90 after appearing to damage his hamstring.
Somerset ended the day on 359-3 in reply to Essex’s equally massive 505, still 146 behind heading into a final day unlikely to inspire a result.
Renshaw and Abell had begun their partnership the previous evening with a free-flowing and breezy half-century together. The same adjectives could not be used again on Day Three, where turgidity and gritty were better suited.
The morning session in particular was a practice in patience and copied the rhythm of much of the earlier portion of the match. Only 87 runs were scored, as Renshaw and then Abell moved past 50, in 139 and 105 balls respectively.
On his 100th first-class appearance, Adam Rossington was absent having taken a blow to his finger. Will Buttleman stood in, tidily, behind the stumps throughout the day.
Abell joined him in withdrawing from the action after a quickly run 2 saw him pull up and limp off back to the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Renshaw remained unflinching to bring up his 15th first-class century, and 5th for Somerset over two spells at the Club.
Much of what was written and said about Browne’s 234 not out the previous two days could be also aimed at Renshaw. Both showed off deep levels of concentration and stubbornness to take the opportunity of scoring a high score for their team.
George Bartlett had arrived to replace Abell and pinged a straight six to take the second wicket stand to a record against Hampshire, before he was adjudged to have gloved to short leg, giving Simon Harmer his second wicket in the 48 overs sent down in the innings.
Renshaw gloved a pull off Aaron Beard behind to end with 146 before Lewis Goldsworthy and James Rew took the game slowly past the 356 follow-on target and to the end of the day. The duo adding an unbroken 35.
Day Two Highlights:
Day Two Reaction: Nick Browne
Day Two Match Report:
Nick Browne tenaciously scored the fourth LV= Insurance County Championship double century of his career as Essex afflicted 505 on Somerset.
Opening batter Browne has a belligerent and unflustered temperament which gives him the ability to go big once he gets in. His mammoth unbeaten 234 showcased the best of these traits.
Tom Lammonby collected 3/35 for his personal best figures and Peter Siddle claimed his 700th first-class wicket in a testing 5-and-a-bit sessions for the visitors.
In reply, Simon Harmer pinched his 45th wicket of the season as Somerset reached 99-1 at quite a tempo, ending the day 406 runs in arrears.
Browne batted and batted and batted some more, 10 hours and 38 minutes to be precise from 11am on Monday to the time Tom Westley finally pulled his side in on Tuesday afternoon.
Not much changed in his approach through his vigil, very rarely altering from his tried and tested late-play methods, only slowly accelerating through his innings. His first 50 came in 124 balls, his second 104, then 95 and 94 deliveries to move to 200.
Somerset’s inroads were as equally hard to come by as on the first day, but the decision to throw the ball to Lammonby in the 114th over was inspired. The left-arm pace bowler had 6 wickets ahead of the game, but within 4 overs had added 2 more scalps.
Paul Walter’s 172 partnership with Browne ended first when he lost his off stump for 86 before Matt Critchley followed when he couldn’t resist prodding behind.
Adam Rossington arrived, pumped 32 off 40 balls, added 72 with the unmovable Browne and slog-swept to deep midwicket, giving Lammonby his third.
Simon Harmer didn’t continue the acceleration, sitting on 7 off 49 balls at one point in the afternoon where the rate slowed right down, a period where 15 overs passed without a boundary.
Meanwhile, Browne had taken himself past 200 in 417 balls. He had previously celebrated double centuries against Middlesex and twice v Derbyshire. By way of reference, Alastair Cook has never reached the milestone for Essex, although the legendary Graham Gooch managed it 10 times.
Incredibly Browne eventually faced 454 balls, which was four more than Sam Northeast dealt with in his incredible 410 for Glamorgan against Leicestershire last week.
Harmer did pick up his pace against the Somerset spinners, thrice swiping them to the midwicket boundary, before slogging to long off to depart.
Shane Snater and Aaron Beard both showed attacking intent and both fell to maximum attempts before the declaration came.
Other than a dropped catch behind in the first over, Somerset openers Matt Renshaw and Lammonby tottered around nicely to score 40 in the first 9 overs before Harmer arrived on the scene from his favourite River End.
Where Leach had gone wicketless in 39 overs, Harmer needed only 4 balls to bowl Lammonby. The off-spinner had laid a seed of panic with his first delivery which sharply turned but the fourth was fuller and Lammonby fatally went back and chopped onto his stumps.
It turned out to be a false dawn for the hosts, Renshaw and Tom Abell continued the quick scoring with a 59-run stand in the 27 evening overs.
Day One Highlights:
Day One Reaction: Nick Browne
Day One Match Report:
Nick Browne scored his second LV= Insurance County Championship century of the season as Essex assembled 281-3 against Somerset on Day One at Chelmsford.
Opening batter Browne mixed his usual determined self with some more glamourous shot-play to guzzle his season-best 129*, the 18th time he has reached three figures in first-class cricket.
His punishing innings was welded together by 105 put on with Alastair Cook (44), 56 with Dan Lawrence (35) and 115 with Paul Walter, who ended the day unbeaten on 57.
Browne and Cook cruised through the wicketless morning session, having chosen to bat, with barely the hint of a play-and-miss or false shot.
The pair bided their time, but the usually gritty openers’ boundary striking made the slow going worth it. Browne, in particular, punished any width with gloriously timed drives and cuts, 10 of the 15 boundaries in his century came between point and straight.
During the morning, Somerset had an injury scare with Craig Overton, released by England to play in this match. The bustling quick started the day having problems landing and limped away from an over. The major worry came after while attempting to field a ball. He was forced off for the rest of the session with a shoulder injury.
He returned after Lunch and offered up the half volley which Browne gleefully pounced on to drive himself to his half-century.
In the 37th over, Somerset got the ball changed and for the first time, the pitch produced a modicum of help for the bowlers.
Balls passed the bat with more regularity and after 4 overs, Essex had lost their first 2 wickets.
Peter Siddle, on his return to The Cloud County Ground, having spent 3 years at the County, picked up the wicket of Cook for the third time this season. Having got him nicked off twice at The Cooper Associates County Ground, this time the Australian had his former Test nemesis leg before.
Tom Westley followed in the next over when he prodded Overton forward to Lewis Gregory at first slip.
Lawrence showed his typical suppleness of wrist to readjust the momentum back towards the hosts by adding 56 with Browne but fell to the last ball of the afternoon. Part-time spinner Matt Renshaw claimed the wicket, as Lawrence edged a very wide delivery to slip Gregory, who held on to take a smart catch.
But Browne strode on, and despite getting somewhat stuck on 99, moved to a deeply popular century with another drive, this time only for 3. His milestone came in 228 balls and was rewarded with a fist bump from Siddle.
Walter was spritely at times, helping the run rate up to 3s for the first time in the day, and moved past 50 for the third time this season, in 85 balls. Included was a towering straight six off Jack Leach.
Surrey: Rory Burns (c), Ryan Patel, Hashim Amla, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wk), Will Jacks, Cameron Steel, Jamie Overton, Tom Lawes, Kemar Roach, Daniel Worrall.
Essex: Nick Browne, Alastair Cook, Tom Westley (c), Dan Lawrence, Paul Walter, Matt Critchley, Adam Rossington (wk), Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter.
Match Details:
Umpires: Neil Bainton & Peter Hartley Match Referee: Jason Swift Toss: Essex, who elected to bat Result: Surrey win by 6 wickets
It took Surrey 19.4 final day overs to complete a 6-wicket victory against Essex at The Kia Oval that keeps them on top of the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One table.
Resuming their second innings on 85-2, still requiring 76 more runs, Surrey lost just opener Ryan Patel and all-rounder, Jamie Overton, before clinching a 22-point triumph when they reached 162-4.
Patel, on 22 overnight, took his highly valuable but largely defensive and near 4-hour knock to 38 before playing back to off-spinner Simon Harmer and edging a ball that turned and bounced to keeper Adam Rossington.
Jamie Overton, promoted up the order on Patel’s dismissal in the day’s 16th over, soon responded by swinging Matt Critchley’s leg breaks over mid-wicket for six.
The all-rounder played with attacking intent before being caught off the same bowler for 21, at long off, in trying to end the match with one more blow.
Nightwatchman Tom Lawes, who on 1 was dropped at third slip off Shane Snater in the 5th over of the morning, played some excellent strokes of his own to finish 32 not out from 54 balls.
Ollie Pope, who replaced Overton, reverse-swept the first ball he faced for four to complete Surrey’s victory after 80 minutes’ play on the final day.
Essex take 5 points from the game and will be looking to get back to winning ways with the visit of Somerset to The Cloud County Ground next week.
Day Three Match Highlights:
Day Three Match Report:
Unbeaten Division One leaders Surrey need another 76 runs to beat Essex, with 8-second innings wickets in hand, after fast bowler Dan Worrall took career-best match figures of 11 for 122 at the Kia Oval.
Worrall’s 5/66 was Surrey’s stand-out bowling performance for the second time in the game as Essex were dismissed for 208 to leave Rory Burns’ team chasing 161 to record a sixth LV= Insurance County Championship victory of the season.
By Stumps on Day Three Surrey had reached 85-2, with Burns falling to Simon Harmer’s off-spin for a solid 40 when he skied an attempted slog-sweep to mid-wicket and Hashim Amla edging seamer Shane Snater to second slip for 16 just 3 overs from the close.
But opener Ryan Patel held firm with a steadfast 22 not out, from 108 balls, after Worrall had followed up his 6/56 in Essex’s first innings 271 with another high-class effort in combination with West Indies paceman Kemar Roach, who finished with 3/58 for a 6-wicket match haul.
Resuming on 19-2, still 29 runs in arrears, Essex might have lost Tom Westley leg-before to the very first ball of the day, a perfectly-pitched inswinger from Roach. Opener Nick Browne, meanwhile, had added just 6 to his overnight 9 when he was dropped low down at first slip by Jamie Overton off a disbelieving Roach.
Tom Lawes, though, introduced for the 19th over of Essex’s second innings, struck with his sixth ball to have Westley caught behind by a tumbling Ben Foakes for a 52-ball 32, only for Ollie Pope at second slip to grass a relatively simple chance when Dan Lawrence, on 0, edged a sharply rising ball from Overton straight to him at chest height.
That miss haunted Surrey for the next 21 overs as Lawrence, despite a nervy start, grew more assured to help Browne add 65 for the fourth wicket either side of Lunch and double Essex’s total. Worrall, in particular, troubled both batsmen with his pace and swing but Lawrence also began to take the game to Surrey’s bowlers with a number of fine strokes including a thumping square drive off Lawes, a confident driven boundary through mid off when Worrall overpitched and then another four whipped off his pads against Overton.
It was Lawes however that started an Essex slump that, from 130-3, saw them lose 6 wickets for 37 runs in just 10 overs as Surrey suddenly scented a quick kill.
Browne, wafting at a ball wide of his off stump, edged Lawes to Foakes after battling 101 balls for his 48 and Roach and Worrall then combined to send Essex sliding to 167-9.
Roach, recalled in place of Lawes, saw Paul Walter (9) drive his loosener straight to Burns at extra cover, and in his next over trapped Matt Critchley leg-before for 8 with an off-cutter.
Adam Rossington, Essex’s first innings century-maker, tried to drive Worrall into the offside before he had settled and edged to Overton at first slip to go for 3 and, in that same over, Worrall struck a major blow by having Lawrence lbw for 47, a two-hour innings spanning 99 balls.
Three overs later Roach had a third wicket when Snater (3) chipped him weakly to mid on and it was only Harmer’s defiance, featuring a couple of classy on driven fours as well as pulled and cover boundaries off Roach, that left Surrey, who began this round of games 15 points clear of second-placed Hampshire, with a trickier victory target than expected.
Eventually, with Harmer unbeaten on 38 from 68 balls, Worrall produced a beauty to hit Jamie Porter’s off stump after the No11 had contributed just 2 from 24 balls to a last wicket partnership of 41.
Day Two Match Highlights:
Day Two Match Report:
A rollercoaster day of cricket ended with Essex trailing Surrey by 29 runs with 8 second innings wickets in hand at The Kia Oval.
Much like Day One was dominated by a stunning Adam Rossington century, Day Two belonged to Will Jacks, who went one further in scoring 150* during an innings which showed the sort of versatility that will have England selectors taking notice.
Essex started the day searching for early wickets to press home the advantage they had gained after Lunch on Day One. And for the first session and even much of the second session of play that plan came to fruition.
Sam Cook picked up the early wicket of Rory Burns, hanging a series of deliveries wide outside off stump and then spearing a ball in full and straight and catching Rory Burns on the front pad as his head fell towards cover. It was a classic set-up.
A further two wickets fell before Lunch, with Hashim Amla pulling a short delivery from Jamie Porter to Nick Browne at mid-wicket, before Ollie Pope somehow managed to chip a full ball from Shane Snater to mid-off as he looked to play through the legside.
Snater was the pick of the bowlers for Essex, his 21 overs eventually cost 35 but for much of the day he was going at below 1 an over. His control was exactly what was needed on a pitch with some life in it, but one that required patience on behalf of both the bowlers and the batters.
It was patience that Will Jacks displayed, coming in after the wicket of Pope and seeing Ben Foakes, Cameron Steel and Jamie Overton fall in quick succession after the interval.
Batting with 19-year-old Tom Lawes, who has a first-class average of 10.50, he wasn’t afraid to rotate the strike and showed no signs of panicking despite Surrey still trailing Essex by 159 when the 7th wicket fell.
He and Lawes put on 55 for the 9th wicket with Lawes contributing 19 of those before he fell to Matt Critchley.
Jacks then struck up a similarly self-restrained partnership with Kemar Roach, this time of 85 and taking Surrey almost to parity with Essex. This in itself was remarkable given the scoreline just a couple of hours earlier.
When Harmer was reintroduced to the attack and picked up the wicket of Roach for 29, Jacks then unleashed a brutal array of shots to propel Surrey into the lead.
He cleared his front leg to great effect in hitting 8 sixes in a 10th wicket partnership of 67 where Dan Worrall scored just a single run.
Surrey’s lead had extended to 48 and despite the distinct momentum shift over the course of the evening session, this was now effectively a one-innings game.
The new ball has been dangerous throughout the match and Dan Worrall exploited favourable conditions and a horrible 6-over stint at the end of the day for the Essex batters.
In that time he claimed the wicket of both Cooks, the latter coming in as a nightwatchman, to leave Essex 19-2 at the end of the day and with a massive day in the context of their season ahead of them.
Day One Highlights:
Day One Match Report:
Adam Rossington and Dan Worrall were the first-day heroes at The Kia Oval, with Rossington scoring an extraordinary 100 and Worrall bowling brilliantly to take 6/56 as Surrey and Essex traded fierce blows in blistering oven-like conditions.
Rossington rushed to his century with an exhilarating assault on the second new ball, in Essex’s 271 all out, clubbing Kemar Roach for 3 legside sixes before wearily skying the same bowler to long-on in the 83rd over.
Simon Harmer’s 50 was another fine effort as Essex rallied hard after Worrall had earlier taken 3/0 in 5 balls as the LV= Insurance County Championship leaders initially reduced their opponents to 91-6 by Lunch.
In 9.1 overs’ batting before stumps, Surrey replied with 24-1 with Ryan Patel, pushing forward, caught at second slip for 4 off Sam Cook from what proved to be the final ball of the day. Rory Burns remained 18 not out.
The determined seventh wicket stand of 113 in 41 overs between Rossington and Harmer held up Surrey for more than 2 and a half hours and also blunted an attack that had looked unstoppable in the morning session.
Worrall, Roach and Jamie Overton were all highly impressive in a sustained, top-class exhibition of pacy swing bowling, with only Alastair Cook resisting for long in the opening session as Surrey’s battery of fast and fast-medium bowlers exerted an early stranglehold every bit as oppressive as the near-40 degree temperatures.
Nick Browne got to 10 with a couple of flowing offside strokes before Roach shaped one away from the left-hander from around the wicket to force him to thin-edge to keeper Ben Foakes in the fifth over.
And although Tom Westley did well to dig out a searing Roach yorker early on as he reached 11, helping Cook to take Essex to 50, the Essex Captain became the first of three strikes in quick succession by Worrall when he played around a straight ball and was bowled by the Australian’s third ball back into the attack.
Worrall then pinned Dan Lawrence leg-before for 0 with his next ball and, with the first ball of his next over, made one climb steeply at Paul Walter to have the tall left-hander caught at leg slip off the glove.
Matt Critchley survived two confident lbw appeals by Worrall, who was combining sharp outswing and inswing with exemplary control, and Essex did well almost to reach the sanctuary of the Lunch interval before Surrey’s quicker bowlers intervened again.
Overton, reintroduced 5 minutes before the break by Surrey Captain Burns for a second spell, this time from the Vauxhall End, angled his second ball across Cook to have England’s record Test run-getter well held by Ollie Pope at second slip for a 75-ball 29.
Roach then bowled Critchley for 21 off an inside edge and both Rossington and Harmer had to negotiate a number of leg-before appeals in the afternoon session before reaching tea at 194-6.
Rossington, on 16, also edged a brute of a ball from Overton just out of third slip’s reach for four and, on 28, was close to being lbw to Tom Lawes. Harmer, for his part, narrowly avoided the umpire’s raised finger against Overton on 6 and Roach on 26. The West Indian paceman, in particular, looked frustrated at the not out decision.
Essex started this game on the back of three successive Championship wins but still 47 points adrift of Surrey, albeit with a game in hand, had chosen to bat on a well-grassed surface and Rossington’s heroics made sure they reached a competitive total.
Harmer, having faced 147 balls, was finally lbw to Worrall, who then trapped Shane Snater in front 2 balls later to leave Essex 204-8.
But tailender Sam Cook’s unbeaten 21 was a more than useful hand as 58 more runs were added with Rossington for the ninth wicket. After Rossington had gone to Roach (3/63) for his superb 151-ball and 227-minute effort, featuring those 3 late sixes and 9 fours besides, Worrall finished the innings by having last man Jamie Porter leg-before for a duck.
The Club will be hosting the next Members’ Forum on Tuesday 12 July at 6:30pm in the Doug Insole Pavilion.
Chief Executive and Interim Chair, John Stephenson and Head Coach, Anthony McGrath will be on the panel for an opportunity to hear the latest Club news on and off the pitch, including information on the new Governance Action Plan.
The forum will be exclusively for 2022 Members and is available to attend either in person or via the zoom conferencing platform.
Attendees are invited to submit questions in advance by midday on Tuesday 12 July to [email protected].
We hope Members are able to join us for our first Forum in person since early 2020.
All Members with a valid email address on their account will receive an email from the Club with an exclusive link. We advise checking your online Membership account if you have recently changed your details.
Essex Eagles: Adam Rossington (wk), Robin Das, Michael Pepper, Dan Lawrence, Paul Walter, Tom Westley, Daniel Sams, Simon Harmer (c), Aaron Beard, Ben Allison, Sam Cook.
Glamorgan: Tom Bevan, Sam Northeast (c), Colin Ingram, Billy Root, Eddie Byrom, Chris Cooke (wk), Dan Douthwaite, Andrew Salter, Prem Sisodiya, Jamie McIlroy, Michael Hogan.
Match Details:
Umpires: Ben Debenham & Rob Bailey Match Referee: Simon Hinks Toss: Glamorgan, who elected to field Result: Essex Eagles win by 69 runs
Dan Lawrence and Paul Walter’s sensational hitting fired Essex Eagles to their highest Vitality Blast total as they kept their home quarter-final dreams alive.
Lawrence thrashed 71 off 37 balls, Walter a blistering 23-ball 58 and Adam Rossington a booming 45 to take the Eagles to 254 – beating the 244 set barely two weeks ago.
Glamorgan reached 185 for seven in reply, with stand-in captain Sam Northeast pumping an unbeaten 97, to lose by 69 runs.
2019 winners Essex, who had already confirmed a knockout spot, moved to second in the South Group and will host a last-eight match if Surrey beat Somerset on Sunday.
Essex were put in and blasted it from ball one on a belting wicket with short boundaries. Robin Das struck the first of 16 sixes in the third over by pinging one over long-off before following it up with a second over deep midwicket from the next ball.
Das pulled another ball to the boundary before he skied to cover to give Jamie McIlroy a T20 wicket on debut, he would later pick up Lawrence to claim an impressive 2/32 – the only bowler to go at under 10s.
Adam Rossington powered his way to 45, having scored 95 the previous evening, with seven fours and a six off 23 balls. But his quick scoring was just the prelude for what was to come.
Michael Pepper was caught on the reverse and Rossington holed to long-on before Lawrence and Walter went ballistic with a 101-run partnership off 69 balls.
Douthwaite took the biggest tap, going for 12 and 13 in successive overs as he returned the fourth-worst bowling figures in Blast history, eventually going for 66 in four wicketless overs.
But the showpiece over for Essex was the 31 taken off Prem Sisodiya. Walter started off with four sixes before Lawrence completed the over with another maximum.
It started a final five overs where 95 runs were plundered. Walter fell for a 23-ball 58, an innings which included 6 sixes, but Daniel Sams picked up where he had left off with three sixes in his first four balls.
Lawrence had been on 18 from his first 20 balls but caught up in style to reach his 11th T20 half-century in 30 balls before eventually falling for 71. 15 came off the final over as the Eagles crashed the joint fourth-best total in the tournament’s history.
Glamorgan never looked like replicating their greatest chase of 224 – against Essex in 2017 – with three wickets falling in the powerplay.
Aaron Beard was the chief destroyer as he picked up two for 16 in his first 16 overs with debutant Tom Bevan top-edging to deep third man and Billy Root getting bowled.
Eddie Byrom and Chris Cooke were both caught, but Sam Northeast, skippering his third Blast side for the first time, stuck around and plundered a couple sixes of his own on his way to a 38 ball fifty.
Dan Douthwaite chipped in with 34 off 17 in a 62-run stand but had his stump broken by Sams. As the required rate broke passed 36, Andrew Salter and Northeast struck a few lusty blows.
Salter holed out and Northeast, needing four runs from the final ball to reach a century, ended on 97*.
In a game where 439 runs were scored, Dan Sams returned remarkable figures of 3/20 in his four overs. Aaron Beard finished with equally impressive figures of 2/16 in his three overs.
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