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Essex v Surrey

Metro Bank One Day Cup

The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford

Friday 09 August, 2:00pm

Team News

Essex: Nick Browne, Feroze Khushi, Tom Westley*, Robin Das, Luc Benkenstein, Noah Thain, Simon Fernandes+, Shane Snater, Jamal Richards, Ben Allison, Jamie Porter

Surrey: Dom Sibley*, Ryan Patel, Ben Geddes, Cam Steel, Josh Blake+, Ollie Sykes, Adam Thomas, Conor McKerr, Nathan Barnwell, Yousef Majid, James Taylor

Match Details

Umpires: Simon Widdup & Bilal Shafayat
Match Referee: Jason Swift
Scorers: Paul Parkinson & Debbie Beesley
Toss: Surrey won the toss and elected to bat first
Result: Surrey won by 89 runs

Scorecard: View here

Interview: Jamie Porter

Match Highlights

Match Report

Josh Blake registered a sensible run-a-ball century to carry Surrey to only their second Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory of the season at Chelmsford.

The left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman survived a life on 40 when Luc Benkenstein floored a chance at deep square leg, but having come in at 53-3 after 14 overs, had doubled his previous highest score and was still there on 100 not out when Surrey closed on 306-4.

Blake put on 98 in 20 overs for the fourth wicket with opener Ryan Patel (83 from 106 balls) and then an unbroken 155 in 16 pulsating overs for the fifth with the hard-hitting Ollie Sykes, who hit five sixes in an unbeaten 87 from 56 balls.

Defeat meant neither team could qualify for the knock-out stages and Essex never looked likely to record their second win of the tournament. Only captain Tom Westley offered much resistance with 78 from 84 balls as dispirited Essex fell 90 runs short of their target with more than three overs unused.

Surrey elected to bat and got off to a slow start, meandering to 39-2 in the first powerplay. But they upped the tempo in the second half of the innings when they added 192 in 25 overs, 117 of them in the final 10 as Blake and Sykes smashed the toiling Essex bowlers to every corner of the Cloud County Ground.

Patel had held things together early on, but his innings was comparatively sedate by what came later. He reached his fifty from 68 balls with his seventh four, a cover drive off Tom Westley. He followed that with No8, cutting Jamal Richards to the longest boundary on the ground, to bring up Surrey’s 100. But by that time he had lost three partners before forming the alliance with Blake.

Jamie Porter, with a white ball in hand for the first time in a year, took two of that trio, bowling Dom Sibley shouldering arms to one that swung in and took oft-stump, and claiming a second when Cameron Steel moved across to give himself room and was lbw to a straight delivery. In between, Shane Snater had Ben Geddes pinned in front, playing down the wrong line.

Though the boundary to the Pavilion side was less than 50 yards from the wicket, Essex defended it resolutely and it was not until the 33rd over that Blake pierced the field with a reserve-sweep off Westley. Next over, though, brought the downfall of Patel as he drove Noah Thain uppishly to wide mid-off where Westley took a diving catch.

Sykes had scored eight in his List A debut on Tuesday, but eyed up the shorter side where he deposited Thain twice for sixes in an over that cost 15. He added a third off Richards before lofting Porter over the longer midwicket boundary. A fifth over midwicket off Snater took the 19-year-old to a 34-ball fifty.

Blake was not hanging around either, and lifted Snater over cover point for his only six to sit alongside nine fours before a single in the last over took him to three figures from 100 balls.

Essex’s pursuit of 307 never really got going as wickets fell regularly. Nick Browne slashed Conor McKerr to slip, Feroze Khushi swung at James Taylor to be caught behind, and Robin Das was stumped by the alert Blake off a legside wide from Patel.

Benkenstein pulled Nathan Barnwell to deep square leg with the floodlights now on and the run-rate rising. Noah attempted to reverse-sweep Cameron Steel and fell lbw, Simon Fernandes tickled McKerr behind, while Westley’s two-hour knock ended when he slashed Steel to short mid-off. Snater lasted three balls before he was bowled by Yousef Majid, Richards was stumped, Ben Allison lofted the only six of Essex’s innings in a career-best 32 not out before Steel claimed his fourth wicket for 50 when Porter hammered to long off.

School’s out, cricket’s in: 50-over cricket in Chelmsford this summer

White-ball action in Chelmsford is not finished for 2024, with The Cloud County Ground set to host one more Women’s London Championship match during the summer holidays.

Don’t miss out on a family day out in the middle of the city by securing your seats to next week’s clash.

Wednesday 14 August, 11:00am: Essex Women v Sussex – buy here

Essex v Surrey | Notts Outlaws v Essex

Metro Bank One Day Cup

The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford | Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Friday 09 August, 2:00pm | Sunday 11 August, 11:00am

 
Having endured a tense defeat against Yorkshire Vikings in Scarborough earlier this week, a motivated Essex take on two further Metro Bank One Day Cup clashes with Surrey and Notts Outlaws in hope of improved fortunes.

Despite dominating for stretches of an intense arm-wrestle of a game with the White Rose, the Eagles came away with nothing to show for their efforts, as the hosts eked out a three-wicket win.

Luc Benkenstein and Robin Das both completed half-centuries, but the visitors’ total of 243-9 was overhauled in the penultimate over as James Wharton and Shan Masood also passed fifty.

Despite Shane Snater taking 3/32, passing 50 List A wickets in the process, Dom Bess’s unbeaten 53 from 55 balls guided the Vikings over the line with 11 balls to spare.

In a bid to end the competition strongly, Anthony McGrath’s side will now face off against one of their biggest rivals on the domestic circuit in a day/night meeting at The Cloud County Ground on Friday.

The Eagles will then travel to the East Midlands and one of English cricket’s more famed stadia as they take on Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

Squad

Director of Cricket McGrath has named a 12-strong squad.

Charlie Allison drops out as he continues his recovery from a hamstring strain, while Jamie Porter returns after missing the first five games with an abdominal muscle injury.

The Opposition: Surrey

Although their historical success has mostly come in the red-ball arena, with 21 County Championship titles, Surrey have not been particularly shy at collecting List A trophies through the years either.

The Brown Caps’ most recent silverware in the format came in 2011, when they defeated Somerset by five wickets in a rain-affected Clydesdale Bank 40 final at Lord’s.

Before that, they had emerged victorious on two occasions in the preceding NatWest Pro40 League in 1996 and 2003, as well as lifting one Friends Provident Trophy, in 1982.

Their most successful List A competition, however, was the B&H Cup, which they won on three occasions, including against Leicestershire in 1974 for their first-ever limited-overs trophy success.

Recent years have seen slimmer pickings, with Surrey not having qualified for the knockout stages of this competition since 2021.

Amidst another tough campaign this time around, the Oval side sit eighth in Group B, with Dom Sibley their leading run scorer on 333, and Cameron Steel and Conor McKerr each having taken 12 wickets.

Surrey squad: TBC

The Opposition: Notts Outlaws

Nottinghamshire have somewhat spread their success in List A cricket around the various trophies on offer, winning one edition each of five different competitions.

Their first piece of silverware came in 1987, when, under the captaincy of Clive Rice, they lifted the 1987 NatWest Trophy, before following it up in 1989 with the B&H Cup.

A first Sunday League title followed in 1991, before supporters were made to wait until 2013 for the next triumph, a Yorkshire Bank 40 win.

Having renamed themselves the Outlaws in that interim 22-year period, the team went on to lift the 2017 One Day Cup, their most recent success in List A competition.

This year, the Trent Bridge outfit have had a bright start, winning three of their first five games to occupy third place in Group B.

Ben Slater is the Outlaws’ leading run-scorer in this year’s competition, with 296 at an average of 74.00, while Brett Hutton’s seven wickets at 15.57 apiece mark him out as the premier Notts bowler.

Notts Outlaws squad: TBC

Last Time We Met: Surrey

An engrossing arm-wrestle played out at The Cloud County Ground last August the last time the two sides met in List A cricket, though the Eagles came out on the wrong end of a two-wicket loss.

Put in after losing the toss, Essex posted 259-9 from their 50 overs, with Beau Webster notching 69 to top-score, while Noah Thain was only just behind in hitting 63.

Jamal Richards added some late gloss to the score with an unbeaten 31 from 24 balls, as the hosts resisted Conor McKerr’s figures of 4/55 to post a competitive score.

When Dom Sibley fell for a first-ball duck, hopes were raised that the Eagles could complete a group stage-ending win, but it was the opener at the other end who proved the biggest barrier to that.

Ryan Patel made 117, and found confident support from Krish Patel and Josh Blake, who chipped in with valuable scores in spite of Ben Allison, Aron Nijjar, and Webster all taking two scalps apiece.

By the time Patel was dismissed, the Brown Caps were – despite being seven down – only 27 short, and a final flourish from Luke Griffiths, who made an unbeaten 15, pulled them over the line.

Last Time We Met: Notts Outlaws

The Eagles will be out for revenge after falling to a 168-run defeat on the last occasion they met Notts Outlaws in List A cricket, at The Cloud County Ground last August.

After Essex opted to chase, visiting openers Ben Slater and Ben Martindale racked up a century partnership and had moved the score to 107 before Aaron Beard struck to take the first wicket.

Beard went on to be the lynchpin of an attack that pulled the contest back into the balance, claiming figures of 4/32 from 7.5 overs as the Outlaws were dismissed for 237 in just short of 46 overs.

However, the hosts found batting extremely difficult, and they were dismissed for 69 in 25.1 overs, with only Beau Webster, Charlie Allison, and Will Buttleman making double figures.

The latter’s 19 was the innings’ top score, with South African international Dane Paterson taking 4/30 from nine overs and Brett Hutton following up with 3/17 from eight.

Essex never recovered from being 11-3 inside the first six overs, and despite some middle-order resistance, the match was over when Calvin Harrison took the final wicket with his first ball.

Group B Table

Correct prior to the start of matches on Thursday 08 August.

How To Watch

If you are not able to make it to The Cloud County Ground in person, the match will be live-streamed on the EssexCricketTV YouTube channel and will be available to watch through the Essex Cricket Matchzone.

A report will be published on the Club website at the conclusion of the game, while live updates and highlights will be provided on the Essex Cricket social media channels.

Tickets

As ever, Essex Members are able to access this fixture on presentation of a valid card, and blocks 1-11, as well as the Doug Insole Pavilion benches, are reserved for their use only.

Spectators with general admission tickets, which are still available for this game and when bought in advance are priced at just £18 for adults, £12 for 18-25-year-olds, and £6 for under-18s, are free to sit anywhere in the remainder of the ground.

To secure your seats for Friday, visit the link below:

For any Eagles fans that are making the journey to Trent Bridge, tickets are still available from the Nottinghamshire website.

Sunday’s hosts have designated the match as their Family Fun Day, and accordingly, ticket prices have been reduced to £6 for adults and £1 for juniors under the age of 16.

To buy your tickets for Sunday, visit the link below:

School’s out, cricket’s in: 50-over cricket in Chelmsford this summer

White-ball action at The Cloud County Ground continues into August as the Metro Bank One Day Cup group stage reaches a climax.

The competition has not only recently proven itself to be wide open and highly competitive, but also a breeding ground for the next generation of elite cricketers.

Taking place during the school summer holidays, the Eagles’ final home group-stage fixture makes a perfect family day out in the heart of Chelmsford.

Friday 09 August, 2:00pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Wednesday 14 August, 11:00am: Essex Women v Sussex – buy here

Essex play a final Metro Bank One Day Cup game for 2024 at home under floodlights in what is set to be a balmy Friday night at The Cloud County Ground.

The game, which gets underway at a later time of 2pm, sees Essex take on Surrey in what is always an exciting clash.

There is even more reason for fans to attend on Friday night as The Essex Cricket Store will be running a Summer Sale in the Tees River Gate popup stall. Fans in attendance will be able to pick up a bargain with items reduced to as little as £10. Read more…

Tickets are available to purchase in advance for the Metro Bank One Day Cup match with a £6 saving on Adult tickets when buying online now.

Gates Opening Times:

Gates open from 12:30pm via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street or the Tees River Gate, which is closest to Chelmsford City Centre and the Bus/Train Stations.

Matchday Timings:

Gates Open: 12:30pm
Toss: 1:30pm
First Innings: 2pm-5:30pm
Interval: 5:30pm-6pm
Second Innings: 6pm-9:30pm

Members Entry & Matchday Tickets:

The Metro Bank One Day Cup is part of the 2024 Membership and Members are required to scan cards on entry.

Supporters visiting individual matchdays can purchase discounted tickets in advance to speed up entry into the ground.

Advanced tickets are available online at £18 for Adults (£24 on the gate), £12 for Young Adults (18-25) and £6 for Juniors (U18s).

These can be purchased online via the following link or by phone (01245 254010) in person at The Cloud County Ground.

Tickets will also be available on the gates from 12:30pm and this is strictly card sales only.

Matchday Purchases:

The Essex Cricket Store Summer Sale: Fans in the ground will be able to pick up a bargain at The Essex Cricket Store popup located by The Tees River Gate. There will be rails of sale items ranging from £10 to £30 and an offer where if you buy five items, you get the cheapest free of charge. Read more…

The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchasing tickets and scorecards on the gates, plus food and drink purchases in the Doug Insole Pavilion and concourse areas.

Scorecards will be available for £1 from the main Essex Cricket Store and the pop-up store located at the Sir Alastair Cook End. Cash purchases can be made in the main Essex Cricket Store only.

Accessibility:

Accessible Parking:
Accessible car parking spaces are located at The Cloud County Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that these cannot be pre-booked before visiting to provide an equal opportunity for all supporters.

Accessible Seating:
Accessible seating can be found in the Graham Gooch End (formerly Hayes Close End) of the ground and a wheelchair-accessible platform is located in Block One of the Tom Pearce Stand.

Carers can enter the ground on a companion ticket which is free of charge. This is upon the presentation in the Membership & Ticketing Office or on the gate with proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old.

Accessible Facilities:
New accessible toilet facilities located by Block 31 will be open for all spectators this season. Additional toilets for wheelchair users are located at the rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion and main scoreboard.

We can also accept a Blue Badge and Access card.

Accessible Toilets:
Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located behind the main scorecard (Red Area), rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion (Blue Area) and adjacent to Block 25 at County Corner (Green Area).

Ahead of Your Visit:

In the event of adverse weather conditions on the day of the match, please keep up to date with the prospects of play via the Club’s Twitter and Facebook channels.

Please note that the Prospect of Play phone line is no longer in use and all updates will be available online via the official social media channels.

Travel:

Parking:
• Spectators travelling by car will need to locate a public car park in the proximity of the ground as there is no parking available on-site at The Cloud County Ground.

• The High Chelmer multi-storey will be open throughout the duration of the match and is a short distance from the ground.

Please see here for a list of Chelmsford City Council car parks and tariffs.

• Pre-booked parking at Meteor Way is sold out, however, a limited number of spaces will be available to purchase on the day (first come, first served basis) at the price of £3. These spaces cannot be guaranteed so it’s advised to arrive early to ensure you get a space. The car park opens three hours before the start of play.

Please note: It has been reported that from 8pm, the road bridge on Waterhouse Lane will be closed, meaning those parked in Meteor Way will need to turn right on exit. Please plan accordingly.

Any enquiries in regards to road closures will need to go directly to Essex Highways. Click here to visit the Essex Highways website for more information.

Essex Members are able to pre-book parking for the remaining Vitality County Championship games for £2. It is essential to pre-book online as spaces on the day cannot be guaranteed. Book your parking space here.

The car park is open three hours before the start of play and will close 30 minutes after the end of play.

Public Transport:
• Chelmsford Bus Station is situated on Duke Street, next to Chelmsford Train Station, with connections to all over the county. Alternatively, bus numbers 13, 46 and C1 shuttles, stop on New London Road, which is approximately a two-minute walk to the Ground, via New Writtle Street.

• Chelmsford Railway Station, managed by Greater Anglia, is about a 10-minute stroll from The Cloud County Ground. Direct train services depart regularly from Chelmsford to London, Stratford, Shenfield, Romford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Chelmsford is situated on the Liverpool Street to Norwich mainline.

Ground Entry:

• Spectators are able to enter the ground via the Main Gate located on New Writtle Street or through the Tees River Gate.

• For the safety of everyone at the ground, there will be bag checks in operation and security present throughout the fixture.

• In the event of rain forecast on the day of the match, spectators can bring a small umbrella into the ground but metal spiked umbrellas are not permitted.

• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for Members upon the presentation of a valid Membership card and accessible by entering the ground through the Main Gate.

• Members are not required to pre-book a match ticket and can enter by scanning their Membership card on the gate. If you require a replacement card, please get in contact with the Membership & Ticketing Office before the fixture to arrange a replacement or this may cause delays on entry for you and other spectators.

• Entry to this fixture is included in 2024 Membership and encourage Members to arrive in plenty of time to secure your seat. All seating for Metro Bank One Day Cup games are Unallocated and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• There will be an open ground for this match allowing spectators to walk around the whole concourse area at The Cloud County Ground with access to the Club shop and other facilities.

Members will still have access to dedicated Members’ seating areas which will be located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stands. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for both Members and general public.

General Public Seating:

• Supporters who have purchased tickets can enter the ground by scanning the QR on your tickets that has been sent to you via email following your purchase. If you choose to print out your ticket, please ensure that the match details (including name and seat details) are included as per the image below. Make sure you have your match ticket available on your phone or printed out so it is easily accessible for ticket scanning on arrival. Please do not take a ‘screen grab’ of your QR code as that will not be read by the scanners.

• Ticket holders can sit in all areas of the ground for this match, except for the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper & Lower stands.

Around the Ground:

• Spectators are welcome to enter the pitch during the interval when instructed over PA or by a member of the Club’s stewarding team. Please follow the guidance to the specific areas permitted to enter and please respect the playing surface. We encourage spectators to play on the outfield but please use softballs.

• Spectators are permitted to walk around the full concourse area with better access to the Club Store and other facilities.

• Spectators are permitted to move behind the Doug Insole Pavilion but please respect the players’ area and walkway.

• A faith and reflection room is available for all spectators who wish to use this facility. It is open for the duration of the match and located within the Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.

• The Club Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open for spectators for the duration of your visit and a pop-up store will also be open by the Tees River Gate.

• If you experience any anti-social or discriminatory behaviour during your visit to The Cloud County Ground then, please contact your nearest steward. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or text ‘CROWD’ including your stand and issue to 60066.

• Free Wi-Fi is available at The Cloud County Ground for every matchday giving supporters the opportunity to access the internet and the Club’s live stream online. Simply logon to ‘EC-Public’ from your seat to access.

Food & Drink:

• At the Doug Insole Pavilion, you can enjoy a wide selection of hot and cold beverages from the bar, along with a variety of snacks for purchase.

• Anne’s Pantry will be offering a choice of home-cooked meals, cakes/snacks, and drinks from their refreshment kiosks located in the Graham Gooch End and Sir Alastair Cook End.

They will be serving a range of meals suitable for all dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free, as well as children’s portions.

• Other refreshment kiosks include bar areas located at either end of the ground in County Corner and Spinners Bar.

• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground for this fixture but please ensure all bags can be stored underneath your seat. A limit of four cans of beer/lager or one bottle of wine per person is in place for this fixture and there is strictly no glass or sharp objects permitted into the ground.

Leaving the Ground:

At the conclusion of play, we ask spectators to leave the ground in a safe and patient manner. Stewards will be on hand to help direct you safely out of the ground.

We hope you have an enjoyable visit to The Cloud County Ground and further information regarding the match, including squad announcements and a full match preview will be available on www.essexcricket.org.uk ahead of the match.

Get in touch with us by email if you have any further questions at [email protected] or via the Club’s official Twitter and Facebook channels.

Watch The Action On the Move

Our live stream will be available to watch with multi-angled ball tracking, replays and commentary courtesy of BBC Essex. Head to the Essex Cricket Matchzone to watch the action live ahead of the toss, plus view an interactive scorecard, stats and individual match clips.

Visit Matchzone

After 6 Vitality Blast and 3 Metro-Bank One Day Cup fixtures, 4 Essex players have been nominated for the July Player of the Month award.

Now, you once again have the chance to choose the one who stood out more than any other, by voting one of these four contenders as July’s wefinanceanycar.com Player of the Month at the bottom of the page.

THE CONTENDERS

1. Jamal Richards

Jamal featured in three Metro Bank One Day Cup fixtures at the end of July and has showcased numerous strong performances with both bat and ball. Richards has shone with ball in hand in particular and has ended the month as Essex’s leading wicket-taker in the competition. Against Leicestershire, he took 2 crucial wickets, dismissing both Indian star Ajinkha Rahane and all-rounder Liam Trevaskis.

2. Charlie Allison

Allison who has come through the Essex ranks, had an outstanding July with the bat shining in both T20 and List-A cricket.

After featuring for England U19’s earlier in the month against Sri-Lanka, Charlie Allison took his chance in the Essex first-team, starting with a mammoth 121 run partnership with Michael Pepper down in Hove to see Essex home in what was a must win clash for the Eagles. In the last four innings of the month, Charlie continued his fine form scoring over 200 runs, averaging over 50.

3. Luc Benkenstein

Following the announcement of Luc being rewarded with the captaincy of the England U19 national side, Benkenstein showcased his talent on the county circuit with both his leg-spin bowling and his attacking intent with the bat.

Picking up wickets in T20 games throughout July, ‘Benki’ showed control and multiple variations to dismiss high level batters. Slotting into the Essex middle-order, Essex fans were blown-away by his aggressive nature with the bat, averaging just under 36.

4. Michael Pepper

In what will go down as one of the greatest T20 innings in Essex history, Michael Pepper cemented his name as the leading run-scorer for Essex in the 2024 Vitality Blast. Hitting 9 sixes and scoring 120 runs off just 53 balls, Pepper saw Essex home chasing 210 against Sussex Sharks, coming out to bat with the score only on 2-1.

Vote for your wefinanceanycar.com Player of the Month for July

Essex v Warwickshire

Metro Bank One Day Cup

The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford

Wednesday 24 July, 11:00am

Team News

Essex: Nick Browne, Tom Westley*, Feroze Khushi, Robin Das, Charlie Allison, Luc Benkenstein, Noah Thain, Jamal Richards, Ben Allison, Aaron Beard, Simon Fernandes+.

Warwickshire: Rob Yates, Ed Barnard*, Will Rhodes, Hamza Shaikh, Michael Burgess+, Chris Benjamin, Theo Wylie, Jake Lintott, Michael Booth, Craig Miles, Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

Match Details

Umpires: Neil Bainton & James Tredwell
Match Referee: Peter Such
Scorers: Paul Parkinson & Mel Smith
Toss: Warwickshire won the toss and elected to bowl first
Result: Warwickshire won by seven wickets

Scorecard: View here

Match Highlights

Match Reaction: Nick Browne

Match Report

Ed Barnard hit a masterful 173 not out as Essex fell to an opening day seven-wicket Metro Bank One Day Cup loss to Warwickshire at The Cloud County Ground.

Barnard hammered his runs off 140 balls and found valuable support in wicketkeeper Michael Burgess’ unbeaten 59 from 42 as the visitors, chasing 328, condemned the Eagles to defeat.

Charlie Allison and Nick Browne had both struck half-centuries, with the latter’s 75 the top score of the Essex 324-7, while the 19-year-old former once again displayed prodigious timing to hit a 72-ball 69.

However, Barnard’s mammoth knock underpinned the chase and saw Warwickshire home with 2.2 overs to spare.

An opening partnership of 51 between Browne and Feroze Khushi, brought up in just 52 balls, had thoroughly belied the fact that Essex had been put in to bat after the Bears had won the toss.

With the match just 1.1 overs old, Browne hit a gloriously straight driven four off Oliver Hannon-Dalby, before Khushi, in the two balls before being bowled for 22, pummelled Ed Barnard for four and six.

Khushi was deeply unlucky to become the victim of an inswinging jaffa from Barnard, but Tom Westley replaced him with aplomb, as he took the score to 64-1 after ten overs with three fours in a row.

That was as far as it got for Westley though, as Barnard struck again to have him lbw for 15, though the better news was that the rate kept motoring along at close to a run a ball.

At a rate of knots, Browne and Robin Das added 71 for the third wicket, rotating the strike efficiently and benefitting from some wayward lines from the Bears bowlers to post a 50 stand in 65 balls.

That partnership included Browne’s individual 50, brought up from 60 deliveries via a single off Michael Booth, though it was ended five overs later when Will Rhodes bowled Das for 35.

Shepherded by the experienced Browne, though, the churn of young talent continued, as Allison was one half of another half-century partnership that took the Eagles to the brink of 200.

Browne pulled Craig Miles to Hamza Shaikh to end his 90-ball stay with the total one shy of that mark, but some stylish hitting from Luc Benkenstein, who hammered 44 off 27, saw the hosts breeze past it.

The England Under-19 duo of Benkenstein, who hit two sixes, and Allison, who became the second half-centurion of the innings in just 58 balls when he jogged a single off Jake Lintott, added 50 in ten overs.

Hannon-Dalby ensured Warwickshire fought back somewhat in the latter stages as he saw Allison caught by Lintott in between having Benkenstein caught behind and Noah Thain held by Rob Yates.

Those three wickets left the hosts 288-7 with 20 balls remaining, but Allison’s elder brother Ben hammered the nine of them he faced for 22 runs in an exhibition of hitting at the death.

In conjunction with Jamal Richards, who made an unbeaten 14 off 12, Allison hit four of those nine deliveries to the boundary to haul Essex to 324-7.

In response, Barnard and Yates subjected the Eagles to similar treatment that they had earlier dished out with an opening stand of 97, before Westley scored the breakthrough in trapping Yates lbw for 42.

However, a century stand between Will Rhodes, who made 41, and the evergreen Barnard broke the back of the chase, carrying the Bears past 200 with 16.3 overs still to go.

Within that was contained Barnard’s century, which he posted in 89 balls via turning Westley’s spin into the leg side.

The young Eagles attack did hit back twice in quick succession as Richards saw Rhodes caught behind by Simon Fernandes, before Benkenstein had Hamza Shaikh held by Robin Das for a four-ball duck.

That was, though, to be the last ounce of joy for the hosts from the game, as Barnard passed 150, bringing the milestone up in 120 balls via an almighty straight six, as the Bears cantered to the target.

Victory, which was ultimately inevitable for most of the innings, was eventually secured in the 48th over, shortly after Burgess, playing the supporting role, had smashed a 34-ball half-century.

School’s out, cricket’s in: 50-over cricket in Chelmsford this summer

White-ball action at The Cloud County Ground continues into July and August as the Metro Bank One-Day Cup gets underway.

The competition has not only recently proven itself to be wide open and highly competitive, but also a breeding ground for the next generation of elite cricketers.

With all matches set to take place during the school summer holidays, each fixture makes a perfect family day out in the heart of Chelmsford.

Wednesday 31 July, 11:00am: Essex v Leicestershire Foxes – buy here
Sunday 04 August, 11:00am: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here
Friday 09 August, 2:00pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Alongside the offering of men’s Metro Bank One Day Cup action, The Cloud County Ground will also host two Women’s London Championship matches during the summer holidays.

Friday 26 July, 11:00am: Essex Women v Kent – buy here
Wednesday 14 August, 11:00am: Essex Women v Sussex – buy here

Young leg-spinning all-rounder Luc Benkenstein has committed his future to Essex after signing a contract extension until the end of the 2027 season.

Benkenstein, who still does not turn 20 until November, has extended a stay at The Cloud County Ground which began with his debut against Durham in 2021.

He has taken 11 List A wickets at 17.90 apiece since, and this year has broken into the Eagles’ T20 side too, making 11 appearances and scoring his maiden half-century in the format against Hampshire Hawks.

Towards the end of last season, Benkenstein earned international honours with selection for England Under-19s, eventually earning a place in the Three Lions’ squad for the Under-19 World Cup in January.

He has scored 342 Youth ODI runs for his country, with two half-centuries and a top score of 102, while his leg-breaks have brought him ten international wickets at an average of 28.90.

“I’m delighted to extend my contract here,” said Benkenstein. “It’s been a fantastic experience so far, and I’ve loved being able to show everyone what I can do while developing my skills at the same time.

“Earning a spot in the T20 side was particularly special recently, and I’ve always looked to repay the faith shown in me with the performances I know I’m capable of.

“Now, my focus is on keeping going to ensure I can become the best cricketer I can, and I’m confident in saying this is the right place for me to do that!”

Essex Director of Cricket, Anthony McGrath, added: “It’s very pleasing to be able to extend Luc’s stay here. He’s an extremely promising young cricketer with a strong skill-set.

“His performances in the 1st XI have more than merited this extension, and as a coaching group, we’re excited to keep working with him to mould him into an even better player than he is already.”

School’s out, cricket’s in: 50-over cricket in Chelmsford this summer

The competition has not only recently proven itself to be wide open and highly competitive, but also a breeding ground for the next generation of elite cricketers.

With all four matches set to take place during the school summer holidays, each fixture makes a perfect family day out in the heart of Chelmsford.

Wednesday 24 July, 11:00am: Essex v Warwickshire – buy here
Wednesday 31 July, 11:00am: Essex v Leicestershire Foxes – buy here
Sunday 04 August, 11:00am: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here
Friday 09 August, 2:00pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Friday 26 July, 11:00am: Essex Women v Kent – buy here
Wednesday 14 August, 11:00am: Essex Women v Sussex – buy here

As the school holidays approach, the return of 50-over cricket to The Cloud County Ground at the height of summer inches closer.

Essex have been placed in Group B of this season’s Metro Bank One Day Cup, with a testing line-up that includes three of last season’s four semi-finalists lying in wait.

Read on for a team-by-team preview of each of the Group B contenders.

Essex

Captain: Tom Westley
2023 finish: 9th in group
2023 leading run-scorer: Beau Webster (260)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Beau Webster (14)
Domestic List A titles: 13 (most recent in 2008)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Matt Critchley, Michael Pepper, Adam Rossington (London Spirit), Paul Walter (Manchester Originals), Jordan Cox (Oval Invincibles), Sam Cook (Trent Rockets)

The big question: Can Essex improve upon last year’s showing? The 2023 edition of this tournament was a chastising time for the Eagles, winning just one game on the way to a ninth-place group stage finish. Anthony McGrath’s side will be determined to give a better account of themselves this time around.

Key players: The absence of Beau Webster, who was the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker last time, is an opportunity for someone to step up. Young trio Charlie Allison, Noah Thain, and Luc Benkenstein are all a year older, cover many bases, and now have England Under-19 World Cup experience too.

Glamorgan

Captain: Kiran Carlson
2023 finish: 4th in group
2023 leading run-scorer: Eddie Byrom (352)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Ben Kellaway (13)
Domestic List A titles: 4 (most recent in 2021)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Chris Cooke, Mason Crane (Welsh Fire)

The big question: Can Glamorgan get over the line and into the knockout stages? A strong finish to the 2023 group stage that included three wins from their last four was not enough for the Welsh outfit to overcome a poor start of just one victory in their first four, and they fell just short of the quarter-finals.

Key players: The 2021 champions will have to make the most of being one of the counties less affected by The Hundred, as Welsh Fire take just two of their players. Eddie Byrom enjoyed a prolific season last year, scoring 352 runs at an average of 50.28, while off-spinner Ben Kellaway took 13 wickets at 22.92 apiece.

Gloucestershire

Captain: James Bracey
2023 finish: Semi-finalists
2023 leading run-scorer: Ollie Price (575)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Paul van Meekeren (17)
Domestic List A titles: 10 (most recent in 2015)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Marchant de Lange (Oval Invincibles), David Payne (Welsh Fire), Matt Taylor (London Spirit)

The big question: Could Gloucestershire be genuine contenders to win the competition? The West Country side fell at the penultimate hurdle last season, suffering a six-wicket loss to eventual champions Leicestershire. They will only lose three players to The Hundred, and could realistically hope to improve on last year.

Key players: In Ollie Price, Gloucestershire possess last season’s third-highest run-scorer in the entire competition, and their entire batting stocks are unaffected by The Hundred. There is much hope that Price, as well as wicketkeeper-batter James Bracey, could again enjoy prolific seasons.

Leicestershire Foxes

Captain: Lewis Hill
2023 finish: Winners
2023 leading run-scorer: Peter Handscomb (401)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Chris Wright (18)
Domestic List A titles: 6 (most recent in 2023)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Rishi Patel, Louis Kimber (Birmingham Phoenix), Josh Hull (Manchester Originals), Rehan Ahmed (Southern Brave)

The big question: How likely are Leicestershire to defend their 2023 title? The man who was key to last year’s triumph, breakout fast bowler Josh Hull, has been called up to Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. Someone will have to step up with the ball if Leicestershire are to have a chance of mounting a strong defence.

Key players: Veteran seamer Chris Wright feels the most likely to fill the gap left by Hull, but off-field issues have left him short of match practice. With the bat, Wiaan Mulder is back after an impressive 2023, while the Foxes’ other overseas man, Australian Peter Handscomb, will aim to build on his 401 runs at 57.28.

Notts Outlaws

Captain: Haseeb Hameed
2023 finish: 5th in group
2023 leading run-scorer: Matthew Montgomery (286)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Brett Hutton/Dane Paterson (both 11)
Domestic List A titles: 5 (most recent in 2017)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Ben Duckett (Birmingham Phoenix), Olly Stone (London Spirit), Dillon Pennington (Northern Superchargers), Alex Hales, Calvin Harrison (Trent Rockets), Joe Clarke (Welsh Fire)

The big question: Will the prospect of a home final spur on Notts? The Outlaws are the only county that know they will have home advantage should they reach the showpiece. If they can tidy up the poor finish to the group stage that affected them last year, the East Midlands outfit should be in with a shout.

Key players: Matt Montgomery had a fine individual 2023, scoring 286 runs, and remains a quality player, having deputised for England’s Ben Duckett in a full-strength Nottinghamshire team on several occasions in recent years. Young all-rounder Lyndon James is also still highly regarded at Trent Bridge.

Surrey

Captain: Rory Burns
2023 finish: 8th in group
2023 leading run-scorer: Ryan Patel (330)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Cameron Steel (10)
Domestic List A titles: 7 (most recent in 2011)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Jamie Smith (Birmingham Phoenix), Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Dan Worrall (London Spirit), Jamie Overton (Manchester Originals), Jordan Clark, Tom Lawes, Jason Roy, Reece Topley (Northern Superchargers), Gus Atkinson, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Will Jacks (Oval Invincibles), Laurie Evans, Chris Jordan (Southern Brave)

The big question: How do Surrey overcome the loss of so many players? The South London side will lose a staggering 15 players to The Hundred, severely testing their depth. They struggled to adapt to a similarly-huge personnel change in 2023, finishing eighth, so the challenge will be to make the transition smoother.

Key players: Even in losing an entire starting XI and more, Surrey can still select former England Test players Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, and Ben Foakes. If those three set an example to what is likely to be a young group, and Cameron Steel carries on his Championship bowling form, the Brown Caps might just be OK.

Sussex Sharks

Captain: Tom Haines
2023 finish: 9th in group
2023 leading run-scorer: Cheteshwar Pujara (384)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Jack Carson (12)
Domestic List A titles: 8 (most recent in 2009)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Jofra Archer, James Coles, Tymal Mills (Southern Brave), Tom Alsop, Ollie Robinson (Trent Rockets)

The big question: What can Sussex do to improve? The Sharks suffered a dreadful campaign last year, losing seven of eight matches. However, their T20 fortunes have turned around in style this season after a couple of indifferent campaigns, and now their challenge will be to do the same in the 50-over format.

Key players: The form of Sussex’s batters in the aforementioned Blast, with Harrison Ward and captain John Simpson seeing the ball especially well in the shortest format, should give reason to hope. Last season’s leading wicket-taker Jack Carson will also hope to improve upon his 12 wickets in 2023.

Warwickshire

Captain: Ed Barnard
2023 finish: Semi-finalists
2023 leading run-scorer: Ed Barnard (616)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Oliver Hannon-Dalby (24)
Domestic List A titles: 12 (most recent in 2016)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Moeen Ali, Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley, Chris Woakes (Birmingham Phoenix), Richard Gleeson (London Spirit), Danny Briggs, Alex Davies, George Garton (Southern Brave), Sam Hain (Trent Rockets)

The big question: Might Warwickshire’s big names put them in trophy contention? In Ed Barnard, the Bears possess arguably the premier all-round talent not poached by The Hundred, and his status as last year’s competition leading run-scorer backs that up. The West Midlands outfit should be firmly in the mix.

Key players: Not only do Warwickshire have Barnard, but they also have the 2023 leading wicket-taker too in Olly Hannon-Dalby, who took 24 scalps. The issue last year was finding anyone who could back that duo up, but the likes of Will Rhodes, Rob Yates, and spinner Jake Lintott have the talent to impress this year.

Yorkshire Vikings

Captain: Shan Masood
2023 finish: 6th in group
2023 leading run-scorer: Shan Masood (217)
2023 leading wicket-taker: Matthew Revis (10)
Domestic List A titles: 5 (most recent in 2002)
Absentees due to The Hundred: Harry Brook, Adil Rashid (Northern Superchargers), Dawid Malan (Oval Invincibles), Adam Lyth, Joe Root, Jordan Thompson (Trent Rockets), Jonny Bairstow (Welsh Fire)

The big question: Can Yorkshire improve their consistency? Three successive heavy defeats to end the 2023 season derailed any hopes of making the knockout stages. The White Rose will hope to finish more strongly as they bid for a first trophy of any sort in almost a decade.

Key players: Captain Shan Masood is the sort of elder statesman who could reasonably be expected to profit in this competition’s current format, as he did last season. Wicketkeeper Harry Duke, formerly of Essex earlier this year, also maintains a very healthy List A average, while Matt Revis took 10 wickets last year.

School’s out, cricket’s in: 50-over cricket in Chelmsford this summer

White-ball action at The Cloud County Ground continues into July and August as the Metro Bank One-Day Cup gets underway.

The competition has not only recently proven itself to be wide open and highly competitive, but also a breeding ground for the next generation of elite cricketers.

With all four matches set to take place during the school summer holidays, each fixture makes a perfect family day out in the heart of Chelmsford.

Wednesday 24 July, 11:00am: Essex v Warwickshire – buy here
Wednesday 31 July, 11:00am: Essex v Leicestershire Foxes – buy here
Sunday 04 August, 11:00am: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here
Friday 09 August, 2:00pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here

Alongside the offering of men’s Metro Bank One Day Cup action, The Cloud County Ground will also host two Women’s London Championship matches during the summer holidays.

Friday 26 July, 11:00am: Essex Women v Kent – buy here
Wednesday 14 August, 11:00am: Essex Women v Sussex – buy here