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It’s been far from a familiar pre-season for the Essex squad so far in 2020. With the opening game of the season against Yorkshire originally scheduled to take place later this month, plans are now up in the year following the COVID-19 outbreak and isolation measures across the UK.

With the assistance of modern technology, Anthony McGrath spoke this week to Essex Cricket TV to update Members of supporters and look back on the past few weeks following the squad’s premature return from Abu Dhabi.

You can watch our full collection of online video content via the Essex Cricket TV YouTube account.

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It’s been the biggest privilege to captain this Club for the last four years and now is the right time for someone new to take charge.

I’ve had unquestionable support from all the people behind the scenes who make the Club work, and would like to specifically mention the members of the Cricket Advisory Group.

I’d like to thank all our Members and supporters in general who have followed the team over the last four years. I hope we’ve provided much entertainment and that you’ve shared in our pride of representing the Club.

I feel very lucky to have worked with Anthony McGrath and his staff and would also like to mention Chris Silverwood for all the help at the start of my tenure.

Lastly, I would like to pay tribute to an incredible bunch of players who have given everything to the team over the last four years and to whom I will always be indebted for allowing me to live out my cricket dream, thank you.

I can’t wait to join the troops, focus on my batting, and to give the new captain all of my support in continuing to try to get the best out of our great Club.

Best wishes,

Tendo.

Over the Christmas and New Year period, fans and supporters of Essex Cricket had the chance to vote for their red-ball Team of the Decade.

With the results and players now confirmed, we take a closer look at the Essex XI…

Alastair Cook:

One of the greatest batsmen of all time. Chef scored 14,700 first-class runs this decade and was an easy pick into the Team of the Decade, gathering 91% of the votes.

Nick Browne:

Browne made his first-class debut for Essex in 2013 and has opened the batting ever since. The 28-year-old has amassed 5,516 first-class runs at an average of 40.26 and played a vital role in Essex getting promoted from Division Two and winning two Championships.

Tom Westley:

Westley was ever-present in the Essex red-ball team this decade and scored 8,969 first-class runs in the process. His form was rewarded with an England Test call-up in 2017, and he made his debut at The Oval, scoring 25 runs in the first innings and 59 in the second as England beat South Africa by 239 runs. Like Browne, he’s played an important role in Essex’s recent success.

Dan Lawrence:

Lawrence burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced 17-year-old in 2015, scoring 161 against Surrey at The Oval. His rise in red-ball cricket has coincided with Essex’s success and he’s already won promotion from Division Two and two Championship titles at just 22. In his short career so far, he’s already scored 3,567 first-class runs and is surely a future England player.

Ravi Bopara:

An Essex legend. Bopara made his first-class debut for the Club back in 2002 and has seen it all. He scored 7,079 first-class runs this decade and like so many players voted into this team, he played an influential role as Essex rose to the top of red-ball cricket.

Ryan ten Doeschate (C):

ten Doeschate is the longest-serving player in the current team having made his first-class debut for the Club back in 2003. Over the years he’s risen the ranks and was made Club Captain in 2016. Under his guidance, Essex have gained promotion from Division Two and won two Championships, with ten Doeschate chipping in with plenty of runs. He scored 6,393 first-class runs in the last decade and is voted into this side as captain.

James Foster (WK):

After making his first-class debut for the Club back in 2000 against Glamorgan, Foster retired from cricket at the end of the 2018 season, having only ever represented Essex and England. Over the decade he scored 6,419 first-class runs and took 404 catches, and like so many of this XI, he was crucial to Essex’s rise in four-day cricket.

Simon Harmer:

Despite only joining the Club in 2017, Harmer is already regarded as one of the best spinners Essex has ever had. He’s taken 217 first-class wickets at an average of 20.20 over his three seasons in Chelmsford and has won numerous personal awards with Essex winning two Championship titles.

Graham Napier:

A fan favourite at Chelmsford, Napier made his Essex debut back in 1997 against Cambridge University and after 20 seasons representing the Club, he retired in 2016 after helping the Club gain promotion from Division Two. He took 69 wickets in his final season, and over the decade he took 248 first-class wickets and scored 2,456 runs.

David Masters:

Masters joined the Club in 2008 after spells with Kent and Leicestershire and was an instant hit with the crowd at Chelmsford. He played up until 2016, and over his nine seasons he took 349 first-class wickets for the Club. His retirement coincided with Napier’s, with both bowing out with promotion to Division One.

Jamie Porter:

Porter made his first-class debut for the Club against Kent in 2014, and has been ever-present in the Essex red-ball team since. His breakthrough came in 2015, as he took 56 first-class wickets in his first full Essex season. His total of 310 first-class wickets at an average of 24.04 means he has been a vital cog in Essex’s Division Two and Championship triumphs.

Sir Alastair? Tendo? Fozzy? Ravi? Hoddy?

During the festive period and into the New Year we will be finding out who makes it into your Essex Team of the Decade, with voting beginning on Christmas Day.

Each day will have an opportunity to choose one player for each of the 11 positions available with the final team announced on January 5. You can cast your vote on essexcricket.org.uk with additional statistics and content available via the Club’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels to help you with your choices.

Make sure you follow us for additional competitions around Christmas with a chance to win some amazing Essex prizes including a signed Alastair Cook shirt!

Essex County Cricket Club are delighted to announce that Australian international leg-spinner, Adam Zampa, will return to the Club for the 2020 Vitality Blast campaign.

The 27-year-old will be available for the entire group stages and any potential knockout games, subject to selection by Cricket Australia.

The Australian took 12 wickets for the Eagles during the 2019 Blast campaign, as Simon Harmer’s side captured their first T20 title.

Zampa is excited about returning to The Cloudfm County Ground and said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to Chelmsford and playing in front of that great crowd again.

“I’ve played there for the last two years now and Essex is a great Club to play for. I get on really well with all the lads in the changing room and I feel at home there.

“Last year was amazing. We didn’t start too well but once we got on a roll we were unstoppable. Not many people would have had us down to win it, but we knew what we were capable of, and hopefully we can repeat that in 2020.”

Head Coach Anthony McGrath is thrilled to see Zampa return and said: “We all know just how talented Adam is as we’ve seen it the last two summers. He’s one of the best leg-spinners around at the moment.

“He’s been excellent for us the last couple of seasons and he’s a great guy to have around the dressing room, so I’m delighted he’s going to be back with us.”

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

MCC recently completed its first “Legacy Tour” of Nepal, which included taking a strong squad to compete in both red and white-ball cricket in the country.

As well as the matches played on the tour, the Club’s charitable arm – the MCC Foundation – launched an eight-month project in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city designed to develop cricket in the country.

In collaboration with UK charity Kidasha, the Foundation will lay nets, upskill local coaches and teachers, provide kit and cricket training, and establish a new schools league for both girls and boys in the city.

Tom Westley joined the 13-man MCC squad and was joined by former Eagles Billy Godleman, Will Rhodes and Chris Wright. The tour included six matches with two 50-over matches, a three-day first-class match, and three T20 games.

Nepal has seen a huge growth in the sport, especially following their ODI and International status, and the rise of players such as Sandeep Lamichhane to the biggest T20 competitions around the world.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) will embark on its first “Legacy Tour” later this week when the Club will take a strong squad to Nepal.

As announced in the summer of 2018, MCC has introduced into its overseas touring programme a series of Legacy Tours, aimed at leaving a sustainable and meaningful impact in developing cricket nations.

The first of these is Nepal, with the Club committing to touring Nepal for three years from 2019 to 2021 inclusive. The MCC Foundation will support MCC in this objective, by funding programmes off the pitch which includes laying nets in five government schools, upskilling local coaches and teachers, and broadening access to the game for Nepali boys and girls.

A strong 13-man squad will be departing London for Nepal on 1st November, and will play six matches in the two-week trip including a three-day match against the Nepal national side, which has been granted first-class status.

Former Hampshire batsman Jimmy Adams is the MCC captain for the tour. Adams enjoyed a sixteen-year career with Hampshire and is currently second eleven coach at the Ageas Bowl.

Yasir Arafat, who represented Pakistan in all three formats of the game, is included in the squad. The seamer also enjoyed stints at no less than five counties and is still one of the world’s leading T20 wicket-takers.

Tom Westley, who recently helped Essex to their second Specsavers County Championship title in three seasons, will bring further international experience to MCC having played five Test Matches for England in 2017, whilst Derbyshire skipper Billy Godleman, who enjoyed an impressive 2019 season making over 1,000 Championship runs, is also included.

The Club’s charitable arm – the MCC Foundation – will focus on developing the game at the grassroots. The Foundation will work with UK charity Kidasha, who aim to improve the life chances of some of Pokhara’s most vulnerable children, particularly in slum communities. The Foundation will lay nets in five government schools, upskill local coaches and teachers, provide kit and cricket training, and establish a new schools league for both girls and boys in the city.

The MCC tourists, led by Gloucestershire second eleven coach and former MCC Young Cricketer Owen Dawkins, will run coaching sessions in one of the five schools – Shree Barahi Higher Secondary School – on Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th November.

John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said: “MCC has strong cricketing links with Nepal, having hosted them at Lord’s twice in recent years and toured to the country in both 2009 and 2015. This upcoming tour begins part of the new Legacy Tour agreement, with the MCC Foundation supporting this major project which further reiterates MCC’s global influence on the game.

“We have selected a strong squad with both international and domestic experience who will provide tough opposition for Nepal’s talented players. They will also be fine ambassadors for MCC and prove valuable assets to the Club when coaching youngsters on the tour.”

Abi Carter, Director of the MCC Foundation, said: “This is the Foundation’s first major overseas project, and we are aiming not just to provide opportunities for both boys and girls to learn and play the game, but also to use cricket for broader good, like breaking down perceptions around gender roles, and building young people’s confidence and aspirations.

“This should be a great example of MCC and the Foundation working hand in hand to develop all levels of the game in Nepal. MCC tourists will kick the project off in November, MCC and Foundation coaches will run “coach the coaches” courses in December, and our funds will go towards facilities, kit and training sessions until June next year. We are delighted to be working with Kidasha, who already do incredible work with some of the most vulnerable young people in Pokhara, to bring the benefits of sport to what we hope will be over 1,000 young people.”

MCC squad to tour Nepal:

Jimmy Adams (Captain)
Yasir Arafat
Billy Godleman
Miles Hammond
Oliver Hannon-Dalby
Callum Jackson
Will Rhodes
Alex Spencer
Alex Thomson
Will Vanderspar
Ed Young
Tom Westley
Chris Wright
Richard Greatorex (Tour Manager)
Owen Dawkins (Coach)
Jeff Evans (Umpire)
Alan Jones (Scorer)

Match schedule:

Matches to be played at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kathmandu:

Sunday 3rd November: v Nepal Under-19s (50 overs)
Monday 4th November: v Nepal (50 overs)
Wednesday 6th – Friday 8th November: v Nepal (first-class three-day match)
Saturday 9th November: v Mixed National Side/Under-19s (T20)

Matches to be played at the Pokhara Rangasala Cricket Ground, Pokhara:

Monday 11th November: v Pokhara Invitational XI (T20)
Tuesday 12th November: v Chief Minister’s XI (T20)

The draft for the new Hundred competition took place last night and three Essex players got picked up in the process.

Dan Lawrence was picked by London Spirit before the draft as one of the teams Icon players and will link up with Shane Warne and former Essex Assistant Head Coach Dimi Mascarenhas at Lord’s.

Simon Harmer was the next to get selected. He was a fourth-round pick (£60k) for Welsh Fire and will be joined in Cardiff by Essex Club Captain Ryan ten Doeschate, who also got chosen by Welsh Fire as a fifth-round pick (£50k).

A few of the Essex Eagles’ recent Overseas stars were also picked up last night. Mohammad Amir, a favourite with the crowd at Chelmsford, was picked by London Spirit as a second-round pick (£100k) and will link up with Dan Lawrence in the capital.

Destructive batsman Cameron Delport was a fifth-round pick (£50k) by Birmingham Phoenix and he will be joined at Edgbaston by Australian spinner Adam Zampa, who was selected in the sixth round (£40K).