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Essex Eagles v Surrey Lions
Yorkshire Bank 40
Monday 3 June 2013
The Cloudfm County Ground, Chelmsford

This latest Essex Archives match is supported by Woodland Group.

Essex Team: Tom Westley, Hamish Rutherford, Mark Pettini, Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, Ryan ten Doeschate, James Foster (c & wk), Graham Napier, Tim Phillips, David Masters, Reece Topley

Surrey Team: Steven Davies (wk), Jason Roy, Vikram Solanki (c), Ricky Ponting, Gary Wilson, Azhar Mahmood, Zander de Bruyn, Tom Jewell, Jon Lewis, Stuart Meaker, Gary Keedy

Toss: Surrey Lions won the toss and elected to bowl

Umpires: Mark Benson, Steve Garratt & Paul Pollard

Result: Essex Eagles won by 178 runs

Match Reaction: Graham Napier reflects on his remarkable Player of the Match performance with the ball

Match Highlights:

Match Report:

Essex 312-7 (40 overs)
Surrey 134 all out (29.4 overs)

Graham Napier bowled Essex to a second success in 24 hours as they followed up the comprehensive victory over Scotland with the demolition of Surrey, who were dismissed for just 134 in pursuit of their opponents’ commanding 312 for 7.

Napier was in sensational form with the ball, at times as he returned figures of 7 for 32 that included four wickets in four balls having earlier dismissed international star Ricky Ponting.

Needing to launch their reply with tempo and substance, the Surrey innings floundered with the loss of their first four wickets in 13 overs for 49 runs including Jason Roy and Ponting who became the first of Napier’s septet of victims.

Australian Test captain Ponting had scored just 2 runs when he was beaten outside his off stump by Napier but there was no such good fortune for the batsman when he pushed forward to the bowler’s next delivery and lost his middle stump, leaving Napier jubilantly celebrating his prized scalp.

The 33-year-old Essex all-rounder was virtually unplayable as he continued his demolition job by bowling Azhar Mahmood and Jon Lewis and trapping Zander de Bruyn and Tom Jewell in the crease with full-pitched deliveries.

That left the Surrey innings in tatters at 113 for eight.

Napier then found the edge to have Stuart Meaker caught in his next over to finish with the remarkable figures of 8-2-32-7, the second best limited-overs haul by an Essex bowler.

Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara had led the scoring for the home side, with Shah playing a superb innings of 68 from 53 balls including three sixes and four other boundaries.

Bopara scored 54 from 58 balls, with five boundaries including a six in an innings containing wristy stroke play and trademark drives on either side of the wicket until he was caught at deep mid-wicket.

Shah and Bopara posted 55 in nine overs for the fourth wicket to initiate the rapid acceleration of the innings.

England all-rounder Bopara was a surprise inclusion for the home side having been given permission to play by the ECB ahead of the Champions Trophy which starts later in the week and he responded.

His demise allowed Shah to take over and the former England batsman combined elegant and conventional stroke play with aggressive punishing shots as he dominated the visitors’ bowling.

He set the tone for his side who added 191 runs from the final 20 overs, with Shah at the crease for 15 of those.

There were briskly struck contributions at the top of the order from Tom Westley and Mark Pettini, who scored 34 and 43 respectively, before James Foster added 39 from 18 deliveries at the conclusion of the innings.

Speaking after the match, Essex hero of the hour Napier said:

“To have a hat-trick, Ricky Ponting, seven wickets, career-best figures all in one go, I am ecstatic about it all.

“Four in four is a first for me in any form of cricket.

“The ball had been roughed up on the wicket, it was a very dry wicket and it enabled it to reverse swing at that stage in the game.

“I was only ever doing one thing, going full and straight, and that’s what I do.

“He [Ponting] is one I have dreamed about for a very long time. Just to get the chance to bowl to him was great and to knock his middle stump out of the ground, you can’t ask for much more.”

Following a week of voting, the DeVines Magic Moment for April has been decided!

First up for April was the ‘Best Catch’ of the season, with 8 contenders. The winner with 33% of votes was Ryan ten Doeschate’s catch against Hampshire, thanks to some unbelievable football skills from Adam Wheater to keep the chance alive.

You can watch back the 8 catches plus a chance to hear some insight from Anthony McGrath into the game and what each catch meant to the outcome of the match.

Special thanks to DeVines for their continued support as long-term partners of the Club.

Our next DeVines Magic Moment poll will take place at the end of the month so keep an eye on our website and social media channels.

The Cult Heroes series continues with another player who was idolised by the county’s fans, and represented Australia. He joined the Club as an overseas player before having stints at Lancashire (2002-08) and Derbyshire (2009). Our latest piece profiles the Essex career of Stuart Law…

This series is supported by Allen Ford and we thank them for their continued support.

Essex Career Stats (1996-2001)
Debut: 26 April 1996 v Glamorgan (Benson & Hedges Cup)
Appearances: 213
Runs: 12,587
First Class Average: 58.88
Highest Score: 263 – 1999 v Somerset
Centuries: 41
Fifties: 51
Wickets: 61

Born in October 1968 in Herston, Queensland, Stuart Law was a prolific right-hander and a veritable run-machine in his time at Chelmsford having joined Essex in 1996.

In 92 first-class matches for the county, he scored 8,538 runs with an average of 58.88, and often carrying the batting. He played 121 List A matches and totalled 4,049 runs at 36.15.

The wonderfully consistent batsman finished his time at Essex with 30 first-class hundreds and 26 half-centuries to his name. He was also a fearless and excellent close to the wicket fielder, who could produce useful medium-pace/leg-spin bowling on occasions.

Recalling his time with Essex, he admitted that he has special memories of those years.

“I look back fondly at my time with the Club and I’ve still got some really close friends there, great friends at Essex,” he said.

“I remember the Essex faithful so well and I like to think that I repaid them in some small way for the support they gave me.

“I do hold all that time I had with the Club dearly and without that experience, I probably wouldn’t have become a better player. They gave me an opportunity and I remain ever grateful for that.

“I learned a lot about batting from guys like Graham Gooch Paul Prichard taught me a lot about the county cricket system and how tiring it is and how hard it can be. Gooch taught me how to play spin and I would be standing at second slip asking him question after question.

“As far as outstanding memories of matches, I remember the cup finals we played at Lord’s and the fans coming out in droves to support us. Throughout my time at Essex, I just wanted them to be entertained and for them to be able to walk away at the end of the day thinking that they had seen a good day’s cricket. I scored the runs I did, and I enjoyed myself both on and off the field, but I think that part of my release was to stay relaxed.

“If I wasn’t relaxed, I was never going to do any good.

“So yes, I look back fondly at my time with the Club. Every time I go back there, I’ve got a smile on my face and the memories come flooding back whenever I drive down the A414.”

It was suggested that the parting of the ways between Essex and Law at the end of the 2001 season came about in somewhat acrimonious circumstances but he commented: “People have talked about how my time at Essex ended but that was only a small part of it and it didn’t affect me as much as it affected others. Contrary to what people may say, I didn’t upset too many people.

“I went out and played cricket as hard as I possibly could and wore my heart on my sleeve. But then again, if I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have been true to myself.

“The one thing that did disappoint me was that was I didn’t play in a Championship winning team because winning Division One would have been the icing on the cake. Essex did get promotion from Division Two when we finished runners-up in 2000 but in my eyes, that only made us the 11th best team in the country, that was the reality.

“But there are a lot of really good memories. I look back really at the time we played Lancashire at Old Trafford in 2001. I got two hundreds in the Championship match, the same time as Muttiah Muralitharan took 10 wickets in the game for them, and then I followed it up with a century in the one-day match.”

It’s worthwhile just recalling those particular innings. In the County Championship fixture, he scored 116 out of 226 and then 123 out of 257 before posting another century (108 in a total of 217) in a National League match that followed a day later.

“Those innings are right up there in my special memories,” he acknowledged. “There are plenty of others, such as the innings against Somerset at Chelmsford when I got my highest first-class score of 263 for example. However, the favourite is the 80 not out I scored when we beat Warwickshire by 9 wickets in the 1997 NatWest Final.

“To do that in front of a full house at Lord’s was something special and to hear the Essex faithful in full voice was just great.”

“So, yes some great times with Essex that I’ll never forget.”

Following his time at the Club, Stuart spent seven successful seasons a Lancashire where he was also named captain for the 2008 campaign.

He has now established himself as top coach with international Head Coach roles at Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies. After leaving his post with the Windies in 2019, Law was appointed Head Coach of Middlesex last year.

Here’s your chance to look back again at the 2019 season with our DeVines Magic Moments poll! Each month you will have the opportunity to vote for the best plays from the year from a host of contenders with the winner announced the following week across the Club’s social media channels and website!

First up is the best catch from the year, which have been shortlisted by Head Coach Anthony McGrath. Voting is free and there are 8 to choose from in this opening poll.

Watch the video to see the nominees plus a chance to hear from Mags with an insight into the game and what each catch meant to the outcome of the match.

Special thanks to DeVines for their continued support as long-term partners of the Club.

This week’s Cult Hero is another former Captain of the Club who will live long in the memory of supporters for years to come. He joins James Foster and Graham Gooch in our series and is a player who helped the Club to a number of trophies during his time in an Essex shirt.

The Cult Heroes series is supported by Allen Ford and this week’s profile’s the Essex career of Ronnie Irani.

Essex Career Stats (1994-2007)
First-Class Debut: 24 May 1992 v Warwickshire
Appearances: 498
Runs: 20,610
First Class Average: 43.43
Highest Score: 218 – 2006 v Glamorgan
Centuries: 36
Fifties: 117
Wickets: 572

Having spent his formative years with Lancashire, Ronnie found himself denied extended opportunities with the Red Rose County and so made his way south to join Essex in 1994.

It was a move that kick-started what was to become a wonderful career for a player who struck up an immediate love-affair with the Essex faithful. As well as his obvious talents, his committed attitude and vibrant personality made him into the whole-hearted crowd-pleaser.

His reward for his performance meant the effective all-rounder forced his way into England international recognition winning three Test caps and playing in 31 ODI’s.

He also captained his adopted county for seven years and was still at the helm when a persistent and deteriorating knee condition forced him to retire midway through the 2007 season.

A performer with both bat and ball, the serious nature of his knee problem in 2003 determined that bowling was no longer an option.

But Irani shook off that setback by honing his talents to become a highly effective specialist batsman illustrated by an average that exceeded 56 in both 2004 and 2005.

Born in Leigh in October 1971, and after nine first-class matches for Lancashire in four years, he made the journey south to kick-start what was to become a wonderful career.

A forceful batsman, particularly strong off the back foot, he could also offer stubborn defence when the situation demanded and was also an effective right-arm medium pace bowler with the ability to swing the ball away from the right-hander.

He made his Test debut in 1996 at Edgbaston but after helping to save the match with India at Lord’s in the following match, he was dropped. However, he did go on to tour with England in 1996/97 but it wasn’t until 1999 when he got his third and final Test cap.

In 2000, he was named as Essex Captain. This was a role he retained, despite often playing through the pain barrier until an injury brought down the curtain on his career.

At County level, Ronnie was a feared opponent. He enjoyed a brilliant domestic 2002 campaign when he scored more than 1,500 runs, averaging over 53, along with 69 wickets which won him a recall to the England ODI side.

Although he retained his place for the 2003 World Cup, his knee problems worsened and in a bid to extend his cricket career, although by now exclusively as a batsman, Irani flew to America and then Germany to undergo knee treatment with positive results.

In 2006, he averaged 59 in the Championship and began 2007 with 144 against Derbyshire in the opening Championship match of the season. He later went on to record his career-best innings of 218 against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in the next game. However, that was to prove his final first-class innings at the County Ground.

During a Championship game with Leicestershire in May 2007, Irani slipped and twisted his knee and was forced to seek immediate medical attention. After treatment and a final consultation with his specialist, it was revealed that the damage was more serious than initially feared and he was told that if he continued professional sport, then it would seriously affect his health and lifestyle. Ronnie acted upon the specialist’s advice and announced his retirement.

By the time his career ended, he had played 211 first-class matches for Essex, accumulating 12,944 first-class runs @ 43.43 and claimed 316 wickets @ 29.24. In 179 one-day league matches for Essex, Irani struck 4,392 runs and claimed 161 wickets.

In 2015, he took up the position of the Club’s Chairman of the Cricket Advisory Group.

Essex v Warwickshire
NatWest Trophy Final
Sunday 7 September 1997
Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

Warwickshire Team: Nick Knight, Neil Smith (c), David Hemp, Dominic Ostler, Trevor Penney, Dougie Brown, Graeme Welch, Ashley Giles, Keith Piper (wk), Allan Donald, Gladstone Small

Essex Team: Paul Prichard (c), Stuart Law, Nasser Hussain, Ronnie Irani, Darren Robinson, Paul Grayson, Danny Law, Robert Rollins (wk), Ashley Cowan, Mark Ilott, Peter Such

Toss: Essex, who elected to field

Umpires: Mervyn Kitchen, Peter Willey & John Hampshire

Result: Essex win by 9 wickets

Man of the Match: Stuart Law

Match Highlights:

Match Report:

Two comprehensive defeats by your opponents within a 10-day period leading into the Final itself is not the most encouraging way to prepare for a tilt at winning the trophy. Add to that the memory of a Final debacle in the same competition one year earlier (Essex were bowled out for 57 in reply to Lancashire’s 186) and it is easy to understand why even the most fervent Essex follower would have viewed another trip to Lord’s with some trepidation.

However, over the years when following the county, one had learned to expect the unexpected. We have all enjoyed watching the team carve out the incredible victory, many times with panache, when defeat or a draw was a far more likely outcome. Equally we have all squirmed as we watched our heroes snatch defeat from the jaws of victory often in a ludicrous manner as wicket upon wicket fell incredibly and bizarrely.

Yet again, the outcome of the NatWest Trophy Final appeared to rest heavily in favour of the side that won the toss. Paul Prichard called correctly and decided unhesitatingly to field. Essex fans and players breathed a little easier in their hopes of erasing the nightmare memory of the previous year’s Final.

What followed was a performance of total dominance from the start of play and which concluded with the record of completing victory in the shortest match on record for a final in the competition. The entire game spanned just 86.3 overs and was dominated by Essex throughout.

Whilst the importance of the “lucky call” of the toss should not be underestimated, the manner in which Essex exploited the advantage thus afforded to them was admirable.

Overcast skies hung over Lord’s as the crowd observed a minute’s silence in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, whose funeral had taken place the previous day.

From the moment that Ashley Cowan opened the bowling at the Nursery End, Warwickshire were forced on the back foot as Essex attacked. The third legitimate ball of the day – Cowan had delivered a wide with his previous effort – trapped former Essex opener Nick Knight leg before wicket and the voices of the Essex supporters roared into life.

Essex were on their way.

Cowan and his new-ball partner Mark Ilott frustratingly beat the bat time after time as batsmen produced a series of false shots and mistimed edges. There was also a plethora of shouts for leg before until Cowan found the edge of the potentially belligerent Neil Smith’s bat and Stuart Law took a regulation slip catch. With the scoreboard showing 12 for two, the opposition’s third-wicket pair attempted to entrench but it really was backs-to-the-wall stuff as the Essex bowlers found prodigious swing and seam movement off the pitch.

Cowan ended a fine opening spell with figures of 7-2-13-2, and he was replaced by Ronnie Irani who it had been thought would only play as a batsman following his recent injury. But ‘Big Ron’ steamed in, fired by his usual enthusiasm and the occasion, to maintain the good foundations laid by Cowan.

Stuart Law took over from the frugal Ilott (7- 3-7-0) to keep the tight stranglehold on the batters attempted progress. With 20 overs bowled, Warwickshire’s total was a miserly 44 for two. Irani beat the bat for the umpteenth time bringing a philosophical and rueful smile from the bowler whilst piling the pressure on the batsmen. That led to a moment of impatience and indiscretion from David Hemp that cost his wicket after he and Dominic Ostler deliberated about the merits of a quick single only for the outcome to be settled by Paul Grayson’s direct throw from short extra cover that left Hemp stranded out of his ground.

With often six fielders plus bowler and wicket-keeper often stationed within the fielding circle, Prichard’s aggressive tactics restricted the singles; boundaries were a rare commodity. The introduction of Peter Such continued to curb Warwickshire’s attacking intent as the off-spinner executed his usual features of tight line and length. There was nowhere for the Warwickshire team to run as lunch loomed and Essex struck again before the break when the obdurate Trevor Penney edged the re-introduced Cowan, to wicket-keeper Robert Rollins leaving the Midlanders to reflect on a score of 75 for four wickets from 36 overs at the interval.

Five overs into the post-lunch session, Ostler heaved a pull to deep mid-wicket where Danny Law turned what should have been a uniform catch into one of great achievement as he juggled twice with the ball before falling forward to grab it inches from the ground. Everything was going Essex’s way.
Such brought off a truly magnificent catch, diving to his right to hold a stinging return as Graeme Welsh was dismissed caught and bowled, that reduced Warwickshire to 96 for 6 whilst the bowler’s figures at this stage were 8-1-17-1.

A rare explosion of runs came in the 49th over, nine in all, and raised the pitiful run-rate. Dougie Brown and Ashley Giles combined to complete the first and only 50 partnership of the innings, by the culmination of the 55th over.

With only five overs to go, desperation and impetuosity became a feature of the batting side as they risked the unconventional in an effort to post a reasonable total. An injudicious attempt to run cost Giles his wicket when he was beaten by yards following Grayson’s throw.

Ilott returned to bowl from the Pavilion End and his first ball of a new spell induced a hook from Brown that picked out Danny Law stationed at deep extra cover. This time, the fielder made no mistake, taking the catch cleanly to leave the scoreboard showing 156 for 8.

The remaining 11 balls of the innings produced only 14 more runs, the Essex attack having exerted authority throughout limiting their opponents to 51 runs from the last 10 overs including 24 from the final five.

Although they could be justly satisfied with their efforts in the field, Essex knew that the task was not yet done. Warwickshire’s 170 for 8 was only 16 fewer than Lancashire’s score in 1996 and so Essex supporters were far from complacent.

However, any apprehension and concerns were quickly dispelled was as the Essex openers quickly executed their game plan. Not for them the steady accumulation of runs towards the victory target but rather a veritable assault on the stunned Warwickshire attack.

With the sun burning away the cloud cover, Essex wrote a totally different batting chapter to the story of this final. Prichard played the second ball of the innings tantalisingly short of Brown at slip but if Warwickshire harboured hopes of vagaries in the wicket, it was to prove a false dawn.

The Essex captain and his buddy Stuart Law put the attack to the sword as they formed a formidable opening pair. It took just 4 overs for the Australian to impose his brilliant batting skills on the game as he took four boundaries when facing Welsh. Prichard followed the Queenslander’s lead taking a couple of fours from the next over and in express time, Essex had reached 45 without loss from 5 overs.

After one further over, Essex reached the total they had posted in their nightmare final 12 months earlier. This time though, there was to be no heartbreak, only joy.

Smith rung the bowling changes frequently in an unsuccessful bid to part the rampaging Essex duo using five different bowlers inside the first 13 overs, but it brought his side now respite as Prichard and Law plundered the attack unmercifully. The Essex skipper reached his half-century via a misfield having faced just 40 deliveries summing up Warwickshire’s beleaguered state.

He finally fell to the pace of Allan Donald, lbw, having contributed 57 out of an opening partnership of 109 but that was to be Warwickshire’s one and only success as Nasser Hussain joined Law.

Together they turned the pursuit of victory challenge into a mere formality. As the sun shone brighter, Law sublimely reached his 50 from 38 balls that included seven boundaries. Essex supporters were savouring every moment and with singing and chanting ever increasing, Law fuelled their delight with more encouragement by the minute.

A wonderful cover drive from Hussain brought up the 150 in the 24th over and tea was taken with Essex on the cusp of victory at 152 for one – and they still had 35 of their allotted 60 overs remaining!

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has today agreed that no professional cricket will be played in England and Wales until at least July 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The season remains subject to ongoing advice from government and health experts, and continued consultation with all broadcast partners to determine the optimum way to fulfil fixtures both domestically and internationally.

Essex Members, Season Ticket Holders and Ticket Purchasers can find out further information about how the postponement of cricket until at least July 1 impacts them further down on this page.

The ECB Board approved the following measures:

• Professional cricket will not be played in England and Wales until at least July 1
• Nine rounds of fixtures will be lost in the County Championship season, but blocks for red-ball and white-ball cricket will be held in a revised schedule
• The Vitality Blast will be pushed as late in the season as possible to give it the best opportunity of being staged. All matches previously scheduled in June will be moved later in the season
• International cricket, featuring England men’s and women’s teams, will look to be scheduled from July until the end of September, with the West Indies Test Series and the whole women’s series against India (Vitality IT20s and Royal London ODIs) both moving from their original slots
• An additional Board meeting will be scheduled next Wednesday on The Hundred, following a request to dedicate a further session to the competition

ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said: “Our role as a national governing body during a crisis of this scale requires us to carefully plan alongside cricket’s stakeholders and supporters to attempt to overcome COVID-19’s impact on this season.

“As much as we remain hopeful that we can deliver some cricket this summer, we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis and our priority – over and above the playing of professional sport – will be to protect the vulnerable, key workers and society as a whole.

“That’s why simply put, there will be no cricket unless it’s safe to play. Our schedule will only go ahead if Government guidance permits.

“Our biggest challenge, along with other sports, is how we could seek to implement a bio-secure solution that offers optimum safety and security for all concerned. The guidance we receive from Westminster will help us shape how we deliver this.

“Our plan is to reschedule international matches as late as possible in the season to give the best chance of play. The Vitality Blast will also now occupy the latest possible season slot to offer as much time as possible to play a County short-form competition.

“I want to thank everyone involved in this complex and sensitive work. There have clearly never been times like this and my colleagues at the ECB and across the game have been exemplary in this period. It has been refreshing, but not surprising, to see how cricket has come together.”

Essex Cricket Members, Season Ticket or Ticket Holders

The ECB are continuing to work with their partners across the game to determine the best options to reschedule fixtures in 2020 following the relevant guidance and in accordance with the safety of all supporters, staff and the playing squad.

The ECB and all counties are engaged in dialogue with regard to how the current situation will affect all Members.

Please keep an eye on your email, the Club website and social media channels for more information on a revised schedule and the impact this will have on Membership of the Club.

Original ticket purchasers will be notified by the Club in the event of a match being rearranged or cancelled.

Domestic

What has been the ECB’s priority in modelling a revised schedule?

The ECB are being guided by four key priorities:

1. Public safety, health and wellbeing of players, operational staff and cricket fans;
2. The most financially important forms of cricket for our First-Class Counties: International cricket and the Vitality Blast to help ensure the future of 18 First-Class Counties and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC);
3. Working closely with our broadcast partners to provide as much live cricket as possible to cricket fans; and
4. Supporting the women’s game to continue its growth journey

With professional cricket postponed till at least July 1, what impact will this have on the County Championship?

In total there were nine rounds of County Championship action scheduled up to July 1 which due to the postponement have been cancelled but blocks for red-ball and white-ball cricket will be held in a revised schedule.

What matches will be impacted by the delayed season start to July 1?

1. The English professional domestic cricket season was scheduled to get underway on March 24 with the traditional Champion County match between holders Essex and MCC in Galle, Sri Lanka.
2. The MCCU matches were due to commence in the first week of April while the County Championship would have started on Sunday April 12.
3. In total there were nine rounds of County Championship action scheduled up to July 1.
4. The Vitality Blast was due to commence on May 28 and would have had 11 group matches up until the end of June.
5. England men’s three-match Test series against West Indies was due to start at the Kia Oval on June 5 followed by the second Test at Edgbaston on June 12 and the third Test at Lord’s commencing on June 25.
6. Two England women’s T20Is against India were planned for June 25 and June 27 at Bristol at Taunton.

What’s happening with the Royal London Cup?

The Royal London Cup is an option that is incorporated into some of our models and our thinking. The ECB are fluid with our thoughts at this stage and, once they are in a position to do so, they will be able to confirm the revised schedule.

How can supporters get refunds for the Vitality Blast given the dates have changed?

The ECB are continuing to work with their partners across the game to determine the best options to reschedule fixtures in 2020 following the relevant guidance and in accordance with the safety of all supporters, staff and the playing squad. Further advice from the ECB and the Club as to rescheduling plans and how this impacts ticket holders will be announced once this has been confirmed in due course.

Original ticket purchasers will be notified by the Club in the event of a match being rearranged or cancelled.

International

When will international cricket take place?

International cricket, featuring England men’s and women’s teams, will be focussed on being scheduled from July until the end of September, with the West Indies Test Series and the whole women’s series against India (Vitality T20Is and Royal London ODIs) both moving from their original slots.

Will women’s international cricket still be scheduled?

International cricket, featuring England men’s and women’s teams, will be focussed on being scheduled from July until the end of September, with the West Indies Test Series and the whole women’s series against India (Vitality T20Is and Royal London ODIs) both moving from their original slots.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ECB’s announcement that professional cricket is postponed until at least 1 July, the following international fixtures at The 1st Central County Ground have been postponed and are intended to be rescheduled to a later date in the 2020 season:

England Women v India Royal London One Day International series, The Cloudfm County Ground (4 July)

Recreational

When will recreational cricket be played?

Based on the Government’s advice, the ECB recommended the suspension of all recreational cricket on March 18. This suspension remains in place until further notice in order to keep everyone in the cricket family safe – this is our upmost priority.

The latest Essex Cricket in the Community update can be found – here

The Hundred

What is the latest with The Hundred?

The Hundred is under ongoing review and a confirmed approach will be released in due course. If you are a ticket holder, you do not need to do anything at this stage. Original ticket purchasers will be contacted in line with any future announcement about the competition.

Have a Question?

If you have any questions regarding your Membership, ticket purchase or hospitality booking, please get in touch with the Club:

Membership & Ticketing Office – [email protected]
Hospitality Department – [email protected]