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Essex Cricket forms new partnership with Wickes
Following the opening of Wickes’ new store in Chelmsford, Essex County Cricket is thrilled to announce a dynamic new partnership with home improvement retailer Wickes. The strategic partnership promises an exciting journey marked by mutual support and innovation, with both organisations committed to helping fans and customers alike.
Wickes will harness the cutting-edge assets of Essex County Cricket Club, creating an unparalleled engagement experience for fans. Through a multi-faceted approach, including scoreboard marketing, perimeter advertising, and newsletter integration, Wickes will captivate the cricket community in an authentic and immersive manner. By leveraging these assets, Wickes aims to establish a genuine connection with its audience, further solidifying its commitment to making the nation houseproud.
The collaboration between Essex County Cricket and Wickes signifies a powerful synergy between sports and retail, highlighting shared values of dedication, teamwork, and community engagement.
The partnership has been facilitated and delivered by dentsu agencies, Carat and MKTG, drawing on their extensive knowledge and experience around sport and entertainment partnerships, including gathering data-driven insights which identified Essex County Cricket Club as an ideal partner for Wickes.
John Stephenson, CEO of Essex County Cricket, said, “We are delighted to welcome Wickes as a valued partner to Essex County Cricket. Wickes shares our passion for excellence and community engagement, making this partnership a natural fit. We look forward to working closely with Wickes to create memorable experiences for our fans while supporting their exciting new store opening in Chelmsford.”
Gary Kibble, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer of Wickes said, “We’re excited to be partnering with Essex County Cricket Club. It allows us to build a strong relationship with new customers and welcome them to our new store.”
Feroze Khushi pens new deal
Essex Cricket is pleased to announce that batter Feroze Khushi has signed a one-year contract extension, tying him to the Club until the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Khushi, born just 25 miles from The Cloud County Ground in Whipps Cross, is a graduate of the Essex academy and has been a part of the Eagles’ first XI since making his first-class debut in 2020.
The 24-year-old followed his red-ball bow in August that year with his T20 debut seven weeks later, before completing the set with a maiden Essex List A appearance the following year.
Over the last three years, Khushi has totalled more than 1,500 runs for the Eagles, with his all-format prowess indicated by his red-ball high score of 164, a List A average north of 45, and a T20 strike rate of just under 130.
He has continued to flourish in 2023, and despite a hand injury keeping him out of action for six weeks of the summer, he has still chalked up five half-centuries across all three formats this year.
Having signed on the dotted line, Khushi said: “I’m delighted to extend my contract with Essex for another year, and I think this has come at the perfect time for me.
“With the season I’ve had, where I’ve scored more T20 runs than ever before, I’m feeling really good about my career at the moment, and even though I’ve had to endure some tough moments during the season with injury, I’ve pushed through those and come back stronger.
“My focus now is getting my head down and repaying the faith which the club have placed in me for another year by both building even more on this season and hopefully winning Essex some trophies.”
Essex Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, added: “We’re really happy that Feroze has signed on with us, because it’s always great when you can bring local players right through from the academy to the first team.
“Feroze has certainly shown us what he’s capable of this season and has been a valuable member of the squad.
“That said, we all know there’s a lot more to come from him, and we’re really excited to work with him going forward as we look to make him the best possible cricketer he can be.”
Match Report: Middlesex 2nd XI v Essex 2nd XI
Middlesex 2nd XI v Essex 2nd XI
Second XI Championship
Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood
Monday 11 – Thursday 14 September 2023 | 10:30am start
Team News:
Middlesex 2nd XI: Robert White (c) (wk), Nathan Fernandes, Stevie Eskinazi, Martin Andersson, Luke Hollman, Aaryan Sawant, Tom Helm, Blake Cullen, Mark Cohen, Thilan Walallawita, Seb Morgan, Toby Greatwood
Essex 2nd XI: Robin Das, Feroze Khushi (c), Ronnie McKenna (wk), Haris Usman, Aaron Beard, Jamal Richards, Simon Fernandes, Omar Akram, Mackenzie Jones, Aum Patel, Mohammed Rizvi, Bailey Wightman
Match Details:
Umpires: James Tredwell & M Johnson
Scorers: Mark Shepherd & Paul Parkinson
Toss: Essex 2nd XI won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Middlesex 2nd XI won by one wicket
Scorecard and Highlight Clips: View Here
Match Report:
Despite Robin Das becoming the first-ever player to score consecutive double centuries for the second string, Essex slipped to a one-wicket defeat at the hands of Middlesex in a high-scoring Second XI Championship encounter at the Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood.
Das claimed a starring role by scoring 214 off 215 balls during an incredible 309-minute stint at the crease against Kent a little over a week ago and he had the historians reaching for the record books again after scoring 232 from 180 as Essex posted a healthy first-innings total of 483 at Northwood.
This time, the 21-year-old right-handed batter hit no less than 38 boundaries and two sixes during another remarkable 273 minutes in the middle. 19-year-old Ronnie McKenna contributed 67 and Feroze Khushi 50. Meanwhile, Nathan Fernandes and Blake Cullen took three wickets apiece for the home side.
Tom Helm scored 85, while Luke Hollman chipped in with 82 and Fernandes 78. However, Jamal Richards and Aaron Beard had figures of 3/71 and 3/83 respectively to ensure the visitors an 80-run lead at the midway point.
Helm took 4/32, and Thilan Walallawita 4/63, as the Middlesex attack looked to drag their side back into the contest. Nevertheless, 81 off 146 balls from Simon Fernandes and 65 from Richards appeared to have left Essex in a strong position.
However, Middlesex fought back strongly to seal a dramatic win, as skipper Robert White led the way with 117 from 153, while Hollman followed up his earlier heroics with 75, and Martin Andersson hit 53.
Toby Greatwood hit Mohammed Rizvi for four to conclude a fascinating contest, with the hosts’ victory achieved despite the latter taking 6/103 in vain for the Eagles.
August’s Community Cricket Champions
The month of August looked at those who had been influential figures who go above and beyond within their clubs as we continued with our ‘Community Cricket Champions’ programme.
We are delighted to announce that recognised as our Community Cricket Champions for August are:
• Nadim Ishaq (Redbridge Cricket Club)
• Mohammed Ismail (Ipswich & Colchester CC)
• Stuart Coker (Maldon CC)
• Ed Welch (Audley End/Wendens Ambo CC)
• Roger White (Orsett & Thurrock CC)
Once again, our Community Cricket Champions will receive a certificate, a voucher to be used at the Essex shop and a ticket voucher for an upcoming County Championship fixture at Chelmsford, which can also be used for the 2024 season.
As well as their monthly prizes, all the recognised Community Cricket Champions will be entered into a draw to win a coaching session at the end of the season with some members of the Essex squads.
Congratulations to the above for their fantastic contributions within their clubs, supporting the members and communities which their clubs serve.
We will be out and about across the county presenting the recognition awards to our Community Cricket Champions over the next few weeks, so please watch out our social media channels.
The September category will be based around those who have roles in leagues and competitions, with those recognised being announced in early to mid-September.
Essex Cricket extend partnership with River Stand Sponsor, MDS Civil Engineering
Essex Cricket are pleased to announce a two-year partnership extension with specialist groundworks and civil engineering contractors, MDS.
MDS Civil Engineering have been a proud partner of Essex Cricket since 2019, and this extension will see them remain the official sponsor of our much-loved River Stand.
Speaking about the partnership, Managing Director of MDS, Darren Chaston, said:
“We are elated to be continuing our partnership with Essex Cricket and to be a part of the ongoing success and growth of the Club. Our sponsorship of the River Stand gives us prime positioning within the ground which we are very proud of.
We look forward to working with them across the next two years.”
Chief Executive of Essex Cricket, John Stephenson, added:
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with MDS. They have been a much-valued partner of the Essex Cricket for the last four years and we look forward to our relationship with MDS developing further as the Club continues to prove its success both on and off the pitch.”
About MDS Civil Engineering
MDS, established in July 2000 and based in Halstead, Essex, are one of the leading civil engineering companies in the UK. They have a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality projects across a range of sectors. Their focus is to identify clients’ needs, programming and delivering those needs in the safest, most cost-effective manner.
For more information about MDS Civil Engineering, visit https://www.mds.uk.com/
Upminster benefit match raises £3,500 for Essex Cricket Foundation
Upminster Cricket Club XI v Essex Cricket Representative XI
Essex Cricket Foundation Benefit Match
Upminster Park
Sunday 10 September 2023 | 2:45pm start
A day of festivities on Sunday was capped by the 23rd annual Upminster v Essex Benefit Match in aid of the Essex Cricket Foundation.
Six current Essex First XI players participated in the game, alongside Ability players, members of the over-50s squad, and Club staff, which saw more than 350 runs hit in total, and the day as a whole raised £3,500 for the Foundation.
Read on for the details of, and a report from, the showpiece match.
Team News:
Upminster: Kiran Kullar, James Evans, Nehal Butt, Shafiq Rahman, Pulkit Gupta, Akibur Rahman, Ollie Todd, Max Carter-Miller, Callum Berry, Gus Siggins, Jamie Green, Vicky Waters, Daniel Simpson, Ray Calder
Essex Representative: Ben Aust, Andy Catherell, Joe Grant, Daryl Townson, Will Cosham, Adrian Grinnoneau, Chirag Desai, Aaron Beard, Jamie Porter, Paul Walter, Robin Das, Ben Allison, Jamal Richards, Brad Donovan, Sam Bear, A Patel
Match Details:
Umpires: Lee Cullum & Jordan McManus
Scorers: Sanjay Narbheram & Ollie Burley
Toss: Essex XI won the toss and elected to bat first
Result: Essex won by 33 runs
Scorecard: View Here
Match Report:
Half-centuries from Jamie Porter and Jamal Richards saw Essex come out on top in an absorbing and thoroughly enjoyable benefit match at Upminster.
Watched by, in the club side’s own words, one of the largest crowds in the event’s 23-year history, the match saw Essex successfully defend their 201-4 as Upminster made 168-5 in reply.
Porter struck 51 off 37, including ten fours, while Richards took a more aerial route for his 30-ball 57, smoking three sixes alongside his six fours.
With a top six made up of five professionals, Ben Allison also contributed an unbeaten 38 in just 17 deliveries, while Paul Walter hit 18 off nine and Robin Das made 11 in his seven balls.
The latter two were, though, outshone by Adrian ‘Colonel Grinners’ Grinnoneau of the Essex over-50s, who made 19 not out and shared in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 58 off 32 balls with Allison.
Vicky Waters, the first woman to represent Upminster in the event’s history, was the pick of the bowlers with 2/13, including the wickets of Porter and Richards, while Ollie Todd and Max Carter-Miller picked up one each.
In response, Upminster got off to a flier as Pulkit Gupta and James Evans racked up a 68 partnership in 32 balls before Chirag ‘Shaggy’ Desai made the breakthrough by removing the latter.
Gupta went on to top-score with 39 in 30 deliveries, while Daniel Simpson hit 30 off 26, though the hosts were pegged back by several members of the 12-strong Essex bowling attack.
Alongside Shaggy, there were also wickets for Porter, Patel, Allison, and Daryl Townson, while non-batters Joe Grant, Sam Bear, Aaron Beard, Will Cosham and Brad Donovan all received a go with the ball too.
Despite Akibur Rahman hitting the Upminster innings’ only maximum on his way to an 11-ball 22, the club side were always behind the rate, with a final over from Beard rounding out the innings and completing an Essex win.
Ultimately, however, the result was a mere sideline to the celebration of the day, which raised a hugely welcome amount for the Foundation and enabled it to continue funding cricket development across the county.
Join us for our 2023 End of Season Gala Dinner
Celebrate the season with us at our End of Season Gala Dinner & Player Awards, hosted at the prestigious Braxted Park, Witham.
After a wonderful event in 2022, we are delighted to be returning to the beautiful grounds of Braxted Park Estate as we celebrate the Club’s success both on and off the pitch this year.
Your evening will begin at 6:30pm on Wednesday 04 October with a chance to be part of the Player Awards for our Men’s First Team, plus the Ability and Women’s sides, hosted by Essex legend Graham Gooch.
You’ll enjoy a drinks and canapes reception on arrival followed by a welcome by our Chief Executive Officer, John Stephenson. Once seated, you will be served a delightful three-course meal followed by the awards.
We will commemorate the special moments on the pitch, including:
- Men’s First Team’s outstanding effort as they reached the Final of the Vitality Blast tournament against Somerset and LV= Insurance County Championship season.
- Essex Women’s fantastic campaign in the London Championship that concluded in the team lifting the trophy for the first time.
- Our Ability D40 team, the Essex Falcons, who finished runners-up after reaching the D40 Pursuit Final against Wales.
Keep your eyes peeled for your chance to vote for your DeVines Player of the Year and Performance of the Year with voting is set to go live next week.
Over the course of the evening, you will also be able hear about the fantastic work being carried out across the Club with all funds raised throughout the evening going to the Essex Cricket Foundation to help support grassroots cricket and multiple pathways across the county.
Price: £99 +VAT pp
If you’d like to join us, please fill in our enquiry form below:
📩 If you have any questions or would like to book directly through the Club, please email: [email protected]
💻 Alternatively, to book online: Click here to book through our ticketing partner Seat Unique.
Essex Development XI edged out by Norfolk
Norfolk Lions v Essex Development XI
East of England Cricket Development Competition
Highfield Lawn, Fakenham
Sunday 10 September 2023, 11:00am start
Team News:
Norfolk Lions: Jayden Borges, Ethan Metcalf, Nat Laws, William Bowman, Jonah Wicks, Charlie Rogers*, Thomas Robson†, Micky Seago, Nathan Muggeridge, Cameron Graveling, George Bruce, Will Rogers
Essex Development: Abid Zadran, Arjun Bhardwaj, Benjamin Parry†, Zoraiz Saeed*, Ossie Elliott, Aarav Salil, Bilal Kamal, Dulen Abayakoon, Haris Latif, Ismail Baharami, Abdullah Mir, Kit Newman
Match Details:
Umpire: N Payne
Toss: Essex Development won the toss and elected to bat first
Result: Norfolk Lions won by five wickets
Match Report:
Bilal Kamal’s 63 and 3/37 from Abdullah Mir were in vain as the Essex Development XI slipped to a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Norfolk Lions in their final game of 2023.
Ethan Metcalf struck 88 and shared in a partnership of 137 with fellow opener Jonah Wicks, who also made a half-century, as Essex’s 225 all out was ultimately overhauled inside 41 overs.
Kamal’s evenly-paced knock came off 62 deliveries, with his 50 arriving in 49, and he found support from Dulen Abayakoon, who smashed a 27-ball 41, but the bowling efforts of the Lions’ George Bruce, who took 3/21, proved restrictive.
Indeed, Kamal’s innings was part of a wider recovery job that was required after Essex had been reduced to 43-3 and then 95-5, with the total owing a debt to his and Abayakoon’s seventh-wicket stand of 84 in exactly ten overs.
Metcalf and Wicks broke the back of the chase swiftly, bringing up the team 100 in just over an hour, with Metcalf the first to hit his individual fifty, in 59 deliveries, and Wicks following shortly afterwards from 44 balls.
Mir caused a brief wobble in taking the first three wickets to fall for 29 runs, but Metcalf, with support from the middle order, provided the lynchpin for the chase as the Lions made it to within 60 of victory before Arjun Bhardwaj removed him.
Ultimately, only one more wicket would go down, that of Jayden Borges, pinned lbw by Ismail Baharami, before the unbeaten pair of William Bowman and Will Rogers added a final unbroken 31 to take Norfolk over the line, with Bowman hitting the winning four.
The result means that Essex finish second in this year’s six-team East of England Development Competition with three wins from five matches, a point behind Cambridgeshire but two ahead of Bedfordshire and Norfolk.
Essex Falcons slip to D40 Pursuit Final defeat
Cricket Wales v Essex Falcons
ECB D40 Pursuit, Final
Collingham & District Cricket Club, Newark-on-Trent
Sunday 10 September 2023, 1:00pm start
Team News:
Wales: Daniel Quick, Ioan Martin, Callum Powers, Michael Weatherby, Rhys Gaskins-Davies, Rhodri Gaskins-Davies, Jack Page, Alex Lloyd, Adam Fowler, Cian Davis
Essex Falcons: Lee Wheeler, Benny Fryatt, Isaac Elles, Billy Gibbons, Joe Moss, James Cole, Jack Gair, Jack Flower, Martyn Doe, Glyn Thomas, Alfie Jeeves, Matt Thomas
Match Details:
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to field first
Result: Wales won by 62 runs (DLS method)
Match Report:
Cricket Wales clinched the D40 Pursuit national title following a 62-run DLS-adjusted victory over Essex in a hard-fought rain-affected encounter at Collingham & District Cricket Club.
Wales had booked their final place by seeing off a strong Yorkshire side in their final group match to top the northern section ahead of Derbyshire, while Essex had remained undefeated in winning the south group, beating Middlesex, Surrey, Northamptonshire and Dorset/Hampshire along the way.
Indeed, the contest was perhaps closer than the scoreline suggested with both sides providing some excellent cricket for their enthusiastic audience that had travelled some considerable miles to witness the spectacle that was played in difficult humid conditions.
Notably, opening batter Daniel Quick top scored for the Welsh side, hitting 44, while Ioan Martin contributed 34 and Jack Page 27, helping their side to a competitive 213 for eight from their forty overs. Meanwhile, Joe Moss and Alfie Jeeves, as they have so often this summer, led the way with the ball for Essex, returning impressive figures of 8-2-40-3 and 7-0-34-3 respectively.
A thunderstorm during the tea interval led to a delay in the match restarting. When the rain stopped, Essex was handed a revised target of 187 from 32 overs.
But despite a knock of 40 from all-rounder Moss and a spirited unbeaten 37 from Benny Fryatt, some lean bowling from the Welsh attack, ably supported by an athletic performance in the field put a stranglehold on the Essex response.
Alex Lloyd took three for 17 and Kieran Williams 2/22 as Cricket Wales restricted their opponents to 125 for eight, securing a deserved success from what was an excellent match, played in great spirit.
