Next week, Essex Cricket and Greene King are joining forces to create a Cricket and Craft Ale Festival during the first three days of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Essex and Worcestershire at The Cloud County Ground.
The Festival, taking place in The Woodland Group Premier Marquee, will start on Thursday 29 August and run until Saturday 31 August and will be open to all ticket holders and Essex Members.
Greene King are supplying 11 guest ales with a variety of Amber, Golden & Pale and Premium ales all priced at £5 for a pint and £2.50 for a half.
During the match against Worcestershire, fans will also be able to purchase Eagle Lager pint and half-pint glasses from The Essex Cricket Store. Earlier in the year, Greene King created Eagle Lager as a special tribute to their partnership with Essex Cricket and now for the first time fans will be able to buy glassware bearing the Eagle Lager emblem.
Fans can purchase tickets to Essex’s County Championship match against Worcestershire from £16 for Adults and there will be no additional cost to enter the Cricket and Craft Ale Festival, with drinks to be purchased individually once inside.
The Cloud County Ground will once again host international cricket in 2025 as England Women host West Indies in a Vitality Women’s IT20 clash on Monday 26 May at 2:30pm.
The match will be the third and final game of a Vitality IT20 series that kicks off England Women’s home international summer, with the first two games to be played in Canterbury on 21 May at 6:30pm and Hove on 23 May at 6:35pm.
The Three Lions have never hosted the Windies in an IT20 at The Cloud County Ground before, with the only previous match between the two sides in Chelmsford coming in a 2019 ODI.
England won on that occasion by a DLS-calculated 135 runs, with Amy Jones and Sarah Taylor hitting 80 and 70, respectively, before Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone evenly shared four wickets.
The Vitality IT20 series will be followed by a three-match Metro Bank ODI series, which will run in conjunction with England Men hosting the same opposition in three ODIs and three T20Is.
Dan Feist, General Manager at Essex Cricket, said: “It will be a hugely exciting occasion to welcome the West Indies to The Cloud County Ground next May.
“We have a well-developed recent reputation of hosting well-attended and thrilling games of women’s white-ball international cricket here in Chelmsford.
“This game will be a landmark in what is set to be a truly transformational year for women’s cricket in the region, fitting alongside the debut year of the professional Essex Women’s team.”
“Having utilised our recent games against Sri Lanka and Pakistan to deepen connections with our local communities, we are looking forward to the opportunity to do the same again next year.
“Hopefully the sun shines on Bank Holiday Monday and we can’t wait to put on a fantastic combined showcase of spectacular elite cricket and British-Caribbean culture.”
Click below to register your interest and be notified when the ballot for tickets goes live on Thursday 29 August.
England Women v West Indies in 2025: Vitality Women’s IT20 Series Fixtures
Wednesday 21 May, 6:30pm: 1st Vitality IT20 | The Spitfire Ground St Lawrence, Canterbury Friday 23 May, 6:35pm: 2nd Vitality IT20 | The 1st Central County Ground, Hove Monday 26 May, 2:30pm: 3rd Vitality IT20 | The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford
Cricket & Craft Ale Festival at The Cloud County Ground
Essex Cricket and Greene King are joining forces to create a Cricket & Craft Ale Festival during the first three days of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Essex and Worcestershire at The Cloud County Ground.
Greene King will be supplying as many as twelve craft ales for fans to sip on whilst enjoying County Championship action in a crucial late-summer clash.
Fans can purchase tickets to Essex’s County Championship match against Worcestershire from £16 for Adults and there will be no additional cost to enter the Cricket & Craft Ale Festival, with drinks to be purchased individually once inside.
Secure your seats to Essex v Worcestershire and sample Greene King’s craft ales:
Thursday 22 June – Sunday 25 August 2024 | 11:00am start
After seven weeks of white-ball action featuring a combination of the Vitality Blast and the Metro Bank One Day Cup, the Vitality County Championship returns to round out Essex’s 2024 campaign.
Five matches, three of which are at home, now separate the Eagles from the end of the season, with Anthony McGrath’s side heading into a thrilling title run-in just 29 points behind Surrey.
It was a top-of-the-table clash against the Brown Caps at the Kia Oval that represented the last time Essex were in Championship action, with the hosts prevailing despite a spirited Eagles display.
Jamie Porter took the 500th first-class wicket of a sparkling career, doing so via an Eathan Bosch catch of Jordan Clark in the Surrey second innings, but the defending champions eked out a 145-run win.
Combined with Somerset’s five-wicket win over Warwickshire in Taunton, that meant Essex slipped to third in Division One, though still well within range to continue fighting hard for the title.
That starts with this week’s match against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl, while Surrey take on Lancashire at the Kia Oval and Somerset travel to Edgbaston for a re-run of their last game, against Warwickshire.
Squad
Director of Cricket McGrath has named a 13-strong squad for the trip to Southampton.
The Inside Line: Anthony McGrath
The Opposition
Recent years have rather been a story of ‘so near, yet so far’ for Hampshire, who despite being one of the strongest sides in the country on paper, are still without a County Championship title since 1973.
The Rose and Crown have finished third in each of the last three seasons that the two division-system has been in operation, dating back to 2019, and have spent the past two months in fourth.
An abandonment of their first match against Durham, followed by further draws against Lancashire and Warwickshire, was a far-from-ideal start that was then compounded by a heavy loss to Surrey.
However, since that innings-and-11-run reverse at the Kia Oval, Hampshire have not lost another game, and in fact have secured three wins from their last four games to rise up the table.
They now sit eight points behind Essex and 18 ahead of fifth-placed Durham after wins over Nottinghamshire and Kent, as well as a giant innings-and-278-run revenge victory against Surrey.
That latter win displayed Liam Dawson’s bowling prowess, with the spinner’s 30 wickets being a team-high in 2024, while the eternally classy James Vince once again leads the run-scoring charts with 714.
Hampshire squad: James Vince*, Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott, Toby Albert, Ben Brown, Liam Dawson, James Fuller, Nick Gubbins, Fletcha Middleton, Felix Organ, Tom Prest, John Turner, Brad Wheal
Last Time We Met
The last time Hampshire met Essex in first-class cricket, at The Cloud County Ground in September last year, the focus was not entirely on the cricket itself.
Hampshire secured a three-wicket win after Liam Dawson’s century helped them chase a contrived target of 267 inside 59 overs on the final day.
A hundred for Adam Rossington had seen Essex post 447-9 declared in their first innings before Hampshire replied with 334, after which the Eagles posted 153-8 in just 28 overs.
In the penultimate match of 2023, the chase was manufactured after Essex strode to set up the victory shot they needed to remain in the title race, though Hampshire’s success dented those chances.
However, thoughts were very much focusing on one of the county’s, and England’s, all-time greats, with rumours abound that Alastair Cook was in the midst of playing his final match in Chelmsford.
The man who remains England’s all-time leading Test match run-scorer did indeed announce his retirement three weeks after the season ended, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career.
Division One Table
How To Watch
If you are not able to make it to Utilita Bowl in person, the game will be streamed live on hosts Hampshire’s YouTube channel, and will be available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
A report and reaction will be published on the Club website after each day’s play via the Club website, while live updates and daily highlights will be provided on the Club’s social media channels.
Tickets
For anyone supporting the Eagles in person in Southampton, tickets can be purchased directly from the Utilita Bowl website.
Individual day-by-day tickets are available for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with adults able to buy at £15 and under-17s priced at £5.
Meanwhile, a four-day pass, priced at £45 and covering the entire match, is also on sale – with parking for all four days also available to be booked at a cost of £30.
Match tickets (for which all seating is unreserved) and parking passes can be purchased by visiting the link below:
Cricket & Craft Ale Festival at The Cloud County Ground
Essex Cricket and Greene King are joining forces to create a Cricket & Craft Ale Festival during the first three days of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Essex and Worcestershire at The Cloud County Ground.
Greene King will be supplying as many as twelve craft ales for fans to sip on whilst enjoying County Championship action in a crucial late-summer clash.
Fans can purchase tickets to Essex’s County Championship match against Worcestershire from £16 for Adults and there will be no additional cost to enter the Cricket & Craft Ale Festival, with drinks to be purchased individually once inside.
Secure your seats to Essex v Worcestershire and sample Greene King’s craft ales:
Promising all-rounder Noah Thain has signed his first senior contract with Essex, committing to the Club on a two-year deal until the end of the 2026 season.
The 19-year-old, who had previously been on a rookie deal, has been rewarded for his performances with bat and ball in the Vitality County Championship and the Metro Bank One Day Cup in 2024.
Having impressed in 2023 with 159 List A runs at 39.75, Thain has flourished this summer, making his Championship debut and striking a combined 306 runs in that competition and the One Day Cup.
Along with Essex teammates Luc Benkenstein and Charlie Allison, Thain has continued to be selected in England Under-19 international matches, playing three Youth ODIs and two Youth Tests in 2024.
“I’m incredibly happy to sign a full senior contract at Essex, where I’ve begun to develop my career as a professional cricketer,” said Thain.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity, and the backing everyone here has given me to get to this point means a huge amount.
“I want to thank everyone who has made it possible, and my main aims now are to back myself and my skills, concentrate on improving even more, and become the best player I can!”
“It’s fantastic to extend Noah’s contract and ensure he will be here for at least two more years,” added Essex Director of Cricket, Anthony McGrath.
“He’s a superbly talented cricketer with both bat and ball, which is evidenced in the performances he’s put in over the past year.
“It’s a massive tick in the box for our Pathway system when a player like Noah comes through and begins to blossom into an established first-team cricketer.
“Our challenge as coaches now is to keep raising Noah’s game to ensure he can hit the goals he is capable of and become the player we all know he can be.”
Cricket & Craft Ale Festival at The Cloud County Ground
Essex Cricket and Greene King are joining forces to create a Cricket & Craft Ale Festival during the first three days of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Essex and Worcestershire at The Cloud County Ground.
Greene King will be supplying as many as twelve craft ales for fans to sip on whilst enjoying County Championship action in a crucial late-summer clash.
Fans can purchase tickets to Essex’s County Championship match against Worcestershire from £16 for Adults and there will be no additional cost to enter the Cricket & Craft Ale Festival, with drinks to be purchased individually once inside.
Secure your seats to Essex v Worcestershire and sample Greene King’s craft ales:
Eathan Bosch’s overseas spell with Essex will conclude a week early after the all-rounder was called up to the South Africa A squad for two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A.
The all-rounder will be available for the Eagles’ upcoming Vitality County Championship match away to Hampshire, but will then play no part in the following week’s home clash against Worcestershire.
Bosch, 26, played four Vitality Blast matches for Essex this summer, and could yet increase his tally of first-class appearances for the Eagles to three if he is selected for the trip to Hampshire.
The first unofficial Test between the A teams of South Africa and Sri Lanka, in Kimberley, starts on Sunday 08 September, before the second follows in Benoni exactly a week later.
“It’s been great to have Eathan as part of the squad,” said Director of Cricket, Anthony McGrath. “He fitted the profile of player we were looking for, and he has been excellent to work with.
“Everyone at Essex is grateful for his efforts, and we wish him all the best as he returns home for two important matches.”
Cricket & Craft Ale Festival at The Cloud County Ground
Essex Cricket and Greene King are joining forces to create a Cricket & Craft Ale Festival during the first three days of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Essex and Worcestershire at The Cloud County Ground.
Greene King will be supplying as many as twelve craft ales for fans to sip on whilst enjoying County Championship action in a crucial late-summer clash.
Fans can purchase tickets to Essex’s County Championship match against Worcestershire from £16 for Adults and there will be no additional cost to enter the Cricket & Craft Ale Festival, with drinks to be purchased individually once inside.
Secure your seats to Essex v Worcestershire and sample Greene King’s craft ales:
Later this month, Essex Cricket and Greene King will join forces to create a Cricket and Craft Ale Festival during the first three days of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Essex and Worcestershire at The Cloud County Ground.
The Festival, taking place in The Woodland Group Premier Marquee, will start on Thursday 29 August and run until Saturday 31 August and will be open to all ticket holders and Essex Members.
Greene King will be supplying as many as twelve craft ales for fans to sip on whilst enjoying County Championship action in a crucial late-summer clash.
Fans can purchase tickets to Essex’s County Championship match against Worcestershire from £16 for Adults and there will be no additional cost to enter the Cricket and Craft Ale Festival, with drinks to be purchased individually once inside.
A full list of drinks and prices will be confirmed prior to the fixture.
Essex Cricket is proud to announce the return of the long-running Mini Matchplay event for 2024, now in partnership with First Bus for the first time.
The much-loved event, which has been in existence for more than two decades, helped to nurture the careers of current Essex 1st XI players Sam Cook, Kelly Castle, Aaron Beard, and Ben Allison.
It will once again take place on The Cloud County Ground outfield over three consecutive evenings this week, from Tuesday until Thursday between 5:00pm and 9:00pm each day.
Ahead of Essex’s entrance into Tier 1 of the new professional women’s domestic structure from 2025, this year’s event will feature a record 19 all-girls’ teams.
Nine of the 63 total teams, which are coming from 44 clubs across Essex and East London, are participating for the first time, with more than 500 individual children set to be involved.
The floodlights will be turned on later into each evening, creating an atmospheric setting, while a host of off-field activities will enhance the excitement.
Essex Men’s 1st XI player Charlie Allison is set to appear at the event, while a partnership with Essex Police will see vehicles and police officers present to educate and entertain the children.
Alongside that, Julie Taylor will be in attendance to discuss the Club’s partnership with, and the work of, the anti-knife crime organisation she manages, the Liam Taylor Legacy.
The police and the Liam Taylor Legacy will have a joint stall set up to educate and inform about the issues around knife crime.
In addition to police cars, the partnership with First Bus will mean that a real bus will be in the ground for the children to try out their ‘driving’ skills.
“Mini Matchplay has been a cornerstone of our community engagement for over 20 years,” said Chloe Leveridge, Head of Youth Engagement at Essex Cricket.
“It’s a celebration of youth cricket and allows young budding cricketers to experience the thrill of playing at The Cloud County Ground.
“Enjoyment is the main theme of the evening, which we’re looking to achieve by the cricket on the field and the numerous off-field activations.
“We’re really looking forward to running the event again and hope that everyone involved comes away with long-lasting great memories!”
The 2025 International fixture list has been revealed with Chelmsford braced for high-octane action as England Women take on West Indies Women on Monday 26 May at 2:30pm.
In what’s set to be an unmissable afternoon of IT20 cricket, some of the world’s best T20 cricketers will go head to head in a T20 set in the heart of Essex. What’s more, the game will be played on the Spring Bank Holiday making it the perfect day out with friends and family.
Demand for tickets will be high, so make sure to sign up for the ticket ballot when it goes live next Thursday and share with family and friends for the best chance to get your hands on tickets before public sale.
Complete the form below to be notified when the ticket ballot goes live.
Tilly Callaghan’s 97 teed up Essex Women for a crushing 96-run victory over Sussex at The Cloud County Ground in the Eagles’ final London Championship fixture of the summer.
Callaghan’s knock, which came off 136 balls and featured ten fours, underpinned the hosts’ eventual total of 240-9, posted after they had been asked to bat first.
Her opening partner Jasmine Westley struck a fluent 30 as the duo added exactly 100 for the first wicket, while Grace Poole and Bella Howarth both contributed, hitting 22 and 20, respectively.
Callaghan was run out by Hope Mullins while three shy of her century, but her innings proved the glue that held Essex together and helped to combat Chiara Green’s standout bowling of 4/19.
In response, Jessica Pugh led the way in bowling Sussex out for 144 by taking figures of 3/25, combining well with the six split evenly between Poole, Sally Chapman, and Cara Castleman.
Hannah Davis claimed the remaining scalp, with only opener Lucy Western able to pass 25 for the visitors as they crumbled to defeat in the 39th over.
With Essex’s final scheduled London Championship match against Surrey confirmed as cancelled, this was the Eagles’ final match in this season’s competition.
They currently sit second, 12 points behind Middlesex and 15 ahead of Sussex, pending the shared points from the cancelled Surrey game, as well as the outcome of other teams’ remaining matches.
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