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Nottinghamshire v Essex
LV= Insurance County Championship
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 May
11am Start

After a narrow defeat away against fellow title challengers Warwickshire last week, Essex visit Nottinghamshire looking to get back on track and pick up their second win of the 2023 LV= County Championship season.

Essex come off the back of a narrow four-wicket defeat at Edgbaston, losing their first game of the season against the side from the Midlands.

Nottinghamshire on the other hand, return back to Trent Bridge after securing an impressive win at Northamptonshire last time out.

Squad:

There has been one change to the squad since last week’s fixture against Warwickshire as Ben Allison is left out of the 13 player squad.

Michael Pepper, who has kept wicket in Rossington’s absence over the last two rounds, keeps his place in the squad.

Steven Mullaney (c), Stuart Broad, Joe Clarke, Haseeb Hameed, Calvin Harrison, Brett Hutton, Lyndon James, Tom Loten, Ben Martindale, Matt Montgomery, Dane Paterson, Liam Patterson-White, Ben Slater.

Division One Standings:

The Opposition:

Nottinghamshire largely keep faith with the players who won the Division Two title to take on the much tougher challenge of being competitive in Division One. They have made one significant addition in England pace bowler Olly Stone, who moves from Warwickshire to replace Aussie quick James Pattinson. South African Dane Paterson returns but one overseas slot remains empty in the red-ball side should reinforcement be required.

Lyndon James proved his quality with the bat by making a maiden century and two others in 2022 but his progress as a bowler was again hampered by a stress fracture, his second in as many years. If he can keep his fitness this season, the 24-year-old academy product has the potential to become a genuine match-winning all-rounder.

The hosts have started off the season well and currently sit in fourth place in the Division One table. Wins against Somerset and Northamptonshire have put the side from the East Midlands in a good position heading into game-week 6.

Last Time We Met:

Essex and Nottinghamshire shook hands and both settled for a draw on Day 4 of their 2021 LV= Insurance County Championship clash.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat, but during the first hour Essex claimed three wickets for just 48 runs and soon afterwards, Joe Clarke was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the forearm by a Sam Cook delivery. Despite the fall of early wickets both Steven Mullaney and Lyndon James continues unconcerned completing their hundred partnership from 255 balls. Both were to progress to record individual half-centuries before Mullaney was sent packing by Shane Snater for 55 shortly after Australian Peter Siddle picked up the wicket of James.

Late wickets meant the game was firmly in the balance as Nottinghamshire headed into Day 2 on 248 for 6.

With rain meaning no play was possible on Day Two due to rain, a fighting knock of 71 from Captain Tom Westley, Essex failed to deny Nottinghamshire ending Day 3 in the ascendancy. Replying to Notts’ 293, Essex reached the close on 180 for 7 as the remainder of the batsman struggling to make an impact.

The rock-solid Westley was holding the innings together and completed his half-century from 124 deliveries, but his resistance was finally ended when he was bowled for 71 by the spin of Patterson-White.

Hopes of a positive outcome on Day 4 were, in truth badly affected by the loss of the entire second day’s play and when play resumed on the final morning the home side were still over 100 runs behind. With Notts reaching 44-2, bad light and rain brought a halt to proceedings with both Captains settling for a draw.

How To Watch:

If you’re unable to attend, the game will be streamed live from Nottingham and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.

Miss the action? Highlights will be available after each day’s play via the Club website and social media channels.

Essex Second XI: FIN Khushi, RJ Das, PI Walter (c), JS Rymell, WEL Buttleman (wk), NRM Thain, JA Richards, RJ McKenna, ES Kalley, HG Goulstone, ADA Gosling

Surrey Second XI: BBA Geddes (c), JW Blake (wk), LJ Evans, NJH Kimber, Y Majid, C McKerr, DT Moriarty, CT Steel, J Overton, NMJ Reifer, JPA Taylor, NA Barnwell

Match Details:

Umpires: James Tredwell and John Flatley
Toss: Surrey won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Essex Second XI won by 2 runs

Scorecard: View here

Match Report:

Essex’s second string continued a busy week of action by recording a narrow two-run T20 South Group victory over their Surrey counterparts at the LSE Sportsground, New Malden.

In what proved to be an entertaining and highly competitive encounter,
Robin Das and Josh Rymell excelled with the bat, helping Essex post a competitive 201 for three.

Having reached his half-century off 24 balls, Das went on to score 72 from 34 during his 45 minutes in the middle. His stylish innings included ten 4s and three 6s.

Rymell continued the big-hitting theme. The talented right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 51 from 26 deliveries, with six 4s and two 6s in his repertoire.

Will Buttleman was also amongst the runs, reaching 39* – his partnership with Rymell gleaned 82 runs from the troubled Surrey attack, for whom Yousef Majid claimed two for 29 from his four-over spell.

The visitors appeared to be in control when Surrey were reduced to 41 for three inside the opening five overs of the home side’s innings. However, wicketkeeper/batter Josh Blake set the tone for a spirited fight, hitting an unbeaten 59 off 42 balls. When he was joined in the middle by Daniel Moriarty, the pair carried Surry mightily close. The latter scored 44* – the partnership of 58 falling just shy of their target.

Eshun Kalley was the pick of the Essex bowlers, taking three for 27 from four overs, while Hayden Goulstone returned 2/14.

This week sees Sunrisers return to The Cloud County Ground as they start their campaign in the Charlotte Edwards Cup. They take on Central Sparks in the inaugural game, which begins at 6:30pm on Thursday 18 May.

Gates Opening Times:

Gates open from 5:30pm via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street which is also accessible from Chelmsford City Centre and Chelmsford Bus/Train Stations.

Scheduled Hours of Play:

Toss: 6pm
First Innings: 6:30pm-7:45pm
Break: 7:45pm-8pm
Second Innings: 8pm-9:15pm

Member Entry & Matchday Tickets:

We encourage ticket buyers to purchase in advance to speed up entry into the ground. Tickets are available now, priced £10 Adults, £10 Students/Young Adults (18-25) and £5 Juniors (U18s).

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

Tickets will also be available on the gates from 5:30pm and this is strictly card sales only.

2023 Members of Essex, Northamptonshire and Middlesex can gain free entry in these matches and will be required to present their valid Membership card on the gate.

Matchday Purchases:

The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchasing tickets on the gates and food and drink in the Doug Insole Pavilion. Find out more – here

Please note that the Essex Cricket Store is the only location on-site which accepts cash payments.

Accessibility:

Accessible parking:
Spaces are located at The Cloud County Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Accessible Seating:
Accessible seating can be found 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 presenting proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old in the Membership & Ticketing Office or on the entry gate.

We can also accept a Blue Badge and Access card.

Accessible Toilets:
Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located behind the Doug Insole Pavilion (Blue Area).

Travel:

Parking:
• Spectators travelling by car can park in a number of public car parks within Chelmsford City Centre. There is no parking available on-site at The Cloud County Ground for this fixture.

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 is operated by Greater Anglia and is an approximate 10-minute walk from The Cloud County Ground. Regular direct train services depart 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.

Ground Entry:
• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for all spectators for these games with the benches also available.

• 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 2023 Essex Membership and we encourage spectators to arrive in plenty of time to secure a seat. All seating for Sunrisers’ games are Unallocated and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Members of Middlesex and Northamptonshire County Cricket Clubs can also attend these games for free of charge on presentation of a Membership card.

• 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 this could cause scanning issues.

• 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.

Around the Ground:

• Sunrisers merchandise and clothing will be available to purchase outside the Doug Insole Pavilion in the Sunrisers gazebo.

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

• The Club have installed a new faith and reflection room. This is available to spectators throughout the duration of the match and is located within the Allen Ford Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.

• The Club Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open for spectators.

• 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.

Food & Drink:

• The Doug Insole Pavilion will be serving a wide range of hot and cold drinks from the bar. A choice of snacks will also be available to purchase.

• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground for this fixture. A limit of four cans of beer/lager or one bottle of wine per person but there’s strictly no glass or sharp objects permitted into the ground.

• Please note that The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, so please make sure you bring a suitable method of payment for your visit.

Leaving the Ground:

At the conclusion of the day’s 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 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.

England Men’s selection panel have named a 15-strong squad for the LV= Insurance Test match against Ireland at Lord’s starting on Thursday 1 June 2023.

England Men’s Test Squad:

Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)

Commenting on the selected squad, ECB Managing Director for England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key, said:

“We are looking forward to the summer ahead and getting into the swing of things, starting with a good test against Ireland.

“It was a seriously tough decision to leave Ben Foakes out of the squad. He has been excellent for England in the last year, but Jonny Bairstow is one of the best players in the world whose performances last summer epitomised what we are about.

“It has been a frustrating and upsetting period for Jofra Archer. He was making good progress until a recurrence of the elbow injury, which kept him out for an extended period previously. We wish him the best of luck with his recovery. I’m sure we will see Jofra back to his best and winning games for England, whatever the format. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.

“I would like to wish the players every success, especially those returning after some time away.”

Essex Second XI: Josh Rymell, Feroze Khushi, Robin Das, Luc Benkenstein, Will Buttleman (wk), Aron Nijjar (c), Ronnie McKenna, Aaron Beard, Eshun Kalley, Naivedyam Dwivedi, Chinmay Mullapudi, Alex Gosling.
Adam Rossington (WK), Feroze Khushi, Paul Walter (C), Robin Das, Josh Rymell, Will Buttleman, Ben Allison, Jamal Richards, Eshun Kalley, Ronnie McKenna, Vivan Hassen.

East London/SACA XI: SD Perera, K Patel (WK), B Kamal, O Akram, M Ahmed, S Joshi (Capt), A Zeb, MH Gul, H Latif, A Mir, Y Khursheed

Match Details:

Umpires: James Tredwell and Gary Marshall
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Essex won by 84 runs

Scorecard: View here

Match Report:

Essex Second XI recorded a 84-run victory over a East London/SACA XI in a T20 friendly fixture under the floodlights at The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford.

The match was arranged as part of Essex’s ongoing relationship with the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA), which launched in February.

The partnership also encompasses a link up with the link up to the flourishing East London Development Programme, which is based at
Leyton Urban Hub.

After launching in 2021, SACA aims to tackle the inequalities and specifically the lack of British South Asian (BSA) representation in professional cricket.

The fixture was also an opportunity for Adam Rossington to make his return to competitive action following a finger injury sustained in the recent LV= Insurance County Championship match against Lancashire. He marked his comeback by scoring 43 off 29 balls during a 46-minute spell in the middle.

Feroze Khushi and Paul Walter both hit 33, but succumbed with Rossington to the bowling of Yazaan Khursheed. Meanwhile, Will Buttleman starred with the bat for Essex, reaching his half-century off 24 balls. Josh Rymell ended the innings with 47 not out, and his 101-run partnership with Buttleman came off 43 deliveries until the later was out from the penultimate ball of the innings. Khursheed was the pick of the East London/SACA XI attack, returning figures of 3/33 from his four-over spell.

The Essex bowlers made swift inroads the run chase, reducing the visitors to 49-4 inside the opening 10 overs. Vivan Hassen impressed with the ball, taking the wickets of Savin Perera and Omar Akram, with the former scoring 23 before he was trapped lbw.

Some big hitting from East London/SACA XI skipper Sagar Joshi provided the spectators with some entertainment. His spirited 43 included six 4s and one 6 from the 28 deliveries he faced. But with the required rate out of sight, the result was never in doubt. Hassen finished with 2/21, while wickets were evenly distributed between Walter, Ben Allison, Jamal Richards and Alex Gosling.

Find out more information on the Club’s partnership with the South Asian Cricket Academy: View Here

The all-conquering Australians, under the captaincy of Don Bradman, arrived at Southchurch Park in glorious weekend sunshine to entertain packed crowds. Scheduled for three days, such was the overwhelming superiority of the tourists that the match was completed in two, each day attracting an estimated 16,000 spectators.

The visitors had won five consecutive matches, four by an innings, before this fixture and the crowds flocked to the seaside venue just a stone’s throw from the seafront to witness the Australians making hay in the Southend sun after winning the toss.

By lunch, having set the tone for the banquet of big hitting and fast scoring, they had reached 202 for the loss of one wicket after openers Sid Barnes and Bill Brown had put on 145 in 95 minutes before being parted, the only moment of concern for the batsmen occurring when Brown’s off stump was removed early on but off a no-ball. They continued undaunted and unbridled until Barnes hit his wicket trying to cut off-spinner Ray Smith.

Next man in, Bradman maintained the momentum and he served the crowd with a splendid hors d’oeuvre immediately before lunch when, after blocking the first ball of the final over before the interval, he struck the next five deliveries from leg-spinner Frank Vigar to the mid-wicket boundary.

For 90 minutes, “The Don” and Brown struck out freely to gather a whirlwind 219 runs before Brown was caught off the bowling of Trevor Bailey. With the score 364-2, Aussie golden-boy of the time the charismatic Keith Miller was bowled first ball by Bailey when he shouldered arms. There was some debate as to why Miller surrendered his wicket. One school of thought suggested he changed out of his whites and went to the races whilst another suggestion was that he wanted to resume a game of poker in the pavilion. A third line of thought, and perhaps more credible is that he had taken issue with skipper Bradman in not permitting some of the younger squad players to play against a side they regarded beforehand to be weak. What is beyond doubt is that he regarded the amassing of runs in such a way as wrong and wanted no part of it. “I got sick of the slaughter,” he said.

Having dismissed Brown and Miller with successive deliveries, Bailey’s hopes of a hat-trick were thwarted by Ron Hamence. When Bradman finally departed for a regal 187 that included 32 fours and one five and having scored at the rate of 90 runs per hour, the visitors continued to plunder runs ravenously from the Essex attack with Sam Loxton and wicket-keeper Ron Saggers piling on 166 in 65 minutes.

At tea, the tourists had reached 493 for 4 and just before the close, they were bowled out for 721, the highest total ever recorded in a single day’s first-class cricket and achieved in just 348 incredible minutes. The massive total included 88 fours and one five but at least Frank Rist could claim some credit for his day’s work. The Essex wicket-keeper conceded just nine extras, seven of them byes including four from one delivery and not a single leg-bye. In truth, he was also assisted by the fact that few deliveries passed the bat, they were generally being sent to all parts of the Southchurch outfield.

At least popular captain Tom Pearce could see a positive angle from the Essex perspective. He cheerfully claimed that Essex had become the first county in 1948 to bowl the Australians out in a day and they proved to be the only county to achieve that feat during the Aussies entire tour! While Australia could boast four century-makers in their innings, there were also four centurions amongst the Essex side although not with the bat as four members of the attack conceded 100 runs or more.

When play resumed on Monday, Essex was shot out for 83 by Ernie Toshack and Miller although Bailey – destined to become one of England’s greatest all-rounders – had broken a finger on the first day and was unable to bat in either innings.

Bradman dismissed the theory that his side had been fortunate to bat on a gem of a pitch. “Let me dispose of that by saying it was just as good on Monday when Essex batted,” he insisted. “It was all a question of comparative skill.”

Before lunch on the second day, spectators witnessed the Essex openers emerging from the pavilion a second time to face the new ball and they appeared to be heading for another dismal score when they recoiled to 46-6 but Pearce and Peter Smith restored some degree of pride with a partnership of 131 runs.

However, the losing margin of an innings and 451 runs set an Essex record that stands today. A more welcome statistic for the county provided a record attendance of 32,000 over the two days providing record gate receipts of £3,482 for Southchurch Park.

Some years later, Bailey recalled the match saying: “The tourist match was regarded as a very prestigious fixture by County players, the one game in particular that they wished to play. The Australian batsmen scored runs at an astonishing rate, just over two hundred per session throughout the day and their ability to hit the bad ball for four was remarkable, but Tom Pearce set standard fields throughout – like two slips and a gully – leaving plenty of gaps for the batsmen to find.

“However, in many respects, what was even more remarkable, was that in two minutes short of six hours when we came off the field at the close, we had sent down 129 overs, despite the vast amount of time lost retrieving the ball!

“Although the size of the crowd was a record for Essex, I reckon that I have subsequently met at least one million people who claim that they were at that game!”

During the tea interval on the opening day the Essex scorer, as was normal practice, went to the dressing room to hand skipper Pearce the current bowling figures. Bailey had conceded 96 runs at that stage and remarked that he had never conceded 100 runs in an innings. Unfortunately for him, that statistic was about to end. The remark was heard by his skipper who immediately handed the ball to Bailey upon the resumption. By the time the innings closed, Bailey had moved returned figures of 2-128 from 21 overs.

In his book ‘Wickets, Catches and the Odd Run,’ Trevor Bailey admitted that his admiration for the Australian team was “enormous” and he further recalls the occasion of this famous match.

“There were several intriguing features about that Southchurch massacre,” he wrote. “First – the Australians never accelerated – they kept plodding along at just under 250 runs per session.

“Second, I bowled Keith Miller for nought first ball with an absolutely straight ball. I remarked to Don (Bradman) that Keith had not appeared interested to which he relied with the cryptic, ‘he’ll learn.’

“Third although the attendance of 32,000 for the two days was easily a ground record, I have met subsequently at least one million people who claim to have been present.

“Finally, we managed somehow to bowl 129 overs, which was remarkable in six hours of play considering the amount of time spent retrieving the ball from the boundary.”

A record-breaking chapter in the Essex history, maybe not so fond if you were in the side for that match but surely fondly remembered by all present who were so richly entertained on May 15, 1948.

Essex: Catherine Dalton, Scarlett Hughes (WK), Kelly Castle (C), Katherine Speed, Jessica Bird, Tilly Callaghan, Bella Johnson, Hollie Dring-Richardson, Beth Dodd, Sally Chapman, Prisha Bedi.

Hertfordshire: Elsa Barnfather, Gemma Marriott, Charlotte Banks, Elizabeth Clune, Chloe Eayrs, Kezia Hassall (C), Tilly Larkins (WK), Ella Phillips, Rebecca Tyson, Mabel Reid, Hilary Howson.

Match Details:

Umpires: T Murphy & P Richardson
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Hertfordshire won by 8 wickets

Match Report:

Essex Women suffered semi-final heartache after Hertfordshire secured victory by 8 wickets in the Women’s County T20 Finals Day (Group Seven) Semi-Final at Felsted School.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Essex posted a seemingly competitive 133-6, after Jessica Bird top-scored with 32 off 34 balls during a 36-minute stint at the crease.

Wicketkeeper/batter Scarlett Hughes hit 31 off 23, while Matilda Callaghan contributed an unbeaten 20 to the Essex total. Rebecca Tyson and Elsa Barnfather, two of seven bowlers deployed by Hertfordshire, claimed two wickets apiece.

But Hertfordshire comfortably chased down their target with a little to spare. Gemma Marriott provided the foundations with an impressive 72-run knock from just 46 balls.

Elsa Barnfather contributed an unbeaten 38 to Hertfordshire’s success. Prisha Bedi and Kelly Castle were the only Essex bowlers to taste success with the ball in what proved to be a disappointing outcome.

Essex Cricket thanks all of the Ireland and Bangladesh fans who created such an incredible atmosphere during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super Series between the two sides at The Cloud County Ground over the past six days.

Chelmsford came alive with noise, colour and fantastic cricket during the three One Day Internationals with Bangladesh coming out on top by recording a 2-0 series victory.

Over 10,000 fans came through the gates at The Cloud County Ground in the three games, which included two sold out fixtures on the Tuesday and Sunday.

The match sparked a fantastic new relationship with the Chelmsford Muslim Society who supplied prayer mats for use in the Allen Ford Graham Gooch Cricket Centre each day. More than 1,000 visitors attended jamaat on Friday with many more making use of the newly installed faith & reflection room at The Cloud County Ground.

Stay up to date with Essex Cricket

For those who attended games at Chelmsford for the first time and want to stay up to date with both International and domestic cricket hosted at The Cloud County Ground, subscribe to our free Over & Out! enews below.

There is plenty of cricket still to come at Chelmsford this summer, with Essex’s T20 Blast campaign beginning on Tuesday 30 May against Gloucestershire.

Fans can also look forward to more International cricket, with England Women playing Sri Lanka Women in a Vitality IT20 in September. Tickets to watch Essex in the T20 Blast and England Women v Sri Lanka are available online or over the phone on 01245 254010 (phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm).

There is T20 cricket at Chelmsford coming tomorrow night (Monday 15 May) with the Essex Second XI taking on an East London XI, formed in collaboration with the South Asian Cricket Association, at 6:30pm. Entry to this fixture is FREE and the Doug Insole Pavilion will also be open, so if you liked what you saw this week then come back for more, free of charge.

Bangladesh Fans React:

The Cloud County Ground welcomes supporters of Ireland and Bangladesh on Sunday for the final One Day International of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super Series.

Bangladesh sealed a win in dramatic style on Friday and it is set to be another fantastic match in front of a sell-out crowd at Chelmsford.

Match Information:

• Sunday 14 May (10:45am)

The third ODI is sold out and there will be no tickets available to purchase on the gates for these fixtures.

Key Timings (scheduled):

Gates open: 9:15am
Toss: 10:15am
First Innings: 10:45am – 2:15pm
Innings Break: 2:15pm-2:45pm
Evening Session: 2:45pm-6:15pm
Scheduled Close of Play: 6:15pm

There are two entrance points at The Cloud County Ground via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street or alternatively, the Tees River Gate which is the closest entrance from Chelmsford City Centre and Chelmsford Bus/Train Stations.

Matchday Purchases:

The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchases from the range of food and drink kiosks located on the concourse and within the Doug Insole Pavilion. Find out more – here

Please note that the Essex Cricket Store is the only location on-site which accepts cash payments.

Matchday programmes will be available on the entry points and from the Essex Cricket Store. A scorecard for the respective fixture will also be enclosed and don’t forget to pick up your 4/6 card on your way in too!

Accessibility:

Accessible parking:
Accessible car parking spaces are located at The Cloud County Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Accessible Seating:
All tickets for this match must be purchased in advance with accessible seating located in the Hayes Close End, whilst a wheelchair-accessible platform is located in Block One of the Tom Pearce Stand.

Carer tickets must also be booked in advance and is upon the presentation of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old.

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).

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 pay & display multi-storey will be open across all three matches with extended opening hours in operation.

• Meteor Way car park will be open from 7:45am for spectators and is free of charge. However, spaces are only available on a first come, first served basis.

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 is operated by Greater Anglia and is an approximate 10-minute walk from The Cloud County Ground. Regular direct train services depart from Chelmsford to London, Stratford, Shenfield, Romford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Chelmsford is situated on the Liverpool Street to Norwich mainline.

Ground Entry & Seating:

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

• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for supporters who present their Essex County Cricket Club Membership card in addition to their valid match tickets. Entry is also permitted to those who have purchased an exclusive Doug Insole Pavilion match ticket.

• 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.

• 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.

• Entry to this fixture is not included in 2023 Membership and all areas of The Cloud County Ground are allocated so please refer to your match ticket for your seat information. If you require any assistance finding your seat then please speak to one of our matchday stewards who will be happy to help.

Around the Ground:

Essex are proud to welcome supporters of both teams to the matches this week. Our aim is make your visit as comfortable and welcoming as possible.

• Supporters who wish to pray or reflect during their visit to The Cloud County Ground can visit the newly installed faith & reflection room which is located in the Allen Ford Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.

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

• The Club Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open for spectators for the duration of your visit.

• 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.

Food & Drink:

• Anne’s Pantry will be offering a choice of home-cooked meals including a wide range of halal curries. Other options will also be available as well as cakes/snacks, and drinks from their refreshment kiosks located in the Hayes Close End and River 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.

• The Doug Insole Pavilion will be serving a wide range of hot and cold drinks from the bar. A choice of other snacks will also be available to purchase.

• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground but there is a strict policy on no glass, sharp objects or the importation of alcohol.

• Please note that The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, so please make sure you bring a suitable method of payment for your visit.

Leaving the Ground:

At the conclusion of the day’s 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 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.