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When Bangladesh took to the field to meet Ireland in the first of their three-match ODI Series, it was the fourth time in their cricketing history that they have appeared at Chelmsford.

These upcoming fixtures offer a great opportunity for Bangladesh to hone their skills ahead of the World Cup having qualified via their successful Super League campaign but for their opponents, it’s make or break time. The men in green needed to win all three matches to retain hopes of automatic qualification for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, to be hosted by India.

Bangladesh, a country in South Asia with a population of around 169 million people in an area of 148,460 square kilometres is among the most densely populated countries in the world.

In 1999, the emerging cricket nation played two matches at Chelmsford, the first on May 08, when they faced an Essex XI in a warm-up match ahead of their World Cup match at the venue.

Ronnie Irani won the toss, invited the visitors to bat and watched Mark Ilott remove both openers for ducks in his first couple of overs. However, the tourists recovered led by a superb unbeaten century from vice-captain and wicket-keeper Khaled Mahmud. He was 108* (5×6’s, 9×4’s, from 92 balls) when the innings closed on 263-7 wickets.

Pick of the Essex attack were Ilott with 2/35 from his 10.0 overs and Irani with 2/34 from 9.0 overs.

Rain interrupted the Essex reply and brought the Duckworth/Lewis system into effect and when the weather relented, the target for Essex was 205 from 34.0 overs.

Paul Prichard and Stuart Law both contributed 32 and Tim Walton 44 but the introduction of the spinners swung the fortunes of the game to the tourists as 6 wickets went down in 9.0 overs to reduce the home side to 132-7.

It was left to Ilott and wicket-keeper Barry Hyam to re-ignite the challenge but despite an attacking exhibition with a little help from Lady Luck, the pair added 44 taking their side to 176 before the partnership was broken with the departure of Hyam. Ilott’s spirited effort had carried him to 51 not out (32 balls, 4x 6, 1x 4) when the match was completed with Essex 199/8 and beaten by 5 runs thus allowing the Bangladesh supporters to celebrate the victory in lively and enthusiastic manner.

Barry Hyam recalls, “Mark (Ilott) and I put together a decent partnership of 44 which took us close to the target before I was dismissed caught and bowled,” he said. “I’d scored 16 from 11 balls that included a six and a four but we just fell short.”

And the former player who is now the County’s Academy Director added: “The next day, we played England as part of their World Cup warm-up and that proved to be an even closer match.

“They scored 229-7 for their 50 overs but they beat us by one run. Nasser (Hussain) opened for us and scored 82, Stuart Law got 64 and we were 155-2 after 35 overs but again, we just failed to get over the line. We were 228-9 at the end.”

Having narrowly overcome Essex, nine days later Bangladesh faced New Zealand in the World Cup. Swarms of Bangladesh fans arrived to offer passionate support their cricketing heroes. In addition to those holding tickets and paying for entry, a significant number the Bangladesh supporters climbed trees and fences to gain unauthorised entry. Collectively though they gained the reputation of being the noisiest and most colourful enthusiastic crowd ever to attend Chelmsford creating a carnival atmosphere. Unfortunately for them, events ton the field did not go as hoped and the World Cup minnows succumbed to a comprehensive defeat.

17 May 1999: Matthew Horne of New Zealand bats during the Cricket World Cup Group B match against Bangladesh played at Chelmsford, England. New Zealand won the game by 6 wickets. Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport

Bangladesh failed to contend with the early morning movement after being put into and struggled to 51-7 against a formidable pace attack in which Geoff Allott, Chris Cairns and Gavin Larsen found conditions ideal.

Rated as rank outsiders in the World Cup competition, Bangladesh proved they were undertaking a steep learning curve when they finally bowled out for 116 in 37.4 overs and the Kiwis had few problems in completing a 6-wickets success with 17 overs as Matthew Horne (35) and Roger Twose (30*) took control of the runs pursuit.

Despite the one-sided nature of the match, the thousands of Bangladeshi fans maintained their vociferous backing for their side throughout.

With the match covered by Sky Sports, the county’s security staff had taken precautions to guard the stumps at the conclusion of the game, particularly those with cameras. Although temporarily one such stump cam was lost to a keen Bangladeshi fan, it was later retrieved by a steward. It was as a result of that incident that Sky subsequently decided to change those stumps shortly before the conclusion of matches.

17 May 1999: Hasibul Hussain of Bangladesh hits Gavin Larsen of New Zealand for six runs during the Cricket World Cup Group B match played at Chelmsford, England. New Zealand won the game by 6 wickets. Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport

Between 27 May and 12 July 2010, Bangladesh returned to England playing three One Day Internationals and two Test matches. Once again, Essex provided the opposition at Chelmsford as part of the tourists warm-up ahead of the international clashes with a three-day match commencing on 14 May.

Essex rested a number of their regular side allowing fast bowler Max Osborne and all-rounder Michael Comber to make their first-class debuts. And both claimed wickets for their landmark appearance but the eye-catching return came from Maurice Chambers with 4/32, his best first-class figures to date.

The tourists, put into bat, were dismissed for 231 in their first innings before opener John Maunders scored 126 in a total of 313 all out when the hosts replied. The former Leicestershire batter spent 38 minutes in the 90’s before reaching three figures and figured in a partnership of 110 with Matt Walker who scored 45 before being dismissed. Grant Flower, captaining the Essex side posted 46 before the innings capitulated with the final 3 wickets only adding 4 runs.

In their second visit to the middle, tourists again found progress difficult against the young and inexperienced Essex attack who bowled out their opponents for 211 with Tony Palladino and Osborne sharing 6 wickets whilst Chambers and Comber collected two apiece.

Having been set 130 for victory, Essex wobbled to 78 for five before the composed Flower (34*), together with Adam Wheater (19*), posted an unbeaten 52 runs partnership to see their side across the finishing line and complete a 5-wickets success with a session to spare.

John Maunders made the most of Bangladesh’s inexperienced pace attack with his eighth first-class

Warwickshire: Rob Yates , Alex Davies, Will Rhodes (c), Sam Hain, Dan Mousley, Ed Barnard, Michael Burgess (wk), Hassan Ali, Danny Briggs, Chris Rushworth, Olly Hannon-Dalby.

Match Details:

Umpires: David Millns & Robert White
Match Referee: James Whitaker
Toss: Warwickshire won the toss and elected to bowl
Scorecard: View here
Result: Warwickshire won by 4 wickets

Day Three Highlights:

Day Three Report:

Essex slipped to their first LV= Insurance County Championship defeat of the season at Edgbaston as Warwickshire ran out victors by 4 wickets.

The story of seam-bowling dominance continued into the third day as Essex were bowled out in their second innings for 215. Chris Rushworth exploited helpful overhead conditions to finish with four for 62 (eight for 90 in the match) while Hassan Ali took four for 48.

That left a victory target of 100 and, as batting remained far from straightforward, Warwickshire had to work hard to get there, reaching 100 for six from 27.2 overs.

The skills of Rushworth and Hassan, ably supported in the seam department by Olly Hannon-Dalby and Ed Barnard, were the decisive factor in a fast-moving match which yielded a result on the third day despite the loss of 41 overs to the weather on the first two.

A first defeat of the season came as a dissapointment for Essex after their impressive display in the draw against champions Surrey last week.

After Essex resumed on the third morning on 86 for four, still trailing by 30, overnight pair Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper took their side in front but neither lasted much longer as three wickets fell in 15 balls. Critchley edged Hassan Ali to Rob Yates at first slip and Rushworth pinned Pepper lbw and had Doug Bracewell brilliantly caught by Sam Hain at second slip.

Simon Harmer (50*) and Shane Snater (31) attacked effectively to ensure they would at least have something to bowl at, but the relentless seam team kept nagging away.

Snater was snared lbw by Hannon-Dalby, and Hassan Ali had Sam Cook caught at long leg and Jamie Porter taken at slip.

Chasing 100 in a minimum of 73 overs, Warwickshire had plenty of time but Alex Davies sought to do the job quickly and fell lbw to Cook when he missed an attempt to send the ball into the River Rea.

Batting remained awkward as Essex’s seamers showed their skills. Yates edged Porter into the cordon and when Bracewell produced two superb away-cutters to remove Hain and Will Rhodes in three balls, it was 65 for four and Essex had a glimmer of hope.

Dan Mousley and Barnard added an important 21 and, though the dismissal of Mousley and Michael Burgess in successive overs had a few home nerves jangling at 91 for six, Barnard (23*) steered his team home.

Day Two Highlights:

Day Two Report:

A buccaneering tenth-wicket stand of 70 restored Warwickshire’s control after Essex fought back hard on the second day of their captivating LV=Insurance County Championship match at Edgbaston.

Essex closed day two on 86 for four, still trailing by 30, in a mesmeric contest between two potential title-challengers.

After bowling Essex out for 126 on day one, Warwickshire appeared set for only a modest lead when they lost seven wickets in 17 overs to dip to 172 for nine. The momentum was firmly with Essex’s seamers, led by Doug Bracewell (four for 51), but last pair Hassan Ali (53 not out, 47 balls) and Olly Hannon-Dalby clouted 70 from 69 balls to lift their side to 242.

The wagging tail extended the lead to an imposing 116 and piled the pressure back on Essex who need their middle and lower orders to bat big tomorrow. Further twists are likely in match which has fluctuated wildly throughout.

After Warwickshire resumed on the second morning on 17 for two, Will Rhodes (63, 158) and Sam Hain (45, 100) batted through the morning session to take their side to 104 for two at lunch – just 22 behind. A big lead beckoned but the seeds of an Essex fightback had been sown by Sam Cook and Simon Harmer. Late in the morning they bowled 14 overs for 17 runs to ensure that, despite wickets intact, the home side had not got away. Then, after lunch, wickets came in a heap.

Shane Snater triggered the collapse with a brace of excellent balls which did for Hain and Dan Mousley in successive overs. Ed Barnard batted attractively for 28 (39 balls) but Bracewell’s removal of him, bowled through a drive, triggered the loss of five wickets in 32 balls. Sam Cook trapped Danny Briggs lbw while Bracewell forced fatal edges from Michael Burgess, Chris Rushworth and Rhodes who, having batted with great responsibility, departed cursing himself at being lured into reaching outside off stump.

From 172 for nine, Warwickshire’s last pair brought the crowd to its feet with an audacious counter attack. Hassan Ali began it by launching Cook twice into the Hollies Stand. Hannon-Dalby joined in with successive sixes pulled off Bracewell to raised the 50 stand from 50 balls. Hassan located the seating again to bring up his half-century from 33 balls. When Hannon-Dalby finally edged Snater behind, the flow of the match had reversed spectacularly again.

Second time around, Essex lost Nick Browne, bowled by Rushworth in the third over. Tom Westley and Alastair Cook started to put down roots of the hefty stand their team required but fell lbw in the space of three overs. Barnard ousted Westley before Hassan Ali dismissed Cook. On a damp, grey afternoon, in front of a smattering of championship diehards, the former England captain trudged off the Edgbaston field where he enjoyed some of his greatest moments – 294 v India, 243 v West Indies – for almost certainly the last time: a poignant dimension to two days of cricket with more angles than you can shake a stick at.

Day One Highlights:

Day One Report:

Essex finished Day Two on a high taking two wickets after Warwickshire’s Chris Rushworth starred with the ball on a rain-affected opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Edgbaston.

Former Durham seamer Rushworth went into this game, his fifth for Warwickshire, with 22 wickets at 15.27 apiece and enhanced those figures further with four for 28 as Essex were all out for 126.

Warwickshire then encountered turbulence of their own as they reached 17-2 at the close of a day which provided abundant drama and entertainment despite play not starting until 3pm due to rain.

After Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes won the toss for the first time this season, Essex’s batters found life difficult in damp, seamer-friendly conditions. Only skipper Tom Westley (47 off 94 balls) lasted more than an hour.

Both Essex openers fell to the new ball. Rushworth, fresh from his dazzling seven for 38 in Southampton last week, sent an inswinger into Alastair Cook’s pads to win an lbw decision. Hassan Ali, recalled in place of the rested Chris Woakes, struck with his fifth ball when Nick Browne feathered a leg glance and wicketkeeper Michael Burgess took a fine catch, one-handed and at full stretch.

Westley and Dan Lawrence added 52 in 12 overs before Rushworth’s brilliant over sent the innings into ruin. Lawrence chipped the first ball to extra over. Matt Critchley narrowly survived the second and third then edged the fourth to Rob Yates at slip. Michael Pepper fell lbw to the sixth. It was bowling of a level of control, intelligence and potency which would not look out of place in an Ashes series.

Control, intelligence and potency are attributes which Hannon-Dalby’s work consistently displays and he heightened Essex’s distress in the last session with a burst of 4/10 in 28 balls. Simon Harmer’s obdurate 39-ball resistance for three was ended by a spectacular rearrangement of furniture, Doug Bracewell edged to slip and Westley was caught at extra cover.

After Hassan Ali returned to trap Sam Cook lbw and Hannon-Dalby hit Shane Snater’s off stump the last eight wickets had fallen for 50 runs in 19.2 overs.

Essex inflicted immediate damage upon Warwickshire’s reply when Jamie Porter’s first ball trapped Yates in front. Porter added a second wicket with the day’s final ball when Alex Davies edged to third slip to leave the visitors still right in the game despite their paltry first innings total.

After the fantastic atmosphere created during the opening One Day International between Ireland and Bangladesh, the two sides return to The Cloud County Ground on Friday 12 May.

Supporters who wish to pray or reflect during their visit to The Cloud County Ground are invited to join one our jamaat with two time slots available to attend at 1:45pm and 2:15pm. This will take place within the Allen Ford Graham Gooch Cricket Centre on a first come, first served basis with a limited capacity of 150 people.

Spectators are also welcome to leave and re-enter the ground to attend the local Chelmsford mosque which a short 5-minute walk away via the Tees River Gate. Please note spectators must keep their valid match ticket to access on the ground on their return.

Further information can be viewed at the Chelmsford Muslim Society – here.

Match Information:

Tuesday 09 May (10:45am) | Friday 12 May (10:45am) | Sunday 14 May (10:45am)

Tickets for the third ODI on Sunday 14 May are sold out and will not be available to purchase on the gates.

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

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.

Complimentary matchday programmes will be available on entry points and from the Essex Cricket Store and include a match scorecard for the respective fixture.

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).

Ahead of Your Visit:

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 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 a specific tickets for the Doug Insole Pavilion and benches.

• 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.

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.

Following the opening ODI between Ireland and Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super Series on Tuesday, the sides return on Friday with the chance to take a lead in the three-game series.

Tuesday was played in front of a sold out ground at Chelmsford with the final match on Sunday also completely sold out!

This is your final chance to watch the Men in Green take on The Tigers with limited availability on tickets for the second ODI match.

The Club will also be hosting a special Friday prayer event on site within the Allen Ford Graham Gooch Cricket Centre at 1pm on Friday. Spectators are also welcome to leave and re-enter the ground to attend prayer at the Chelmsford Mosque during the match however a valid ticket must be kept at all times.

Please note that tickets will not be available on the gates for these fixtures and must be purchased in advance.

• Friday 12 May: Ireland v Bangladesh – 2nd ODI (10:45am) – Buy Tickets

Hospitality packages are available for this fixture – Buy Hospitality

• Sunday 14 May: Ireland v Bangladesh – 3rd ODI (10:45am) – Tickets Sold Out

Hospitality packages are available for this fixture – Buy Hospitality

For further information on these fixtures, please get in contact with the Essex Cricket Membership & Ticketing Office on [email protected] or 01245 254010 (Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm).

In the lead-up to the ODI series between Ireland and Bangladesh at Chelmsford, freelance cricket writer Tawhid Qureshi explored the often-overlooked British Bangladeshi fanbase and the history of Bangladeshi cricket in the Country, and in Essex.

On the face of it the World Cup Super League matches between Ireland and Bangladesh at Chelmsford is just another series of ODIs ahead of this year’s World Cup, albeit an important one for Ireland given that their direct World Cup qualification hopes rest on the outcome. But for the British Bangladeshi community in Essex and beyond, the series represents something perhaps even more significant than World Cup glory; it’s a rare chance to glimpse their heroes in the flesh.

Bangladesh’s visits to England are curiously infrequent; this will be their first match on English soil since 2019 and they have only been invited twice to play a series against England in England. The dearth of Bangladesh players in county cricket or The Hundred, only adds to the sense that Bangladesh cricket has been largely invisible in England.

However, Bangladesh are on an upward trajectory, particularly in white ball cricket, as demonstrated in the recent 3-0 T20I win against England and comprehensive white ball series wins against Ireland in Bangladesh. These positive results has meant that fans are even more eager to see the team showcase their talents.

Bangladesh’s unique association with Essex goes back to the 1999 World Cup when they played a warm-up match against Essex and a group stage match against New Zealand at Chelmsford. Essex have clearly been keen to leverage this established relationship and tap into the growing excitement of the local Bangladesh community. Various engagement activity has ensured that the Bangladesh community have been integral to the organising and staging of the series.

One example of this was the selection of net bowlers from British Bangladeshi club players, who were used during Bangladesh’s practice sessions. This brought about the enticing prospect of amateurs facing their idols. It was certainly an awe-inspiring experience for one of the net bowlers, Manchester University student Khaled Awdri, “I grew up watching legends such as Mushi (Mushfiqur Rahim), I couldn’t believe he was batting in front of me. I’m a big fan of Ebadot (Hossain) too, it was lovely to see his bowling action close-up”, he said.

In addition, throughout the series, the pre-match bell will be rung by different unsung heroes from the Bangladesh community, who have each made a significant contribution to promoting cricket. Jusnara Khanom has been chosen for her dedication to coaching and delivering the Dynamos, All Stars and Chance to Shine female cricket programmes. Similarly, Emdad Rahman was selected for inspiring young people and for volunteering over a 20 year period.

As the President of the UK Bangladesh Cricket Supporters Association, Abdus Salam is steeped in cricket tradition and a long serving member of the community. “I never believed I would be asked to ring the pre-match bell, it’s such a huge honour. I’m so happy to be doing it, particularly as it’s during a Bangladesh match. I’m also grateful to those who nominated me”, he enthused.

Abdus Salam, President of the UK Bangladesh Cricket Supporters Association

Regardless of the results on the pitch and the threat of adverse weather, the series is bound to be a memorable occasion for the often overlooked army of UK based Bangladesh supporters.

Tawhid Qureshi is a freelance cricket writer who focuses on Bangladesh cricket, his twitter handle is @SightScreenCJ and his website is sightscreencj.com

Final tickets available for Friday

There are still a handful of tickets left for the ODI between Ireland and Bangladesh this Friday 12 May. It’s the only game left in the series with tickets available, and they can be purchased from £25 for adults and £10 for juniors.

Essex: Catherine Dalton, Grace Poole, Scarlett Hughes (wk), Kelly Castle (c), Katherine Speed, Matilda Callaghan, Esmae MacGregor, Bella Johnson, Prisha Bedi, Sally Chapman, Beth Dodd and Francesca Hughes.

Northamptonshire: Jodi Grewcock, Josie Groves, Josie Groves, Hayley Brown, Joanne Gardner, Alicia Presland, Bethany Ascott, Patricia Hankins (c), Bethan Solomon, Rachael Potter, Anje Lague, Poppy Smart (wk).

Match 1 Details:

Umpires: Joanna Johnson & Debra Foye
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Northamptonshire won by seven wickets

Match 1 Report:

Northamptonshire 68/9 (20.0 overs)
Essex 69/5 (16.1 overs)

Northamptonshire came out on top by seven wickets in the first meeting. After having taken the ball, the visitors restricted Essex to 84-9 from their twenty overs.

Katherine Speed top scored with 20, while Catherine Dalton was the only other Essex batter to reach double figures, hitting 19. Meanwhile, there were two wickets apiece for Northants trio, Josie Groves, Alicia Presland and Patricia Hankins.

Northants chased down their target with 9 balls to spare. Jodi Grewcock’s unbeaten 44 proved decisive as she carried her bat with Prisha Bedi, Kelly Castle and Beth Dodd tasting tempered success with the ball for the home side.

Match 2 Details:

Umpires: Joanna Johnson & Debra Foye
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Essex won by five wickets

Match 2 Report:

Essex swiftly gained revenge with a five-wicket success over Northants in another low-scoring contest.

Grace Poole, Sally Chapman and Esmae Macgregor each claimed 2 wickets as Northants were restricted to 68-9. Rachael Potter, unbeaten on 12, was the only visiting batter to get into double-figures.

Essex reached Northants total with the first ball of the seventeenth over. Grace Poole hit 17, while Josie Groves did her utmost with the ball for Northants, finishing with impressive figures of 3/7 from her 3.1 over-spell.