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Middlesex v Essex

LV= Insurance County Championship

Lord’s Cricket Ground, Thursday 06 – Sunday 09 April 2023

Team News:

Essex: Nick Browne, Alastair Cook, Tom Westley (c), Dan Lawrence, Matt Critchley, Adam Rossington (wk), Simon Harmer, Simon Harmer, Ben Allison, Sam Cook, Jamie Porter.

Middlesex: Mark Stoneman, Sam Robson, Steve Eskinazi, Pieter Malan, Max Holden, John Simpson (wk), Ryan Higgins, Luke Hollman, Toby Roland-Jones (c), Tom Helm, Tim Murtagh.

Match Details:

Umpires: Michael Burns & Richard Illingworth
Match Referee: James Whitaker
Toss: Middlesex won the toss and elected to field
Result: Essex won by 97 runs

Scorecard: View Here

Day Four Highlights:

Day Four Report:

Shane Snater took two wickets in as many balls to end Middlesex’s stubborn resistance and wrap up Essex’s first LV= Insurance County Championship win at Lord’s since 2009.

Chasing a nominal target of 308, the home side displayed fighting spirit on the final morning as Ryan Higgins and Luke Hollman frustrated the bowlers with an eighth-wicket partnership of 87.

But Snater finally achieved the breakthrough, removing Higgins and Toby Roland-Jones with successive deliveries after lunch before Jamie Porter collected the final wicket to dismiss Middlesex for 210 and clinch a 97-run success.

Porter and fellow seamer Sam Cook finished with three apiece, while Snater returned figures of two for 34 and Hollman top-scored for Middlesex with an unbeaten 63 that included eight boundaries.

Having resumed at 77-5, the home side lost their sixth wicket in the second over of the day, a rising delivery from Sam Cook that nightwatchman Tom Helm could only fend into the hands of first slip.

It was Porter, with six wickets to his name in the first innings, who prised out Stephen Eskinazi, trapping the right-hander in front of his stumps for 37.

But Essex were held up by the eighth-wicket pair, with Higgins largely adopting a watchful approach – although he opted to take on Simon Harmer, pumping the off-spinner over the rope at long on to lift the total into three figures.

Hollman, meanwhile, looked strong off the back foot as he punched both Cook and Harmer through point to the boundary, along with an audacious reverse sweep off the latter that brought him four more.

The pair shepherded Middlesex to lunch at 162 for seven and they continued to hold out for another half-hour after the resumption, when Snater finally gained tangible reward for his consistent spell.

Higgins, whose edge had fallen short of the fielder in Snater’s previous over, was leg before for 41 and Roland-Jones steered the next delivery to first slip, where Alastair Cook leapt to his right to take the catch.

There was still time for Hollman to complete his half-century by sweeping Harmer for three before Porter castled Tim Murtagh to seal the opening victory of the 2023 season.

Day Three Highlights:

Day Three Report:

Essex’s seamers destroyed the Middlesex top order for the second time in 24 hours as they closed in on victory on day three of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash at Lord’s.

Nominally chasing 308 to win Middlesex’s first four batters were all on a pair after the havoc wreaked by Jamie Porter’s six-fer on day two.  And the mental scars of that had clearly not healed as the hosts quickly plummeted to 15-3, Sam Cook the chief architect with an opening burst of two for four.

Max Holden and John Simpson also succumbed to the spin of Simon Harmer and Matt Critchley respectively as Middlesex closed on 77-5, Cook finishing on 2-16.

Earlier, Critchley’s 53 ensured Essex reached 211 in their second innings, Tim Murtagh taking 4-44.

The story once again revolved around Middlesex’s front-line batters crumbling in their first taste of Division One cricket since promotion last summer.

Mark Stoneman relieved Sam Robson of the responsibility of facing the first ball, though soon wished he hadn’t when three balls in first-innings nemesis Porter (one for 24) pinned him in front, though replays suggested he may have been outside the line.

Robson survived the king pair but reached only three before suffering the same fate at the hands of Cook, who then had Essex’s third lbw appeal against Pieter Malan upheld, the South African this time making four. It wasn’t quite 4-4, but the Seaxes were again in tatters.

Max Holden briefly lifted the gloom, driving the ball well, especially square of the wicket, but he was cut off in his prime, a victim of the wiles of Simon Harmer, the 13^th lbw of the match.

And Middlesex’s day was summed up in the penultimate over when Simpson clouted a full toss back into the hands of the grateful Critchley

Middlesex raised eyebrows at start of play by throwing the new ball to Ryan Higgins ahead of Murtagh at the Nursery End. The ploy nearly worked with the medium pacer rapping Sir Alastair Cook on the pad in the first few overs. His vociferous appeal was not upheld, though it looked adjacent.

Scare survived, Cook and Browne prospered against some initially wayward bowling. When Murtagh relieved Higgins he was immediately driven for four by Cook, who then deposited his next offering into the Mound Stand for six.

Murtagh gained recompense when Browne drove loosely to be caught at cover for soon after raising the half-century stand.

Cook too didn’t overly prosper from his earlier reprieve, brilliantly caught and bowled by Higgins and Tom Westley too departed before lunch to a leg-side strangle, but by then Essex had turned their 96-run lead into one of almost 200.

Critchley was Essex’s mainstay through the afternoon. The former Derbyshire all-rounder made a century on debut for Essex last season against Kent, but only passed 50 in the championship on one other occasion, a 90 in the reverse fixture at Canterbury.

Here, with Essex in the ascendancy he could play patiently and wait for the odd bad ball, and in company first with day one centurion Dan Lawrence and then Harmer he reached the landmark for the third time in Essex colours with the help of eight boundaries.

Critchley and Harmer were eventually victims of a frugal afternoon spell from Murtagh, unusually bowling from the Pavilion End, but by then Essex appeared to have enough in the bank.

Day Two Reaction: Jamie Porter

Day Two Highlights:

Day Two Report:

Jamie Porter wrecked Middlesex’s top order with a devastating spell to put Essex on top in their LV= Insurance County Championship game at Lord’s and eclipse Toby Roland-Jones’ seven-wicket haul.

Porter, operating in tandem with seam partner Sam Cook, ended the day with six for 35 and looked virtually unplayable as the pair ripped out Middlesex’s first four batters – all for ducks – to reduce them to a perilous four for four.

That burst followed Roland-Jones’ return of seven for 61 to dismiss Essex for 266, the second-best figures of the Seaxes’ skipper’s career and a performance that ushered him beyond the landmark of 500 first-class wickets.

Ryan Higgins and John Simpson oversaw a spirited recovery with their sixth-wicket stand of 127, but the home side trail by 96 after being bowled out for 170 at stumps.

With Essex resuming on 162 for three, Dan Lawrence looked impatient to reach his hundred as he immediately gave Tim Murtagh the charge and swatted him over the short leg-side boundary.

Lawrence got there with a perfectly-timed straight drive for four off Higgins, but he played across the line at Tom Helm soon afterwards, missed and was trapped in front of middle and leg for 105.

Meanwhile, Matt Critchley survived a close call, almost playing on to Helm and retreated into his shell, taking the best part of two hours to reach double figures as Essex’s scoring rate slowed to a crawl.

They added just nine runs in the 10 overs which preceded the new ball and Roland-Jones – last year’s leading Championship wicket-taker with 67 – made good use of it, picking up three in rapid succession to complete his five-for.

Former Middlesex player Adam Rossington wafted a loose shot into the waiting hands of deep square leg before the captain removed Simon Harmer, leg before shuffling across, and Shane Snater with consecutive deliveries.

The clatter of wickets prompted a more adventurous approach by Critchley, clubbing four boundaries off the first over of the afternoon from Helm to secure a batting bonus point.

However, the Essex tail folded rapidly, with Critchley the last man out for 55 as he top-edged Roland-Jones and wicketkeeper Simpson, running back into the sun, judged the catch perfectly with a flying leap.

But, if Middlesex appeared to have the upper hand, that notion was dispelled inside the opening over of their reply as Porter pinned Sam Robson plumb lbw with his first ball before his third pierced Pieter Malan’s defences.

Stephen Eskinazi followed in Porter’s next over, caught down the leg side and, when Mark Stoneman edged Sam Cook to first slip for the fourth successive duck of the innings, the home side were reeling.

That was the first time since 1975, when Surrey’s bowlers inflicted an identical blow against Lancashire, that a Championship side’s top four had all failed to score.

It took Middlesex almost five overs to muster a run off the bat, with Max Holden pushing a single on the off side and the left-hander reached six before he was taken low in the slips to become Porter’s fourth victim.

The Seaxes’ position might have been even more precarious, had Rossington clung onto Simpson’s edge when he had scored five, but he and Higgins gradually saw off the opening pair and launched a counter-attack.

Having edged Porter past his stumps to get off the mark, Higgins was the more aggressive of the pair, reaching his half-century from 62 balls and dispatching Harmer for four to ensure the follow-on was averted.

But the Essex spinner got his man late in the day, bowling Higgins for 70 before Porter returned to collect two more wickets, including that of Simpson who miscued to mid-on for 63.

Day One Highlights:

Day One Report:

Dan Lawrence was the highlight as Essex had the better of a truncated, gloomy opening day of the LV = Insurance County Championship season against newly-promoted Middlesex.

Lawrence, a man still on the fringes of England selection despite a dismal 2022 Championship season where he averaged only 22.10, showed little of the aggressive intent so much in vogue and survived a chance when 32 in reaching 74 not out in a score of 162-3 before bad light and rain intervened for the final time.

He shared a stand on 121 with skipper Tom Westley, while it was hard work for the home bowlers, new skipper Toby Roland-Jones the pick with two for 42.

The opening day began amid news Andrew Strauss’ High Performance Review had been consigned to history.

Perhaps more pertinently changes to the point-scoring system mean only five will be awarded for a draw and batting sides are now required to score 450, not 400 for maximum points.

The hope is for more aggressive batting akin to England’s Test approach, despite the season starting on April 6 under grey skies at Lord’s with rain in the air.

Eyes too were on opening batters, the accepted wisdom being any England vacancy is at the top of the order, assuming Jonny Bairstow isn’t shoehorned into the role as soon as he returns from injury.

With Essex losing the toss and being inserted by Roland-Jones such a backdrop was of little relevance to Sir Alastair Cook – legend of a different England era – while opening partner Nick Browne is probably not on the radar.

Nevertheless, the pair rattled along early on, despite the gloom, but this had more to do with the friendly offerings served up by Roland-Jones and Tim Murtagh, who was uncharacteristically loose from his beloved Nursery End, than any regard to chasing the bonus points.

Neither though entertained us for long, Cook the victim of a leg-side strangle, while Brown fell to the very next ball, Robson holding a fine catch above his head. Infuriatingly for Browne and the visitors, he hadn’t reached the boundary rope before the rain came, the first of two interruptions to a much-truncated morning.

Their demise brought Lawrence to the crease, a man with a case to make as one on the England fringes. He began fractiously, surviving an injudicious charge down the wicket before Robson dropped him at slip. To rub salt in the wounds, the right-hander drove luckless bowler Murtagh gloriously straight for four in the very next over.

Such shows of flamboyance were rare through much the afternoon as circumspection superseded daring-do, but in harness with Westley, Lawrence batted the visitors into a position of strength, reaching 50 from 113 balls with seven fours.

The 100 partnership was delayed by tea-time rain, but on the resumption, Lawrence expanded his repertoire, flat-batting Roland-Jones calypso style through the covers before advancing to the next ball and lofting it over the same region.

Westley remained becalmed if untroubled and it was a surprise when he slashed the persevering Roland-Jones to backward point to depart for 48.

Soon afterwards the light closed in before the rain came again and play was abandoned for the day.

The second One-Day International between Ireland Men and Bangladesh Men at The Cloud County Ground in May will now start at 10:45am (local time).

The match was initially scheduled to begin at 2pm, however, to ensure the match timings were conducive to viewers in Bangladesh as well as in Ireland/UK for all matches, the decision has been made to change to the earlier start time.

Ticket holders: tickets will automatically be valid for the earlier start time of 10:45am and please get in contact with the Essex Cricket Membership & Ticketing Office if you have any queries on [email protected] or 01245 254010 (Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm).

Fixtures:

• Tuesday 9 May: Ireland Men v Bangladesh Men – 1st ODI, The Cloud County Ground (10:45am) – BUY TICKETS
• Friday 12 May: Ireland Men v Bangladesh Men – 2nd ODI, The Cloud County Ground (10.45am) – BUY TICKETS
• Sunday 14 May: Ireland Men v Bangladesh Men – 3rd ODI, The Cloud County Ground (10:45am) – BUY TICKETS

Essex begin the 2023 LV= Insurance County Championship campaign with a trip to the capital to face newly promoted Middlesex. After finishing fourth last season, Essex will be keen to start the season well with a victory over the 2022 Division Two runners-up.

The fixture, starting on Thursday 06, will be the first time the two sides have met in a red-ball contest since September 2020 when competing in the Bob Willis Trophy, which Essex went on to win.

Squad:

Anthony McGrath has named a 13-player squad that will travel to Lord’s on Thursday morning with a number of the 2022 key performers in line to start the opening game of the County Championship season, including leading wicket-taker Simon Harmer and top run-scorer Alastair Cook, who is set to feature in his 20th season in first-class cricket.

Middlesex squad:

Toby Roland-Jones (c)
Ethan Bamber
Stephen Eskinazi
Tom Helm
Ryan Higgins
Max Holden
Luke Hollman
Pieter Malan
Tim Murtagh
Sam Robson
John Simpson (wk)
Mark Stoneman
Robbie White

The Opposition:

Continuity was Middlesex’s main objective in the wake of promotion with Stephen Eskinazi, Tom Helm and spin duo Luke Hollman and Thilan Walallawita all agreeing new deals.

The County are yet to announce a replacement for overseas signing Keshav Maharaj, with the left-arm spinner’s stint at Lord’s cancelled after his freak Achilles injury while playing for South Africa.

With stalwart seamer Tim Murtagh taking up a player-coach role, there should be increased opportunities for younger bowlers like Ethan Bamber to step up and spearhead the attack alongside Toby Roland-Jones. Blake Cullen, who missed most of last season through injury, and Max Harris also look like candidates for greater red-ball exposure this summer.

With three of their first four fixtures at Lord’s, Middlesex must aim to hit the ground running on their return to the top level. Former Test openers Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman provide a solid platform for an experienced batting line-up, while the bowlers will need to find new ways of taking 20 wickets without the guarantee of Murtagh trundling in from the Lord’s Nursery End.

Last Time We Met:

Essex made it through to the Bob Willis Trophy Final after a 9-wicket triumph over Middlesex at The Cloud County Ground with a day and two sessions to spare.

On Day One Sam Cook and Paul Walter shared the honours as 15 wickets fell with Cook enjoying his best figures of the season, returning 4 for 27 off his 15 overs as the visitors were bowled out for just 138 after winning the toss.

A strong performance on Day Two saw Essex close in on the victory with just four wickets required on the third day to secure a place in the Final at Lord’s against Somerset. Essex’s position of strength was owed much to the outstanding efforts of Adam Wheater who followed up his five catches behind the stumps with a superb 83 not out.

They only needed 14.5 overs to collect the remaining Middlesex wickets after resuming on 123 for 6, then knocking off the required 53 runs for victory to secure victory over the London based side.

How To Watch:

A free live stream of the game will be provided via The Essex Cricket Matchzone, which includes player stats, scorecards and clips throughout the game.

The broadcast can be accessed via the Essex Cricket Matchzone, courtesy of our hosts, Middlesex.

Shane Snater was the Essex Players’ Player of the Year; it could be argued that it was richly deserved considering the number of times he performed during the season.

The Zimbabwe-born all-rounder also took the performance of the season award for the unbeaten 65 he compiled in nerve-racking circumstances at Headingley when he provided the glue to steer Essex from the depths of 64 for six, chasing 162, to a remarkable one-wicket victory.

Among other personal highlights – during an LV= Insurance Championship season in which he scored 463 runs at 23.15 and was third highest wicket-taker with 36 – were a match-saving, career-highest 79 not out against Northamptonshire, and six-wicket hauls against Somerset and Lancashire.

“To have the trust of the players and for me to be awarded that was a great honour,” said the 27-year-old Snater. “To be honest I don’t know how or why people voted for me. All I can say is thank you and try and do the same this season and continue contributing for the team.

“It was something of a breakthrough year for a player who received his County Cap last September after only shining intermittently during his previous four seasons at the club.

“I think I showed some glimmers of that form the season before, but, yes, last season was pretty much like a breakthrough. It was good that I could finally contribute consistently with both bat and ball. I’m happy with how last season went and I guess my aim now is to maintain that and move on with renewed confidence.

“As you get older you start to mature and you look at your game a bit differently, what you want to do on and off the field. I think it was just that maturity began to show. It is quite difficult when you first come to a new country and you’re still trying to find your feet inside cricket, outside cricket. I guess everything needs to come together for you to perform on the field. And it did last season.”

That 51-ball innings against Yorkshire certainly brought Snater sharply into focus. Essex were making heavy weather of the run-chase when he strode out to join Adam Rossington.

“It was quite a difficult wicket to bat on. We wanted to try and score as quickly as possible because it was just a matter of time before a ball had your name on it. We just tried to see the good balls out and put the bad balls away. I think that is how we slowly crept forward. Then Benny Allison and I put together a nice partnership and everything just seemed to fall into place.”

However, the dismissal of Allison left Snater with just No11 Jamie Porter for company and a couple of runs still needed. Snater went for bust and hit the decisive boundary. He remembers: “I kind of figured there had been two balls in the previous over, one of which Ports missed that barely missed the stumps. I decided I’d rather get out trying to go for it than just try and defend it and maybe get out to a half-shot.”

Those sorts of performances will pile expectation on the Netherlands international this season. “I don’t really look at it that way.” Snater replies. “I am quite a laidback person, so I tend not to think like that. I’m happy where I’m at. If there is more pressure on, I’m not really feeling it. I’m happy if we are winning. Hopefully it’s a good season.”

And what would constitute a good season? “Obviously we would like to walk away with a trophy. It was amazing to see the successes of 2019 and 2020 from the outside, so to be part of something like that would be incredible. I would certainly love to be a part of a Championship-winning team. Hopefully we can create our own history.”

The PCA is delivering Alcohol Awareness sessions to players across the country to create a greater understanding of how to positively develop their relationship with alcohol whilst aiding inclusivity.

The workshops form part of the Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP) run by the PCA for the players and follows on from previous key priority sessions covered in recent years such as gambling awareness, sexual consent, social media and drive safely workshops.
The sessions that are being delivered throughout 2023 were planned following detailed analysis of ongoing mental health research and referral data produced by the PCA and the players’ charity, the Professional Cricketers’ Trust.

Every men’s county squad, women’s region and England squad will receive a session from B5 Consultancy founder and former professional footballer, Fraser Franks due to Graham Gooch leading on a donation from his Scholarship and the Essex Cricket Foundation.

B5 Consultancy were successfully appointed by the PCA to deliver these sessions due to their professional and player led approach. Run by lawyer Matt Himsworth alongside Franks, the company works with businesses to create a culture which is risk averse, respectful and defensive through education, strategic advice and player care.

Former Luton Town and Newport County defender Franks has delivered 11 sessions so far, hosting the absorbing workshops through drawing on experiences from his career in professional sport.

At the age of 28, Franks was diagnosed with a heart condition and forced to retire from football. With no plan for the future, his relationship with alcohol was becoming a burden to himself and his family.

Now an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK, the 32-year-old speaks to the players about his own struggles with alcohol, how to develop a positive relationship with the substance and the benefits of sobriety.

These sessions have been made possible thanks to a generous donation of £30,000 from the Graham Gooch Scholarship alongside the Essex Cricket Foundation to the Professional Cricketers’ Trust.

The organisations requested funding to be ring-fenced for education with a portion of the donation also being spent on producing this year’s Rookie Camp, which was attended by a record 67 young professional cricketers.

With no funding partner, the Trust is extremely grateful for the donation which isn’t the first time that Graham Gooch, former President of the PCA, has donated to the Trust. Previous gambling awareness courses were also funded by the former England captain’s scholarship.
Gooch witnessed the most recent Alcohol Awareness session held at The Cloud County Ground and was impressed by Fraser Franks and the engagement of the Eagles’ squad.

Former PCA President, Graham Gooch, said: “It’s very important that players are educated on these subjects because one thing can lead to another with alcohol which could end up in a downhill spiral.

“Hopefully the players that were here today might relate to some of the things that Fraser said and recognise that they can make themselves a better sportsperson and a better person.

“The Foundation and my scholarship supported the gambling awareness courses a few years ago and I’m a great believer in what the PCA does with the rookies as well as past and present players. I think the most important thing they do is through the education that they deliver to the players.”

Simon Harmer, said: “It was extremely interesting to listen to Fraser’s story and it puts into perspective how easily that can happen.

“I think with cricket especially when you’re enjoying successes and having a beer afterwards, sometimes that can effect relationships that you have at home or with your family.

“It’s always good to educate players about the dangers that are out there when it comes to alcohol and I think Fraser’s story resonates with a lot of people, which is why everyone was engrossed in the session.

“For me, when he was talking about having a big night and then having to train the next day, that was something that really hit home and made me think about my relationship with alcohol.”

PCA Director of Member Services, Ian Thomas, said: “Educating players on the subject of alcohol is fundamental to ensuring that cricket is a sport for all.

“At the PCA we recognise that alcohol can play a part in the lives of male and female players across the country, so by prioritising this education we hope members can learn how to have a healthy relationship with alcohol and ensure their performance on the pitch and their relationships at home are not affected by the substance.

“Fraser’s sessions are thoughtful, personal and expertly delivered and I would like to thank the Graham Gooch Scholarship alongside the Essex Cricket Foundation for enabling us to provide these vital workshops.”

Find out more about the Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP) by clicking here.

Our next Members’ Forum will take place on the evening of Tuesday 09 April at The Cloud County Ground.

The Q&A style Forum will begin at 7pm in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Members will be joined by Chief Executive John Stephenson and Head Coach Anthony McGrath to look ahead to the new season and the opening home match of the Vitality County Championship, which takes place on Friday 12 April against Kent.

The Forum will be hosted exclusively for 2024 Members in person at The Cloud County Ground. Please note that attendees will be able to access the ground via the main entrance on New Writtle Street. Parking at The Cloud County Ground will be free of charge for all attendees.

The Doug Insole Pavilion bar will be open before the Forum and an arrival drink will be available – please note we are a cashless venue.

Attendees are invited to submit questions in advance by midday on Tuesday 09 April to [email protected].

With under a week until the season opener at Lord’s, now is the perfect time to explore Essex County Cricket Club’s Membership packages.

While Essex’s first home game isn’t until the following week against Lancashire, Essex Members will be able to access the historic Lord’s Members’ areas so you’ll be rewarded for being ahead of the game.

If you are yet to renew your Membership or purchase a new one, you can do so via the link below.

Know an Essex Member? both of you could be in line for a reward

If you’re an existing Essex Member and have a friend or relative considering becoming a Member, starting today you can refer them to claim rewards for the pair of you.

By referring someone who has never been a Member of the Club, you will both get to enjoy a day in the Scrutton Bland Premier Suite during an LV= Insurance County Championship game of your choosing. The day will include tea and coffee upon arrival, complimentary scorecards, your own table with service, a two-course lunch, afternoon refreshments and you can watch the match from a private balcony.

If you refer someone who has previously held a Membership but hasn’t been a Member since the 2018 season, then you will each receive a £20 gift voucher to be used on matchday tickets, or in the Essex Cricket Club Store. You can’t refer someone who has been a Member since the 2018 season.

In order to make a referral, the new Member must purchase their Membership and forward their confirmation email to [email protected] , and provide the name and Membership number of their referrer. The Membership and Ticketing Team will then be in touch to confirm your reward.

The referral scheme is valid from Thursday 16 March and will close on Sunday 30 April. For more information or if you have any queries, contact the Membership and Ticketing Team via [email protected] or on 01245 254010.

Please read the terms and conditions by clicking here to check if you’re eligible to claim rewards.

Essex Cricket is delighted to announce that Doug Bracewell has joined the Club for a 10-game stint in the LV= Insurance County Championship.

Bracewell will link up with the squad after the opening fixture against Middlesex and will then be available for Essex’s first-class fixtures until the end of July, starting with a home fixture against Lancashire.

The 32-year-old bowler from New Zealand has featured 28 times for his nation in Test cricket, taking 74 wickets and best bowling match figures of 9/60.

After making his white-ball international debut aged 21, when New Zealand toured Zimbabwe in 2011, Bracewell was given his Test debut where he took six wickets.

The bowler has already had a taste of domestic cricket in the UK, signing for Northamptonshire in the summer of 2018 where he took 15 wickets to help the side gain promotion to Division One.

After signing for the Club, Bracewell said: “I’m really excited to be joining Essex for the 2023 red-ball campaign. I’ve had experience playing County Cricket a few years ago and I can’t wait to get over to Chelmsford and meet the lads.”

“Essex have been a strong County for a long period of time and I’m looking forward to hopefully playing a big part in the team’s success this season.”

Head Coach Anthony McGrath added: “It’s great that we’ve been able to secure Doug for a long stint of our County Championship season. He is a player who has lots of international experience and will bolster our squad adding strong squad depth.

“He has recently featured for New Zealand in their Test series against Sri Lanka and was in excellent form for the Central Districts throughout their 2022/23 season, so we’re excited to welcome him to the Club.”

Essex Cricket is delighted to announce that Vishal Kanji has joined the Club, taking up the role of Lead Physiotherapist.

Kanji joins from fellow County Championship Division One side Middlesex where he spent over six years as a physiotherapist. During his time at Lords, he also worked with the women’s side Sunrisers.

Before joining the London Club, Kanji worked within the Academy at Premier League football side Arsenal in a similar role.

After joining the Club, Kanji said: “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to work with Essex cricket. I am looking forward to getting to know the players, coaches and staff behind the scenes. It’s an exciting time to join Essex and I hope to help the lads be successful on the field over the coming years.”

Everyone at Essex Cricket would like to welcome Vishal to the Club!