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Essex’s Paul Walter, Jordan Cox, and Catherine Dalton have all qualified with their respective teams to the playoffs of the ongoing Pakistan Super League.

Walter’s Peshawar Zalmi currently sit atop the six-team league with 13 points and have guaranteed their place in the Qualifier.

They could, however, still be overhauled by Multan Sultans, whose fast bowlers are being coached by Dalton and have one league game left to play, against Quetta Gladiators today from 4:00pm GMT.

Should the Sultans win that game, they will ensure a first-place finish and set up a Qualifier clash with the Zalmi on Thursday.

However, a loss would see them slip to third, in turn teeing up an Eliminator meeting on Friday with Cox’s Islamabad United, who are in the Eliminator whatever happens.

United have also played all ten of their league matches and currently sit third, a position they will retain if the Sultans see off the Gladiators.

If Quetta win, though, it will mean a fourth-placed finish for United and in turn, an Eliminator fixture against Dalton’s Sultans.

The winner of the Qualifier will progress straight to the Final, which is set to take place in Karachi on Monday, 18 March.

Meanwhile, the Qualifier’s loser will face the winner of the Eliminator in a last-chance game, from which the winner will then become the second team in the Final.

Click here for the full results, fixtures, and statistics from this year’s PSL.

The Eagles Have Landed: The 2024 Vitality Blast at The Cloud County Ground

Fresh from a Finals Day appearance last summer, Essex are back in shortest-format action in Chelmsford from Sunday 02 June.

With over 20,000 tickets sold and one Friday night fixture already packed out, demand is running high, so there’s no time to waste to secure the best seats as the Eagles aim to go one better in 2024.

Sunday 02 June, 4:00pm: Essex v Middlesex – buy here
Friday 07 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Glamorgan – buy here (LAST FEW TICKETS)
Friday 14 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Sussex Sharks – SOLD OUT
Thursday 20 June, 7:00pm: Essex v Hampshire Hawks – buy here
Friday 05 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Somerset – buy here (LAST FEW TICKETS)
Thursday 11 July, 7:00pm: Essex v Kent Spitfires – buy here
Sunday 14 July, 2:30pm: Essex v Surrey – buy here
 

As part of Essex Cricket’s continued efforts to champion women and girls in the sport, the Club have proudly entered into a partnership with anti-sexism campaign organisation Her Game Too.

The campaign was originally founded by 12 female football fans in May 2021, before branching into cricket a year later, with the message that sexism cannot, and will not, be tolerated within the sport.

Her Game Too aims to tackle sexism in cricket, promote inclusion, and encourage women and girls to participate in any capacity, with the target of promoting the message that cricket is Her Game Too.

The organisation also uses their own channels to champion women and girls within the sport, highlighting achievements and encouraging people to get involved themselves.

Within the partnership, the Club is committed to working with the campaign to achieve the mutual aims of increasing women and girls’ participation and championing female role models.

The partnership will also extend to the local community, with an aim of tying it into the work already being done to promote women’s safety and encourage the growth of women’s recreational cricket.

John Stephenson, Chief Executive at Essex Cricket, said: “We are very proud as a club to partner with a trailblazing organisation like Her Game Too.

“The women’s game in England has grown exponentially over the last few years, and we remain committed to ensuring that continues as we move forward.

“This partnership underlines our continued dedication to promoting, growing, and championing women and girls’ cricket, and we are excited about the future with it in place.”

Paige Caunce, Director of Cricket, and Lucy Ford, Director and Co-Founder for Her Game Too, added: “Her Game Too Cricket are delighted to be partnering with Essex County Cricket Club.

“As the game moves towards a more inclusive future, it is important for the cricketing community; from fans and volunteers to players and counties, to come together.

 
“In partnering with Essex CCC, this marks a huge moment for Her Game Too Cricket as we continue to foster alliances with clubs across the game and strive to make cricket a safer and more welcoming environment for all.

“The county has been doing incredible work within the community to encourage women and girls to get involved in cricket and recognising the importance of creating a safe environment for them at Chelmsford.

“Together, we hope we can build on that work and elevate the game even further. We want to thank the Club for their ongoing support, and we are excited to begin working together, sharing Her Game Too Cricket’s message that cricket is for all.”

Essex Cricket have a dedicated system in place for reporting any incidences of discrimination. If you experience sexism/misogyny anywhere within the county, Essex Cricket has a confidential email address – [email protected] – for reporting discriminatory instances.

Alternatively, if you would like to register your concerns anonymously, the Club has an anonymous reporting facility. You can also report discrimination, including sexism/misogyny, via a form on the Club’s website or through the ECB’s reporting channel.

Click here for more information on Her Game Too Cricket

Women’s cricket at The Cloud County Ground in 2024

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Essex Cricket are running a not-to-be-missed offer on women’s cricket in Chelmsford this summer.

The first 500 people who purchase a ticket today for the England v Pakistan ODI on 29 May will be able to claim free tickets to every other day of women’s cricket at The Cloud County Ground in 2024, of which there are eight.

Take advantage of this offer by securing your seats for what promises to be a thrilling ODI between Heather Knight’s Three Lions and Nida Dar’s Women in Green:

Essex’s fixture against Sussex Sharks becomes the first T20 in the country to sell out in 2024!

Even though it’s only February and the rain’s still coming down, Essex’s Vitality Blast fixture against Sussex Sharks has already sold out of public match tickets and hospitality, becoming the first Vitality Blast fixture nationwide to sell out in 2024.

Thank you to all of the Eagles supporters who have come out in force and in doing so are ensuring that yet again Essex receives the best home support in the country in 2024.

There is still limited availability for Essex’s remaining T20 fixtures, but if you want to be the first to know if extra tickets are released for the Sussex match then you can join our waiting lists for match tickets and hospitality.

The best chance of securing tickets as a group for the remaining Friday fixtures against Glamorgan (07 June) and Somerset (05 July) is to buy in the Eagles Area, our on-pitch unallocated seating area. These are also the most affordable tickets, at £25 for adults and £10 for juniors.

There are 150 seats left in the Eagles Area for the Glamorgan fixture and just 50 remaining for Somerset. Alternatively, there are still a handful of allocated single seats available if you act fast.

To join the waiting list for the Sussex Sharks fixture, just let our team know your name, phone number, customer number (tickets only) and number of places you want to book.

Tickets waiting list | Hospitality waiting list

Hospitality: More than just a matchday

There have been plenty of unforgettable T20s at Chelmsford over the years but as is the way with sport, you never know what’s going to happen. With hospitality, you can take what happens on the pitch out of the equation and ensure a memorable matchday experience no matter the outcome.

Our hospitality packages start from £120 per person and include specially tailored menus for each fixture, private seating areas and the best views in the ground.

There is limited availability for the remaining Thursday and Friday night fixtures, so make sure to book soon to avoid missing out.

  Hospitality at Essex Cricket is powered by Seat Unique

More Friday night cricket at The Cloud County Ground in 2024

That’s not all for Friday night T20 cricket at The Cloud County Ground in 2024 with both Middlesex and the Sunrisers playing at the ground this season.

Middlesex begin their Vitality Blast campaign in Chelmsford against Kent Spitfires on Friday 31 May. Tickets for this fixture are £25 for adults and £10 for juniors.

A week earlier, Sunrisers – boosted by the signing of Dané van Niekerk – will play Southern Vipers in a floodlit match at Chelmsford. Tickets for this fixture are £10 for adults and £5 for juniors.

Click here to purchase Middlesex tickets…

Click here to purchase Sunrisers tickets…

This is the third part of a series, with a look back at a memorable game from the past against each of Essex’s 2024 home Vitality Blast opponents. This next instalment recalls a tense victory in Taunton from three years ago.
 
Essex (187-7) beat Somerset (185-7) by three wickets
Taunton County Ground, 9th June 2021
 
Scorecard: View Here
  

 
There are lots of things to love about T20 cricket, but perhaps one of the format’s best qualities is the constant momentum swings that can make a game so dramatic.

When Essex visited Somerset for their opening match of the 2021 Blast, the constant shifts in who was the favourite, especially in the latter stages, made for an extremely memorable encounter.

Playing the role of finisher, New Zealand international Jimmy Neesham hit a blazing 25-ball 53 in his first match for the Eagles to sneak out a tight win that at one point seemed improbable.

Paul Walter also contributed with 45 from 30 deliveries as Essex overhauled their target in the penultimate over.

Challenging as it was, the required runs could have been far higher, with Somerset reined in by Sam Cook’s 3/14 and combined figures of 2/42 from seven overs from Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer.

 
It was Cook who initially prised Essex’s first opening in the contest, ending an early onslaught from James Hildreth, who made an 18-ball 39 after Harmer had won the toss and invited the hosts to bat.

One then brought two as after Hildreth, who was chiefly responsible for a 33-run third over, had picked out Walter behind square, his fellow opener Tom Banton slapped Cook to Aron Nijjar at midwicket.

The Cook/Porter combination usually finds most of its rewards for Essex in red-ball cricket, but it was on full display here, as only two balls later, the latter rearranged Roelof van der Merwe’s furniture.

It was those three wickets that helped rein Somerset in, and the deceleration continued when Tom Abell was deceived by Harmer’s second ball to be stumped, leaving the hosts 94-4 at halfway.

 
Eddie Byrom started well, though his innings never really took flight before he was caught by Neesham for 28 to give Cook his third wicket, resulting in Lewis Gregory being content to milk the middle overs.

Consequently, his innings was similarly doughy, making a 25-ball 24 before falling in the 17th over, though some late Ben Green hitting ensured Somerset finished with a flourish.

The Exeter-born all-rounder contributed an unbeaten 30-ball 43, including three sixes, while boisterous South African speedster Marchant de Lange hit 18 off seven.

Ultimately, Somerset finished with a total that, considering where they had been and the small dimensions of the Taunton ground, left the match in the balance.

 
It remained that way through to the end of the powerplay as, despite Josh Davey claiming two wickets, Essex advanced to 51-3 after six overs with Walter and Ryan ten Doeschate looking set at the crease.

The duo milked the spin of van der Merwe and Max Waller, before both opened their shoulders somewhat to take 15 off the tenth over, bowled by Gregory.

That put the Eagles on 88-3 at halfway, requiring a difficult but hardly improbable 97 more, before a single from ten Doeschate off van der Merwe brought up his stand of 50 with Walter in 31 balls.

Although that was exactly the kind of rate the visitors needed, de Lange bustled in to deal a body blow when he squared up ten Doeschate and the ball nicked the shoulder on its way through to Banton.

 
Moments later, Walter became Davey’s third victim when he miscued to van der Merwe at mid-on, leaving Essex in a difficult position of 109-5 and needing another 77 from 40 balls.

The combative Neesham, however, showed his love of a challenge, and blasted six boundaries within his first eight balls to wrest back some control.

The larger-than-life de Lange then slightly lost his cool in sending down an eight-ball 16th over that went for 14, just after Waller had leaked 19 off the 15th and before van der Merwe conceded another 14.

 
That brutal three-over spell had swung the pendulum once more, and despite de Lange snaring both Harmer and Neesham at the end of his final over, the job was just about done.

Essex had 12 balls remaining to achieve another ten runs with three wickets in the hutch, but they needed just five of them.

Off the penultimate ball of Davey’s final over, Jack Plom heaved the Scotsman across the line for an almighty six that handed the Eagles a tense win.

Get priority access to Vitality Blast tickets

The Eagles will host seven explosive T20 encounters at The Cloud County Ground this summer, and with over 14,000 tickets already sold, there’s no time to waste to grab the best seats.

You can now secure early access to purchase your tickets ahead of general sale by subscribing to our ‘Over & Out!’ e-newsletter.

Just click below to sign up and receive your instant priority access:

This is a special instalment of the ongoing Blast from the Past series, looking back at a memorable performance from the returning Daniel Sams. The Australian lit up Chelmsford with a blazing innings in a run-soaked 2022 encounter against Sussex.
 
Essex (244-7) beat Sussex (233-6) by 11 runs
The Cloud County Ground, 17th June 2022
 
Scorecard: View Here
 

 
Anticipation was high when Australian international Daniel Sams arrived for his debut county stint in 2022, with an expectant Chelmsford crowd keen to see how he would fare.

As it turned out, the past two years have seen the Essex faithful take Sams to their hearts, with the second of his two spells so far seeing him crowned Most Valuable Player for the entire 2023 Blast.

His talent was already never in doubt when he touched down in England prior to his debut away to Kent in May 2022, but just three weeks later, he proved his value in utterly conclusive fashion.

On a near-perfect evening weather-wise in mid-June 2022, the Eagles welcomed Sussex to The Cloud County Ground, though there were no niceties as the Sharks were put to the sword.

 
Essex totted up what was then their highest-ever score in the Blast on a belting pitch, driven by contributions from everyone, though none were as impressive as Sams’ 71 in just 24 balls.

In response, Sussex made a total that meant another Blast record was set for the then-highest match aggregate, though Sams was part of an Essex bowling attack that narrowly edged them out.

Such is Chelmsford’s supposed reputation for favouring chasing teams that Ravi Bopara, back on his old stomping ground, opted to invite Essex to bat after winning the toss, even in the glorious sunshine.

Having been afforded a golden opportunity to post a mammoth total, Adam Rossington and Feroze Khushi wasted no time in getting the Eagles off to a flier, posting a stand of 50 in just 27 balls.

 
Rossington and Michael Pepper both made quickfire totals of 35 off 21 and 36 from 18, respectively, before Khushi and Matt Critchley pushed the score to a very healthy 105-2 at halfway.

However, it was Sams’ arrival at the crease to partner Critchley in the 15th over, with the Eagles sitting pretty on 149-3, when the carnage really began.

Once the Australian got his eye in, there was no stopping the pyrotechnics in the final four overs, during which Essex added a mind-boggling 76 runs to their total.

Sams struck Tymal Mills for three sixes in the 17th, one of which was an outrageous ramp shot and another from was a waist-high no-ball, wrecking the Sussex quick’s figures as he took 29 off the over.

 
He followed it up with another gigantic six from a Finn full toss – though a legal one this time – before taking a huge 26 off the penultimate over from Henry Crocombe, which included two almighty sixes.

Sandwiched in between those two was a four that confirmed Sams’ 50 in just 17 balls, the joint-fourth-fastest in Blast history, as the crowd hailed his innings of just 18 minutes.

By the time Sams fell to Mills with two balls to go, departing with 12 boundaries to his name, the Eagles had already amassed a massive score even before Tom Westley capped things off with a quick two.

 
With Sussex staring down the barrel of that imposing target, Sams opened the bowling for the Eagles, and initially put Luke Wright under some pressure by limiting him to just five from his first over.

Wright cracked in the next over, caught by Feroze Khushi off Ben Allison, though Sussex managed to recover they kept themselves on track early on.

Ali Orr and overseas opener Mohammad Rizwan were the main architects, with both scoring at rapid rates and the latter in particular hitting 66 in just 32 balls to bring up the team 100 in the seventh over.

However, both fell around the halfway mark, with Orr pinned lbw by Simon Harmer for 38 off 18, and Aron Nijjar doing the same to Rizwan.

Bopara tried to continue the charge, but Critchley chipped away at the other end, seeing off Tom Alsop and Khan in consecutive balls to leave the Sharks five down and still needing 52 off 18.

 
The return of Sams to the attack would prove to be crucial, as he and Sam Cook combined to keep the runs low enough that Sussex would need an improbable 22 off the last over.

Bopara, with the experience of knowing Chelmsford like the back of his hand, hit back-to-back fours in the first two balls to bring it down to a more interesting 14 off four.

However, Sams struck the decisive blow from the third delivery, when the Sussex skipper over-exerted himself, swinging wildly at a wider one and feathering an outside edge through to Rossington for 51.

Just three more off the final three balls, including a well-executed slower ball to Harrison Ward that resulted in a swing and a miss from the final delivery, handed the Eagles a thrilling, high-octane win.

As the Essex squad saluted the sell-out crowd, it was clear they had a new shortest-format hero, and naturally, the younger members of it were keen to receive a memento from the man of the moment.

Read More:

Sams Returns For 2024 | Sams’ Top Five Eagles Moments | Sams In Numbers

Get priority access to Vitality Blast tickets

Sams will be in Essex’s ranks for four explosive home Blast fixtures in 2024, including two Friday night clashes under the lights.

You can sign up for early access to secure your seat to watch him and the Eagles live this summer from this Thursday, 08 February, by subscribing to our ‘Over & Out!’ e-newsletter.

Simply click below to sign up:

As a true globetrotting T20 specialist who can excel with bat and ball, Daniel Sams has racked up impressive statistics while playing across the world.

Since making his debut in the Big Bash seven years ago, he has thrilled countless crowds across some of the most iconic stadiums in the world.

Following the news that Sams will be returning to Essex for an eight-game Vitality Blast stint this summer, this is a look back on the 31-year-old’s career, by the numbers.

98* – his career top score

Batting at number four for Sydney Thunder during a meeting with Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium in January 2022, Sams showed his full destructive prowess.

The Renegades won the toss and opted to field, though they were left to sorely regret their decision after Sams entered the fray at 78-2 in the ninth over and blitzed a stunning unbeaten 98 from 44 balls.

His knock, which included eight sixes, was a 54-minute exhibition, and, in conjunction with Alex Hales’ 28-ball 63, it helped the Thunder post 209-7.

Sams then put the brakes firmly on with the ball, conceding just 10 runs from two overs and taking the wicket of Mackenzie Harvey, as the hosts were roundly thrashed after being bowled out for 80.

5/30 – his best bowling return

Despite narrowly missing out on adding his name to the list of Big Bash century-makers, Sams did become the 26th man to take a five-wicket haul in the competition in December.

Less than a week before the world welcomed in 2024, the Thunder took on Brisbane Heat at the Gabba, with the hosts winning the toss and opting to bat first.

Sams snared his first wicket, that of Josh Brown, in his second over, but it was his fourth and final one that grabbed attention as he claimed four more in just six balls to go from figures of 1/29 to 5/30.

Despite the Heat’s collapse from 156-3 to 172 all out in less than three overs, their total still proved to be enough to sneak a win by 15 runs, though the headlines were naturally still dominated by one man.

271 – most prolific at Chelmsford

Given Sams’ appearances at stadiums from Texas to Tasmania, Essex fans will likely be delighted by the statistic that there is nowhere that tops Chelmsford for where he has scored the most runs.

Since signing on for his first stint with the Eagles in 2022, he has played 13 games at The Cloud County Ground, striking 271 runs at an average of 33.87.

That puts Chelmsford 28 clear of his next most-prolific venue, Manuka Oval in Canberra, while his top score at the ground, an eye-popping 71 from just 24 balls, came against Sussex in his first season.

Coincidentally, Sams has also taken more catches at The Cloud County Ground than at any other venue, snaring eight, which is again narrowly ahead of Manuka Oval, at which he has taken six.

10 – international appearances

Sams has achieved the highest sporting honour of playing for his country ten times in his career, all in the shortest format, with his debut coming against India at the SCG in December 2020.

He made an instant name for himself on the biggest stage with his first international wicket being that of none other than Virat Kohli, caught by Matthew Wade.

Further matches against India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and England all followed, with the most recent of Sams’ appearances for Australia coming in October 2022.

There is a strong case that he should have added to those ten caps, even given Australia’s glut of all-rounders, but the national team’s loss has undoubtedly been several domestic teams’ gain.

137.00 – marmalising Middlesex

Essex fans will remember Sams’ blitz at Lord’s last summer, but that only told half the story of his dominance of Middlesex over the last two seasons.

Since arriving in county cricket in 2022, he has averaged a colossal 137.00 against the Seaxes, scoring that total in just three innings and being out only once.

For context, the next highest counties on the list are Sussex, against whom Sams averages 40.33, and Hampshire, who he has scored at 33.00 against.

What’s more, there are 13 teams across the world, including internationals, whom Sams has also played at least three matches against, but have not conceded as many runs to him as Middlesex.

7 – player of the match awards in T20

Sams’ all-round capabilities mark him out as a player with a high chance of impacting a game in either innings, and he has grabbed the headlines on seven occasions in his T20 career.

A swift 21-ball 34 followed by a strangling bowling return of 3/5 from two overs for Thunder against Melbourne Stars in December 2018 brought him his first player of the match award.

He has since followed it up with identical recognition in three more Big Bash games, the Global T20 Canada, Major League Cricket in the USA, and, most impressively of all, the Indian Premier League.

The latter came while playing in what many might call the IPL’s biggest fixture too, Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings, with Mumbai’s Sams taking 3/16 from four overs to set up a five-wicket win.

Read More:

Sams Returns For 2024 | Sams’ Top Five Eagles Moments | Blast From The Past: Sams Special

Get priority access to Vitality Blast tickets

Sams will be in Essex’s ranks for four explosive home Blast fixtures in 2024, including two Friday night clashes under the lights.

You can sign up for early access to secure your seat to watch him and the Eagles live this summer from this Thursday, 08 February, by subscribing to our ‘Over & Out!’ e-newsletter.

Simply click below to sign up:

Essex Cricket is thrilled to announce the return of Australian all-rounder Daniel Sams as an overseas player for the first eight games of the 2024 Vitality Blast.

Sams, 31, was the Eagles’ leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in last season’s competition and was named as the competition’s Most Valuable Player following the Club’s run to the final.

Born in New South Wales, he has made ten T20I appearances for Australia, and has represented teams around the world, including three sides in the IPL and both Sydney outfits in the Big Bash.

Sams boasts an explosive overall T20 batting strike rate of 153.78, with a top score of 98 not out, while he has claimed 191 wickets in the format at an average of 24.01.

He hit 419 runs in an Eagles shirt last summer including two half-centuries, averaging 29.92, alongside taking 25 wickets at 21.00, to claim the Blast MVP title ahead of Hampshire’s James Vince.

“Chelmsford is a great ground, filled with really passionate fans, and you feel that energy from the stands when they’re packed out under the floodlights.

“I loved being able to contribute to the success we had last season, and the team, in my opinion, is good enough to have a strong chance of going one better and lifting some silverware.”

Head Coach Anthony McGrath added: “We’re obviously delighted to have re-signed Daniel for the Blast this year.

“He showed us in no uncertain terms what he’s capable of last summer, and he was an instrumental part of our team, so we’re looking forward to seeing him again for the first block of T20 games.”

Read More:

Sams’ Top Five Eagles Moments | Sams In Numbers | Blast From The Past: Sams Special

Get priority access to Vitality Blast tickets

Sams will be in Essex’s ranks for four explosive home Blast fixtures in 2024, including two Friday night clashes under the lights.

You can sign up for early access to secure your seat to watch him and the Eagles live this summer from this Thursday, 08 February, by subscribing to our ‘Over & Out!’ e-newsletter.

Simply click below to sign up:

Newly-crowned Big Bash League champion Paul Walter has reflected on “an amazing six weeks” playing in the competition for Brisbane Heat.

Having topped the regular season table with seven wins from ten games, Walter’s Heat dethroned 2023 champions Sydney Sixers in the final at the SCG to secure their second BBL title.

“You obviously hope you’re going to win it when you turn up, but to actually do it was pretty special,” said Walter, whose 17 wickets made him the joint-third-most successful bowler in the competition.

“The best moment in the final was [Michael Neser’s] effort on the boundary for the ninth wicket. It was literally unbelievable,” he added.

“I was standing there watching it and I couldn’t believe he’d taken it and thrown it to me. That was probably the moment we knew we’d won.

“It was slightly different to what I’m used to, flying around playing in different states, but the club were amazing.

“The tournament built up as we went through, especially with getting on that winning streak early. It was amazing to be a part of, and hopefully we’ll be back next year!”

 
In winning the final, which the Heat did by 54 runs in the Sixers’ own home stadium, Walter completed a personal double, having also been named in the Team of the Tournament a week earlier.

With the second accolade being voted on by the eight teams’ coaches, it underlines how much those watching the tournament took Walter – or ‘Tall Paul’ – to their hearts during it.

“Literally, anywhere I was walking around in Brisbane, people were shouting ‘Tall Paul!’ at me in the street, so that was interesting!” he laughed.

“It felt like there was a real buzz around the Big Bash this year. I think, with the shortened tournament, that gave it a bit of a resurgence, and it was awesome to be a part of it.

“You always hope that you can have an instant impact, but to actually do it, and be voted in the team of the tournament, as well as winning it – it doesn’t really get much better than that!” he said.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in yet, and I’ll probably reflect on it as I move forward. One day soon, I’ll be able to sit down and go ‘yeah, that was pretty awesome!’ but it’s been a great couple of months.”

 
The 29-year-old is in firm agreement with the idea that the warmth of the welcome and ongoing support he received from his teammates helped him perform at his best.

“We pretty much had the same squad as last season, so the lads knew each other pretty well and I came into quite a settled squad,” he explained.

“It’s always easier to walk into a settled changing room, rather than one with five or six new guys, but the lads were brilliant, and they made me feel at home from the first day, so that part of it was easy.

“We had a lot of local lads there, and they played the conditions really well, especially at home, so I didn’t have to do too much with the bat at home!

“Then when we got onto sticky wickets in away games, which is probably more what I’m accustomed to, I managed to get the boys over the line a couple of times, which was nice!”

 
Walter’s biggest contribution with the bat was an unbeaten 15-ball 30 away to Melbourne Renegades, where he formed an unbroken stand of 46 off 26 balls with Matt Renshaw to seal a six-wicket win.

Having played all but two of the Heat’s 13 matches in the tournament, Walter reflected on what he was able to learn from his spell down under.

“Personally, I’d never really played at a ground like [the Gabba] before. I’d say that, and Optus Stadium in Perth, are fairly unique,” he said.

“They’re very bouncy, quick wickets, and the dimensions of the ground, with the big pockets, mean that you’ve got to change your game around to try and be successful there.

“I don’t think you ever play more cricket and become a worse cricketer,” he added. “I think it helps you round yourself off as a player, getting used to different conditions.

“You can learn how different people go about the game. Every time you go and play with different people and coaches, you’re always going to bring more experience back with you.

“With all that, I’m now really looking forward to getting back and getting stuck in at Chelmsford this summer!”

Get priority access to Vitality Blast tickets

‘Tall Paul’ will be in Essex’s ranks for all seven explosive home Blast fixtures in 2024, including three Friday night clashes under the lights.

The Eagles will host seven explosive T20 encounters at The Cloud County Ground this summer, and with over 10,000 tickets already sold, there’s no time to waste to put yourself next in line to grab the best seats.

You can secure early access ahead of general sale to purchase your tickets from Thursday 08 February by subscribing to our ‘Over & Out!’ e-newsletter.

Simply click below to sign up: