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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are currently conducting their High Performance Review of the domestic game, which is in consultation with the First-Class Counties.
 
There has been considerable speculation in the media about the potential outcomes of the review, including changes to structure and schedule. However, the Club will not be jumping to any conclusions before the recommendations are circulated.
 
The Club’s Board have voted unanimously in favour of rejecting any potential reduction in Championship and T20 cricket. In addition, it is imperative that the 50-over competition is retained. This view is supported by many of our fellow First-Class Counties and will be emphasised in future review meetings.
 
Chief Executive and Interim Chair, John Stephenson, will be part of the consultation period that is currently being led by Sir Andrew Strauss, which includes regional meetings being held with County Chairs, CEOs and Directors of Cricket.
 
The Club will continue to act in the best interests of our Members to protect the future of Essex County Cricket Club and the domestic game.
 
There will be an opportunity for Members to express their opinions on the ECB’s outcomes and recommendations of the High Performance Review before the County Chairs vote on September 20.
 
A Members’ Forum will take place at The Cloud County Ground on Tuesday 13 September (6:30pm) to present the findings and accumulate feedback from the Membership.

The ECB have today published a blog from Sir Andrew Strauss ahead of the consultation period.

There is also an accompanying Consultation Document, which includes research, finding and initial proposals from the review. This provides the evidence base and discussion points for the upcoming meetings with the First-Class Counties and is not the final recommendations of the review.

>> Read Sir Andrew Strauss’ Blog

>> Read Consultation Document

As the last round of fixtures draws to a close, we want to thank our Members and supporters for your support over the course of the Royal London Cup campaign.

The past month has seen the emergence of a host of talented youngsters as a depleted Eagles squad showed strength in depth to pick up three successive home victories during a spirited campaign.

Of the 15 players to represent the Eagles during the Royal London Cup, nine were under the age of 25 and prior to this year, 10 had a total of 10 or fewer List A appearances for Essex.

While there were strong performances across the board, those to stand out included two teenagers in Luc Benkenstein and Jamal Richards as well as Robin Das and Feroze Khushi.

17-year-old leg-spinning all-rounder Benkenstein made his Essex debut against Durham in last year’s competition, however, it was against Glamorgan in his second outing for the Eagles this season that he made his breakthrough appearance.

With Glamorgan chasing 342 runs for victory at Chelmsford, Benkenstein ran through the opposition’s batting lineup with incredible figures of 6/42 from his 10 overs. Extracting prodigious turn and demonstrating impressive accuracy for a young legspinner, he picked up the key wickets of Sam Northeast and captain Kiran Carlson as the Glamorgan batters were unable to cope with his flight and turn.

Benkenstein went on to pick up four more wickets in the competition, ending with a haul of 10 wickets at an average of 16.70 and an economy of just 5.06. He also scored a maiden career half-century against Worcestershire when the side was under pressure.

18-year-old Jamal Richards made a highly anticipated professional debut when Essex faced Derbyshire on 05 August and impressed immediately. Picking up a maiden wicket when he got his chance with the ball, he then backed that up with 46 with the bat.

He continued to impress in both departments throughout the campaign, playing all seven fixtures and picking up five wickets at an average of 37 and scoring 137 runs at 34.25.

20-year-old Robin Das made his Essex debut back in 2020, but enjoyed his longest run in the first team during this year’s Royal London Cup. Starting in the middle-order and finishing as an opener, he displayed an eye-catching naturally attacking style of cricket.

After striking 47 from just 25 balls against Northamptonshire, his best performance came against Worcestershire, where, paired with Benkenstein he clawed Essex back into the game with an important 63, his maiden career half-century.

Feroze Khushi has been a familiar name to Essex supporters for a number of years, but at 23 is still very much in the formative years of his career.

After impressing in 2021 with a maiden List A century, he followed up with another two this season as he scored 324 runs at 46.28 at the top of the order.

Only two Eagles batters scored more than Khushi in the Royal London Cup, with skipper Tom Westley hitting a fine run of form, scoring two 100s and two 50s in succession. Westley’s 335 runs came at 47.85.

Leading the run-scoring charts though was Overseas recruit Grant Roelofsen, who made a lasting impression in the short time he was with the Club, scoring 355 runs at 59.16.

The South African always looked assured at the crease, which was reflected in scores of 43, 16, 77, 69*, 90, 31, 29. He also took the gloves for the last five Royal London Cup fixtures, taking four catches and three stumping.

With the ball, Shane Snater had another strong season to back up an impressive showing in 2021. He took 14 wickets at an average of 23.85 with a best of 5/29 in an incredible all-round display against Kent where he also scored 41, claimed a catch and completed a run out.

The team enjoyed another successful campaign at home in front of excellent crowds, winning three out of their four matches at Chelmsford.

It does not seem that long ago that Jamie Porter was looking up to the likes of David Masters and Graham Napier for advice on his nascent career; now Porter is mentoring one of the new kids on the block, Jamal Richards.

The 18-year-old all-rounder has had a whirlwind first season on the Essex staff, looking, listening, learning, and ultimately posting an impressive sequence of figures in the Royal London Cup.

Porter, at 29 now a senior member of the bowling attack, has helped his Chingford team-mate make the transition into the First Team environment. The pair sit side-by-side in the changing room.

“I’ve seen the way he’s gone about things and how consistent he’s been,” says the Edmonton (Middlesex)-born Richards. “I just try to grab bits of information from him about seam bowling.

“Everyone in the team has been really helpful, to be honest, but Ports has probably helped me the most. I’ve played a couple of Club games with him as well as first and second-team matches for Essex.”

Richards only left Norlington High School, the alma mater of Graham Gooch in Waltham Forest, at the start of March; within days he found himself not only offered a two-year rookie contract but mixing with his elders on the pre-season tour to Abu Dhabi.

He marked his First Team debut in the opening game of the Royal London Cup earlier this month, coming in at No10 against Derbyshire and showing the precociousness of youth by belting two sixes in a 44-ball 46, his highest score to date.

“It’s not been such a big jump as I’ve played quite a lot of Second XI cricket this year and there are a lot of those players who played in the first team during the Royal London Cup.”

Indeed, Richards was one of several up-and-coming talents who took the opportunities presented to them and made key contributions, notably, Luc Benkenstein (10 wickets in 5 games, including a best of 6/42, as well as a half-century with the bat) and Robin Das (202 runs, including a maiden 50).

Richards was introduced to the joys of the game aged 4 by his Jamaican grandfather Frank. “He bought me my first bat and took me to the cricket club at Walthamstow and gave me throw-downs and stuff. It went from there.”

“When I was younger, I used to watch a lot of Andrew Flintoff,” says Richards. “I quite liked the way he went about things, the way he ran in and bowled quick, and gave it a real strike with the bat. He was really aggressive. I guess I try to be a bit like him, but not everything like him.

“I consider myself a genuine all-rounder. I want to be equal with both bat and ball.”

A player is rated a genuine all-rounder if his batting average is higher than his bowling average. Richards got close in the Royal London Cup: 34.25 with the bat (137 runs) against 37.00 with the white ball in hand (five wickets at a commendable economy rate of 5.78).

There is also a Second XI century on his CV this summer. He is hoping to catch the eye of the England U19 selectors before long and admits: “I’ve had a good experience this year and I’ve learnt a lot.”