Essex Cricket News

Essex Cricket extends joint partnership with Lindley Venue Catering

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:44:40 +0000

Essex Cricket has confirmed the further extension of its joint partnership with Lindley Venue Catering - the specialist sports stadia catering division within the Lindley Group - for the 2012 cricket season.

This is the eighth consecutive year that Lindley Venue Catering has worked with Essex Cricket to develop the catering services and hospitality facilities at The Ford County Ground, and the Club and caterer say that 2012 will see a major step change in enhancing the match-day catering experience at the ground.

Under the renewed partnership venture, a number of new initiatives are underway in readiness for the start of the 2012 cricket season which opens with an LV= County Championship match on 5th April.

The programme includes the refurbishment of the Club's popular Spinners Bar and, along with the new décor and branding, new seasonal menus featuring fresh soup, new hot food options and freshly made premium sandwiches are being introduced, as well as 'express´ serving areas for drinks. The food offer in the Pavilion members' area will also be revamped to focus on serving hearty individual hot meals (such as Steak and Spitfire Ale Casserole with Dumplings), homemade cakes and fresh soup.

As part of the joint venture, Lindley Venue Catering will be working with the Essex Cricket team to support the Club's marketing activity to promote the excellent facilities and attract more conference, banqueting and corporate and private events business to the prestigious county ground.

Danny Macklin, Commercial Manager, at Essex Cricket said, "We're pleased to reaffirm our partnership with Lindley Venue Catering as we head into the 2012 season.

"Over the past seven years, we have built a close working relationship with the Lindley team and with the level of commitment and trust we've now established, we're confident that the new initiatives we are introducing this year will not only enhance the match-day experience for our members and visitors, but will also open up significant opportunities for the club to maximise the revenue potential of the facilities we have here."

Adam Elliott, the Lindley Group's Chief Executive Officer added, "Before embarking on this year's development programme, we canvassed the Club's members to get a more personal feel for their 'wish lists´ and expectations from catering services and facilities at the ground.

"This provided us with valuable insight which has shaped our plans and encouraged us to broaden the range of food on offer and ensure it is aligned with cricket fans´ preferences and requirements. Guests are usually at the ground all day so it's important to offer plenty of variety to satisfy the different eating occasions from breakfast, to mid-morning/afternoon snacks and lunch. This is what led us to develop new food outlets such as a deli offering, and to refresh and expand the bar menus.

"During the current football season, we've introduced a number of new branded food retail concepts in football stadia and these have increased sales by up to 20%. We're taking a similar approach at Essex Cricket, and fine tuning it for cricket fans. We believe that the changes being implemented at The Ford County Ground will also result in an increase to the catering revenue generated by the club which currently stands at around £600,000 a year."

Latest Disability News

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:14:12 +0000

Shorefields take Winter games Table Cricket title.

Shorefields school came through to win the Essex Cricket Table Cricket title at this years winter games held at Harlow Leisure Zone, the competition featured 5 schools from across Essex.

Run with the support of the Essex Schools competition managers the event was a good competitive event with some evenly match teams taking part.

Table Cricket is a game devised for people with disabilities, its playing surface is a table tennis table or something similar in size and shape if a table tennis table is not available. The game follows similar rules to Cricket and is devised to allow anyone, no matter what impairments, to be able to play. More details on table cricket can be found at http://www.lordstaverners.org/UserFiles/Image/Application%20Forms%20And%20Guides/TableCricketRules

Essex Disability squad start training

The Essex BACD team resumed their training ahead of the 2012 season. The team play in the national disability hardball league, South division. After a promising season last year the team are looking forward to the season. Training began in November and the team are currently training every fortnight. A tough season awaits but with a couple of new players coming into the side the team are hoping to be pushing for a top 2 finish to allow them to reach the semi finals of the competition.

The teams fixtures for 2012 are:

Essex	V	Warks	20^th May	South Loughton CC
Essex	V	Hamps	27^th May	South Loughton CC
Isle of Wight	V	Essex	10^th June	Shanklin CC
Surrey	V	Essex	24^th June	Surrey
Devon	V	Essex	1^st July	Devon
Essex	V	Surrey	29^th July	South Loughton CC

Harold Wood win half term competition.

Harold wood carried on their winning form to win the Spring half term indoor club competition. Having won the club league last summer they added the title after a close competition at Mildmay sports centre, Chelmsford.

The competition featured teams from Saffron Walden, Springfield and Harold Wood.

All teams were competitive and there was some excellent batting and fielding on display, several outstanding catches were taken by all sides.

The competition was held as part of the Hit the Top programme supported by Cricket4Change.

It is hoped that the competition will encourage the clubs to train hard ahead of the club league being held in the summer.

For more information on disability cricket please contact:

Patrick Ward

Disability Development officer

patrick.ward@essexcricket.org.uk

01245 254047

07787 294980

A-Z of Essex- I - Ilott, Insole, Irani

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:13:09 +0000

Essex Cricketers ‘I’

Continuing our look back through the alphabet at Essex cricketers who served the County so well, we arrive at the letter ‘I’ as we reflect on the distinguished careers of three more players.

MARK ILOTT

Born in Watford in August 1970, he Mark learned his cricket with the Watford Town Cricket Club - for whom his father was president – and represented Hertfordshire Colts and appeared for that County in Minor Counties cricket when just 16 years old.

He joined Essex in 1988 and made his first-class debut for us against Cambridge University gaining the first of his 628 first-class wickets when he bowled Michael Atherton who, later in his career, was to become England captain.

But even at that early stage in his career, Mark suffered injuries which temporarily halted his progress. However, he shook off those problems and by the end of 1990, the left-arm new ball bowler had established himself in the Essex team to assume the role as natural successor to John Lever.

His talent was soon noted by the national selectors and he was chosen for an England ‘A’ tour to Pakistan in the winter of 1990/91 but in the opening match of our domestic season, he suffered a stress fracture of the back that was to sideline him for the remainder of the year.

Fully recovered for the start of the following campaign, he was showed no ill-effects taking 64 wickets that earned him another trip with England ‘A’, this time to Australia. He was awarded his county cap in 1993 and experienced played Test cricket for the first time that summer. Mark was 12th man when England lost the first two Tests of a one-sided series before he made his debut in a drawn match. Bowling with great heart and energy, he returned match figures of 4-152 and he also batted stubbornly. He proved his stamina again in the next Test, taking 3-161 in 51 overs of hard graft although England lost by an innings and during the winter; he went to South Africa with the England ‘A’ party.

With Essex increasingly dependent on him to lead the attack, Ilott responded and bowled beautifully in 1995 taking 78 first-class wickets. He recorded the best bowling figures for the County in a single innings when he returned 9-19, including a hat-trick of lbws, against Northants and match figures of 14-105 in a Championship match at Luton yet Essex still lost. His performances that summer were enough to warrant a recall to the Test squad for the tour to South Africa, where, playing in the rain-ravaged third Test he produced his best Test figures of 3-48. He bowled well, though without much luck, in the fourth Test but a thigh injury sidelined him halfway through and his tour was over.

Just over 6 feet tall and capable of sending down deliveries with prodigious swing movement, Mark took another 50 first-class wickets in 1996 but the burden of leading – and often carrying – the struggling seam Essex attack appeared to have affected his incisiveness on occasions. The 1997 term began well, but a heel injury impeded his progress and he struggled to recapture his rhythm however a good 1998 season was followed by an injury-ravaged 1999 and 2000. When available though, .he remained one of the most consistent performers in county cricket still proving a tough proposition. However, as his fitness went through a difficult time he found it increasingly difficult to maintain a place in the Essex side and, at the end of the 2002 season - his benefit year - he was released.

Mark was also an effective and consistent performer in one-day cricket taking 232 wickets and also providing valuable late order runs on a number of occasions. Always convivial, he was one of the most popular cricketers with members and supporters.

Since retiring, he has covered cricket for Sky Sports including a role as a witty summariser.

DOUG INSOLE

Born in Clapton in 1926 and educated at Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow, Doug enjoyed a wonderful playing career, including nine Test appearances for England, before becoming prominent in cricket administration. Five of his international matches came in the 1956-57 series in South Africa, where he was vice-captain to Peter May and topped the tourists’ batting averages with 408 runs at an average 27.20.

Having studied at Cambridge University and captained the Light Blues in 1949, Doug became joint-captain of Essex in 1950. Initially he shared duties with T.N. Pearce but assuming full control in June, a role he maintained until the end of the 1960 season when Trevor Bailey took over. Although Essex finished bottom of the Championship in 1950, over the next decade – influenced by Insole’s leadership qualities - they became a force in the competition.

By the time he retired in 1963, Insole had scored 20,113 first-class runs in 345 matches for Essex averaging 38.67, the ninth highest aggregate for the club. He was a fine batsman particularly strong on the on-side, who made 48 centuries for his County and one for England with a combination of great concentration and tenacity although his natural inclination was to score at a fast rate. Named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1956, Doug was an excellent slip fielder, an occasional wicket-keeper and a right-arm medium pace bowler who was good enough to take 138 first-class wickets. He was President of the MCC for the twelve months, beginning on October 1^st 2006. For his many services to cricket, Doug was appointed a CBE in 1979.

Doug made his first-class debut in 1947, firstly for Cambridge University and then later that summer, for Essex against Northamptonshire at Northampton and at the end of the season, he struck his maiden century for the County hitting 109 not out against Lancashire at Clacton. A shrewd judge with a quick sense of humour, Doug made a career total of 450 first-class appearances scoring 25,411 runs that included 54 centuries and 126 fifties. He passed 1,000 runs in a season on thirteen occasions reaching 2,000 runs three times. His highest score was recorded at Colchester when, playing against Yorkshire in 1949, he struck an unbeaten 219 during a season that saw him lead the County batting averages by some margin with an average of 65.38. He was also awarded his county cap that summer.

His most productive season with the bat came in 1955 when he aggregated 2,427 runs averaging 42.57 and scored more runs than any other batsman in the country. He also returned his best bowling figures during that year when he took 5-22 against Surrey at Ilford. His last first-class appearance was at Clacton against Yorkshire in 1963 although he did make a single Sunday League appearance in 1969 when he played against Somerset at Yeovil.

Doug was also a talented amateur footballer who played for Corinthian Casuals in the 1956 Amateur Cup Final and he also appeared for Walthamstow Avenue and Pegasus during his soccer career.

An inspirational leader, he set a fine example in the field and raising the county’s fielding standards. Doug made centuries against all the other first-class counties, and served cricket with considerable distinction after his playing career. He was on the MCC committee for over 20 years, and an England selector for nineteen. Notably he was chair of the Test and County Cricket Board at the time of the Packer "crisis", and led English cricket through a difficult time with much common sense. He also managed the 1978-79 England tour of Australia, and latterly was chair of the European Cricket Council. In 2006 he was elected as president of MCC. Council and is currently President of Essex Cricket.

A former capped player for Essex and a past Secretary of MCC and latterly journalist Jack bailey, once wrote this fitting tribute: “Essex and many facets of English cricket owe immeasurable debt to the time and effort Douglas Insole has put in on their behalf. That he has enjoyed it, almost every moment, I have no doubt.”

RONNIE IRANI

Having spent his formative years with Lancashire, all-rounder Ronnie found himself denied extended opportunities with the Red Rose County and so moved down to Essex in 1994 and it proved a rewarding move both for the player and his new County. By the time injury forced him to end his career; he had won three England Test caps to add to his 31 one-day international appearances and captained his adopted county for 7 years. He was still at the helm when a persistent and deteriorating knee condition forced him to prematurely retire in 2007. An effective performer with both bat and ball, the serious nature of his knee problem in 2003 determined that bowling was no longer an option but Irani shook of that setback playing as a specialist batsman. His inability to bowl only served to enhance his batting illustrated by an average that exceeded 56 in both 2004 and 2005.

Ronnie was born in Leigh, near Bolton, in October 1971 and immediately endeared himself to the Essex public on his move south with his vibrant personality and totally committed, fighting spirit approach to the game. He had appeared in only nine first-class matches for Lancashire in four years but injuries to John Stephenson and Derek Pringle in 1994 offered him a regular opportunity to become a regular member of the Essex side. He needed no second invitation and he responded with some outstanding performances.

Irani was a fine all-rounder. A forceful batsman, particularly strong off the back foot, he could also offer stubborn defence when the situation demanded and was also an effective right-arm medium pace bowler with the ability to swing the ball away from the right-hander. He fought his way into the Test side in 1996 making his debut at Edgbaston but after helping to save the match with India at Lord’s in the following match, he was dropped and although he went on tour in 1996/97, he had to wait until 1999 for his third and final Test cap.

In 2000, he was named as Essex captain a role he retained, despite often playing through the pain barrier, until he was finally forced to quit in mid-season of 2007. Irani also combined the leadership responsibilities with some of the duties of first team coach following the decision of Graham Gooch to step down from the role prior to the start of the 2005 season.

At county level, Ronnie was a most feared opponent in the domestic game. He enjoyed a brilliant domestic 2002 campaign when he averaged 61 with the bat and 20 with the ball in first-class cricket winning him a recall to the England one-day side and although he retained his place for the 2003 World Cup, his knee problems were beginning to surface In a bid to extend his cricket career, although by now exclusively as a batsman, Irani flew to America and then Germany to undergo knee treatment with positive results, In 2006 he averaged 59 in the Championship and began 2007 with 144 against Derbyshire in the opening Championship match of the season before recording his career-best innings of 218 against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in the next game. However, that was to prove his final first-class innings at the County Ground.

During a Championship game with Leicestershire in May 2007, Irani slipped and twisted his knee and was forced to seek immediate medical attention. After treatment and a final consultation with his specialist, it was revealed that the damage was more serious than initially feared and he was told that if he continued professional sport, then it would seriously affect his health and lifestyle. Ronnie acted upon the specialist’s advice and announced his retirement.

By the time his career ended, he had played 211 first-class matches for Essex accumulating 12,944 first-class runs @43.43 and also claimed 316 wickets @29.24. In one-day league matches for Essex, Irani struck 4,392 runs in 179 matches and also claimed 161 wickets.

A fine ambassador for the Club, he is one of the most popular players to have represented the county and now has a permanent position at talksport where he co-hosts a daily early morning programme.

Get into Street 20 Cricket

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:06:23 +0000

Essex County Cricket Board is running an 8 week introduction to Street 20 Cricket, specifically tailored for those aged 50+.

Two instructors will be on hand to take you through your cricketing paces with fun games and drills. Perfect for beginners and new players!

For more information click here

Could you be a Junior Journo!?

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:52:32 +0000

During 2012 we want youngsters to prove their credentials as the next cricket writer/broadcaster!

We have two age ranges for every budding cricket journalist..

Under 10
11-16

How can I get involved?

Simply send your match preview or match report or a sound bite from your own match commentary to juniorjourno@essexcricket.org.uk for any Essex home or away game in 2012. Before you know it you could be informing the public of Essex with your account of the action!

Don't forget to add your name, home town and contact details so we can contact you if you are one of our gifted winners

You could be a winner!

At the end of the 2012 season Paul, the official club match reporter will be carefully reviewing all the entries from the summer and selecting a winner and runner up from each age category.

Runner up:

Signed Essex Cricket mini bat
Certificate of achievement
Photo on our website
FREE Junior Membership for 2013

Winner:

Signed Essex Cricket large bat
Meet the team with you and your family
Visit to the Essex Cricket official press box & BBC Essex box
Certificate of achievement
Photo on our website
FREE Junior Membership until you reach 18

Terms & conditions: Entries must be received to email address below by 17th September 2012, winners and runners up will be selected and notified by 30th September 2012. Prizes cannot be transferred. By sending your match report / match preview or match commentary you consent to the submitted first name and home town being used on the Club website, social media channels, emails and printed literature. Entries must seek consent by their parent(s) or guardian(s).

Greg Smith raring to go

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:35:48 +0000

One of three newcomers to the Essex ranks for the forthcoming 2012 season, all-rounder Greg Smith is raring to go as he prepares to help his new county deliver silverware this season.

Although he is in new surroundings at Chelmsford following his move from Derbyshire, the 28 year-old will have the sound of familiar accents around him having been joined by fellow Proteas players Charl Willoughby and Alviro Petersen in a side determined to shrug off what proved to be a disappointing season in 2011.

Greg has no doubt that the new faces will show themselves to be inspiring additions to the squad.

"I first met Charl when we were in opposition back in South Africa when I started my first-class cricket but he's been in England for some while now and proved to be a very good and effective bowler in English conditions," he said. "He'll be a very useful asset to our bowling line-up.

"Getting Alviro in for the first couple of months was an excellent piece of work because signing overseas players nowadays is proving quite tricky for the coaches because of the IPL and all the various international tours. He's obviously got a bit of time off before the Test series between England and South Africa this summer and I think he'll be terrific capture for us.

"He's a very good player and he'll score a lot of runs."

Greg, who signed for Essex at the end of last season having been with Derbyshire for 8 years, believes that his new team mates can help him realise his dream of winning trophies. "Playing in a winning side is something that I've always wanted," he admitted. "The squad as a whole is very strong, certainly the strongest that I've been involved in and we have so much depth throughout and that's very good for Essex Cricket.

"It means that we should be able to be consistent and players can take a rest occasionally and keep fresh. We should do well in limited-overs games and when you look at the squad, you think that these guys should be playing first division Championship cricket and that's where I want to be.

I really think that we can win something this year and that's one of the reasons I came here - to win trophies."

The Johannesburg player who bats right-handed and bowls right arm fast medium also offers the team the option of spin being a useful off-break bowler and in preparation for a demanding campaign ahead, he enjoyed a winter's rest to recharge his batteries.

"I went back to South Africa for a few months to get a break and have some fun and just rested up the body giving it a chance to recover from a couple of little niggling injuries," he explained. "I didn't play a lot of cricket apart from a few club cricket games but I did play a lot of golf. But I've been back here for a few weeks now and I'm really looking forward to the season. It's going to be a long season but hopefully it will be a good and successful one for Essex, and I can't wait to get started."

Essex County Cricket Club Statement on Mervyn Westfield

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:58:09 +0000

ECB Media Release

Friday, February 17, 2012

Westfield served with interim suspension from all cricket pending ECB Cricket Discipline Commission hearing.

The ECB Cricket Discipline Commission today announced that the former Essex bowler, Mervyn Westfield, had been served with an interim suspension from all cricket under the ECB's jurisdiction.

The interim suspension was imposed by the Chairman of the ECB's Cricket Discipline Commission, Gerard Elias, QC, pending a disciplinary panel hearing, to be held in due course, relating to an alleged breach of ECB Directives regarding Betting, Match-Fixing and Forecasting during the 2009 season.

Earlier today, Westfield was sentenced to 4 months in jail after admitting a charge of corruptly accepting or obtaining, or agreeing to accept or obtain, corrupt payments.

Essex County Cricket Club Statement on Mervyn Westfield

This is a very sad day for all at the Club. It is going to take a while for us to fully digest the comments of the judge, but as the ECB Cricket Discipline Committee has served Mervyn Westfield with an interim suspension as a result of his sentencing earlier today, the Club is unable to comment on any aspect of this case.

ENDS

Saving money on utilities

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:21:57 +0000

Please find attached the latest £ savings for cricket clubs from Business Energy Direct one of our current NatWest CricketForce official supporters.

It takes an average of 20 minutes to complete the process (from a club perspective). This includes the initial enquiry email or conversation right through to the return of the contracts. Business Energy Direct retain a simple process and make this very easy for the clubs to understand.

To view the attachment please click here.

Is it Bopara's time at last?

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:21:14 +0000

Amidst all the rightful clamour to proclaim Ali Cook the best pound-for-pound English batsman of his time, his old running mate slipped in under the radar with his own modest statement.

Ravi Bopara made two run-a-ball-ish fifties to graft an extra layer of Essex rock to Cook's granite hundreds. He did what he had to do, which is often the hardest thing of all. It's a push to say his knocks were as significant as Cook's because as England captain in a format in which many have questioned his suitability the stakes are that much higher.

But just as Cook, as ever, was taking hold of those stakes and ramming them where the sun rarely shines, Bopara was gently nudging the English cricket public to suspend their ambivalence and go instead with a kind of cautiously renewed faith.

There was faith in him in the summer of 2009, possibly too much of it, as it turned out. Shunted in at No.3 against Australia on the back of three effortlessly beautiful hundreds against West Indies, he flickered briefly at Lord's, got a couple of dodgy decisions elsewhere and was finally released after four degenerative Tests. England went with Jonathan Trott at The Oval, and that was that.

Bopara wasn't the first and he won't be the last. But it hit him hard. When a batsman fails, it looks bad. When a strokemaker fails, especially a strokemaker with a street-strut, it looks bloody awful. For Bopara, that summer was an almighty bummer, and the following year drifted past in a wave of anti-climax.

But any doubts about his mettle were suspended at the start of the 2011 spring, when he turned down the chance of another run at the IPL to concentrate on grafting away in April for Essex. With Paul Collingwood's Test retirement he'd spied a spot at No.6 and so got his head down in first-class cricket as Eoin Morgan swanned off to India to thrash it about a bit for lots and lots of money. Smart moves both.

It didn't quite work out for Bopara. Despite playing some scintillating innings for Essex, Morgan got the nod at No.6 and he was only drafted in for the final two Tests of the summer in place of the injured Trott to watch on from the balcony as England's top-order made hay against the Indians.

Still, in January he packed his bags for the UAE as England's first reserve – a consolation prize, a backing of sorts – and then spent three weeks counting his credits as others, notably Morgan, mislaid theirs. And now's he's got the gig at No.4 in the ODI side – further backing.

Where it goes now, only time will tell. But Ravi could always play. Wrists, flair, time, an air of youthful studied nonchalance. But there was a problem. In amongst all the beauty and the promise, and perhaps because of it, Bopara, just like early-era Ian Bell, always seemed to be battling the suspicion that here was a great – at least greatly gifted – batsman when what was required was merely a reliably good one. It's like that dismissive old line about the film director Jean-Luc Godard only making great movies when what the public really want are a few good ones.

At the end of it all, it's runs. Just runs. They're all that count. He first came to our attention as a 20-year-old in 2005. That freakish summer saw the touring Australians spend a couple of days in Chelmsford getting the run-around from two young kids. Ravi Bopara – Puppy to his teammates – was one of them, plucking at the heartstrings with 136 of the silkiest, cheekiest runs imaginable.

But Ravi didn't get the girl. Because at the other end, rather less sexily but with the trappings and prospects already preternaturally developed, stood a 21-year-old called Alastair Cook. He made 201.

The Grubber is a weekly feature written by All Out Cricket's editor Phil Walker published each Thursday on www.alloutcricket.com

Read this article here

Mills reflects on his intense winter

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:45:44 +0000

Essex express Tymal Mills is currently enjoying a well deserved few days rest after an intense winter. The left-arm teenage whirlwind was named in the ECB's potential England Performance Programme squad in September spending 3 weeks at Loughborough concentrating on strength and conditioning before moving onto South Africa for a three-week training camp. He was then was set to go to Chennai with the main EPP when he received a call to change direction having been called into the England Lions party for their tour to Bangladesh.

"All that gave me a superb opportunity to showcase what I can do but I will admit that the call-up to the England Lions squad came as a huge surprise," he said.

Former England batsman Mark Ramprakash said last season that Mills was the fastest bowler he had faced for some while in theCountyChampionshipand, having already been clocked at 90 m.p.h., the young teenage tornado believes he can get faster.

"Before I went toSouth Africa, I was working on strength, conditioning and fitness and I believe I am in better shape now than I was last year," he revealed.

"I wasn't able to notice whether I was bowling faster when I was inBangladeshbecause the pitches out there don't offer a lot for the pace bowlers but I really enjoyed the tour and being around guys whom have played forEnglandalready so in that respect, it was good to earn and bounce off them".

In cricket terms, it was an eye-opener and a difficult place to go and it took me a little while to get into the tour. I spent a lot of time bowling in the nets and I only actually played in the one game but I managed to get a wicket and didn't go for too many runs (1 for 22 in 7 tidy overs) but overall the tour was a great experience.

Twelve months ago, the 19 year-old bowler was part of theEssexAcademy. He made his first team debut for the County last June against Sri Lanka, when Test opener Tharanga Paranavitana became his maiden first class victim, and after three more first-class appearances, he was rewarded with his first professional contract at Essex in September before rounding off the calendar year with selection for the England Lions. A quite amazing advance for the 6ft 2in player, who was part of the Essex Academy squad 12 months ago.

Now, after a well-earned break he is turning his attention to the forthcoming domestic season. "I'll be back at Chelmsford next week preparing for pre-season," he continued. "We've got a few friendlies in March so hopefully I can do well in them and come the 5th April, I will have done enough to get into the side for the start of the season.

"My immediate priority for the forthcoming season is to establish myself as a regular in the first team at Essex. I'll be working hard on the basics and my skills to give me the opportunity of having a successful career in cricket.

"So much has happened in the last 12 months, I've been lucky enough to get so many opportunities but I've enjoyed every minute of it, it's like living a dream," he acknowledged.

Cook & Bopara shine for England

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:42:48 +0000

Alastair Cook became the first England captain to score successive one-day international centuries as his team beat Pakistan by 20 runs in Abu Dhabi.

Cook was dropped early on with 28 on the board but played superbly in calm fashion with 10 fours in 102 from 121 balls as England moved 2-0 up in the four-match series.

Ravi Bopara, Cook's Essex team mate also added 58 in England's 250-4 after Cook again elected to bat first.

The 27-year-old left-hander offered further proof that a genuine opener playing authentic strokes can succeed in limited-overs matches and was able to score at a good pace on a sluggish surface.

England accumulated 38 without loss in the batting powerplay, so often an area of dramatic failure, a stylish drive to the cover boundary from Bopara bringing up the fifty partnership from 60 balls.

After Monday's victory, Cook and Bopara both shone for England once again cementing their place further in the England squads.

Kishen Velani signs Academy Bursary Contract for Essex

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Essex Cricket are pleased to announce that academy player, Kishen Velani has signed an Academy Bursary Contract with the club, meaning he will be registered for First Class cricket with the county. Kishen will join the squad playing in the number 8 shirt.

Velani has had a promising winter of cricket by joining team mate Ben Foakes in the England Under 19's tour of Bangladesh in January.

Mascot Package Opportunities

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:28:03 +0000

Want to walk out on the pitch at The Ford Country Ground with your heroes? Then this is the perfect package for you for the upcoming 2012 cricket season.

Mascot Package will include:

Replica Shirt
Tickets for the mascot and two guests
Photographs throughout the day including both captains on the day and Eddie the Eagle
Join in the toss
Lead out with the umpires and place the bails on the stumps
Goody Bag
Mascot Picture in November Members' Mailing
PA announcements
Disc with all photo's from your day

Price from £150

For more information please call Ruth Leatherdale on (01245) 254013

Essex Cricket Retail- Job Opportunity

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:03:57 +0000

Essex Cricket Retail has just been rebranded from Sport@Essex with the new support of the club's new official kit partner, Gray Nicolls.

If you feel you have the calibre and experience as a Retail Assistant we want to hear from you to help further increase our Retail offering in-store and online.

Click here for full job description and responsibilities. Please send your CV and covering letter to Danny Macklin (danny.macklin@essexcricket.org.uk) by Thursday 23rd February.

New signing coming to Essex in 2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:36:27 +0000

South African batsman, Alviro Petersen has signed with the club for the first half of the 2012 season, subject to confirmation from Cricket South Africa. Petersen, 31, will be at Essex until the LV= County Championship match v Northamptonshire.

The former Glamorgan captain has played 10 Test matches for South Africa and has become Essex's third signing for the 2012 season and joins compatriots, Charl Willoughby and Greg Smith.

Essex Head Coach, Paul Grayson said, "It is very exciting that we can bring in Alviro to the club as he is an experienced county cricketer. Obviously he has played against us many times before and he hit a good 100 for Glamorgan when we went to the SWALEC Stadium last season. He will certainly bring his vast knowledge, experience and leadership in the game to the squad.

"We are all very happy to be able to add someone of Petersen's quality to the squad for the first half of the season, featuring in 8 LV= County Championship and 4 Clydesdale Bank 40 games.

"We will be looking to get off to a good start in front of the Chelmsford crowd v Gloucestershire and for Alviro, he will certainly be looking to have a successful time with us to secure a place in South Africa's Test squad to face England later in the year."

Supporters will be able to see Alviro in action with an Essex Membership which is on sale now online, in person at The Ford County Ground and by phone – 01245 254010.

Tickets for the Friends Life t20 are now on sale to 'Over & Out!' e-news subscribers who can receive their free unique code plus all the latest news as we build up to the 2012 season. Tickets will be on general sale from 10am on Thursday 1st March. Sign up now

Name the NEW official Essex Cricket brewâ�¦

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:02:25 +0000

To launch our soon to be announced extended contract with Shepherd Neame we are giving Essex Cricket Members & Supporters the unique chance to name the NEW 2012 Essex Cricket Real Ale.

Members and Supporters can enter their suggestion by emailing ashley.neave@essexcricket.org.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 29th February.

The lucky selected winner will be the first to taste the new brew at the start of the season and will receive a £50 Essex Cricket voucher. The specially selected ale will bring refreshment and delight to the taste buds of Essex.

The winner will also get their own custom made glass to mark the occasion.

So to get you thinking, will it be 'The only way is Essex (Ale)? Or named after some greats from the county? Maybe Gooch's brew?

Get your thinking caps on!

Shepherd Neame and Essex Cricket will jointly select a suitable name from all entries. In the event of two of more entries for the same suggestion a random draw will be made to select the winner.

Tom Craddock warms up for the 2012 season

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

THIS time last year Tom Craddock was writing his university dissertation on Twenty20 cricket and the difference between English and Indian views.

Fast forward 12 months and that subject matter has come alive for Essex's exciting young leg-spinner, 22, as he's just returned to England from a 21-day spinners' camp in Pune, East India playing One-Day cricket.

He joined fellow Essex prospect Jaik Mickleburgh out in the sub-continent to work on his skills ahead of his first full season with the county.

"I'd been out to this camp before a couple of years ago on an MCC programme," he told the Chronicle. "It's basically a spinners' camp but batters come too, to learn how to play spin.

"It's a completely different way of coaching over there. For me it was all about how I felt in my action and what my head and my hips were doing.

"I've been trying to learn and develop some deliveries like my googly, flipper and top spinner. Last season my two main deliveries were the leg-spinner and the slider and I'd vary my angle and pace.

"It's about getting confident with them enough to use them in a match, it would be pretty embarrassing if I bowled a double bouncer or something like that!"

The build up to pre-season as a professional sportsman is a far cry from his days studying for a sport, leisure and culture degree at Leeds Metropolitan University.

"Yeah this time last year I was doing my dissertation," he said. "I really enjoyed writing it but I only got a 2:2.

"To be honest since then it's all gone a bit crazy, I would never have imagined I'd be where I am now."

It's been a helter skelter eight months for the Huddersfield- born youngster, who originally joined the county on a two-month trial in June having impressed with the Unicorns, a team made up of players without county contracts.

A two-year deal then followed after a series of excellent performances, most notably four-wicket hauls against Glamorgan, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

"I didn't really want last season to end," he said. "I was just getting in to my stride because I hadn't been playing in the early part of the season."

Name England's last successful wrist spinner and you'll probably be scratching around for names like Ian Salisbury and Chris Schofield, does that put any greater pressure on Craddock to succeed?

His head coach Paul Grayson, himself a former England finger spinner, said: "Tom was absolutely fantastic last season. He knows it'll be more difficult in his second season so he's got to develop his game."

Craddock added: "I don't feel any pressure other than what I put on myself.

"To be fair England have some good finger spinners like (Graeme) Swann (Monty) Panesar and (Danny) Briggs who's just been called in to the England One-Day squad. But you're right, there haven't been too many wrist spinners."

With England said to be closely monitoring his progress a good season could lead to international recognition although he missed out on a spot on the England Lions winter tour of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"I know I've got to earn my stripes," he said. "If I have a good year you never know what'll happen. To be honest 12 months ago I didn't think I'd be doing this so you just don't know."

This story is courtesy of the Essex Chronicle- view story here

Essex to play friendly match against Unicorns

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

The club can announce that they will be playing the Unicorns in a friendly match which will take place at Wormsley Cricket Club. The match is 40-overs and begins at 1pm on Sunday 15th April.

This match is part of a friendly programme that includes:

2-day match v Surrey at The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford

40-over match v Middlesex at The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford

2-day match v Worcestershire at The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford

3-day match v Cambridge MCCU at Fenner's

First-class cricket to return to Garon Park with the Unicorns

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:30:27 +0000

The Southend Cricket Festival will be going ahead this summer.

Last year the county controversially decided to stop playing in the town after 105 years.

But the Echo can reveal the festival will still place at Garon Park in June with two CB40 matches taking place in the space of three days.

The first clash will see Unicorns, a team made up of former professional players, taking on Sussex on Sunday, June 3.

Two days later Unicorns will take on Kent at the same venue, much to the delight of Neil Harding – the festival operations manager.

"We're really thrilled that first class cricket will be coming back to Southend again," said Harding.

"They're two good matches and it also gives us a chance to improve the infrastructure at Garon Park as we try to get Essex back to play here again in the near future."

Full details were set to be confirmed at a committee meeting late last night with an official statement being released in the next few days.

However, news of the festival carrying on will come as a big boost to cricket fans in south east Essex who were left furious when the county opted to stop playing in Southend.

This story is courtesy of the Southend Echo - view full story

Last day to receive your 10% discount on Beyond the Boundaries Networking Group

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:39:25 +0000

Today is the last day to get your 10% discount from Beyond the Boundaries Networking Group Membership. The group launched with a bang in January as guest speakers Graham Napier & Tim Phillips attended a busy event at The Ford County Ground.

The next networking meeting is on Thursday 23rd February, with entertainment from current Essex Head Coach and former England all rounder Paul Grayson. On the day we will also show case the directory website thus ensuring that as a member of Beyond the Boundaries you are able to enjoy the maximum benefits.

To join this fantastic networking club simply download the booking form here, or for more information, please contact Deborah Thomas today on 01245 254051 / 07787294978 deborah.thomas@essexcricket.org.uk

Australia hospitality sold out & FL t20 selling fast!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:43:21 +0000

Hospitality has now SOLD OUT for June's County v Country Tourist clash against Australia but you can still get together your friends, family and colleagues for the 5 home Friends Life t20 matches at The Ford County Ground in June & July!

Places for corporate hospitality are selling fast so make sure you book up now to avoid disappointment. There are a range of packages on offer - view the hospitality packages

For more information on hospitality at Essex Cricket or to book your group - contact Deborah Thomas - deborah.thomas@essexcricket.org.uk | 01245 254051 or visit the website

Cook & Bopara named in England squads

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:26:27 +0000

England selectors today named the England ODI squad for the forthcoming series against Pakistan beginning in Abu Dhabi on Monday 13 February and the England squad for the T20 series beginning in Dubai on Thursday 23 February.

The 16-man ODI squad sees the inclusion of Danny Briggs (Hampshire) and Jos Buttler (Somerset) for the first time. Buttler made his international T20 debut last summer against India but is yet to play for England in the 50 over format. Both players have spent the winter with the England Performance Programme in India and with England Lions in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The squad will face England Lions on Friday 10 February in Abu Dhabi in preparation for the series against Pakistan.

Stuart Broad will captain a 15-man T20 squad that includes Nottinghamshire's Alex Hales for the three match T20 series against Pakistan. Tim Bresnan's inclusion in both squads is subject to a fitness assessment during the preparation period as he continues his recovery following an elbow operation.

National Selector, Geoff Miller, said: "We have selected two squads that include both experienced international players and younger players who have performed strongly for England Lions in recent months and deserve an opportunity to further test themselves against quality opposition. Playing against Pakistan in the UAE will be challenging but it is important that these players continue to develop their skills so that we are able to make strides in limited overs cricket particularly on the subcontinent."

England ODI squad vs Pakistan

Alastair Cook (Captain) (Essex)

James Anderson (Lancashire)

Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)

Ravi Bopara (Essex)

Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)

Danny Briggs (Hampshire)

Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)

Jos Buttler (Somerset)

Jade Dernbach (Surrey)

Steven Finn (Middlesex)

Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)

Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)

Kevin Pietersen (Surrey)

Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)

Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)

England T20 squad vs Pakistan

Stuart Broad (Capt.) (Nottinghamshire)

James Anderson (Lancashire)

Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)

Ravi Bopara (Essex)

Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)

Danny Briggs (Hampshire)

Jos Buttler (Somerset)

Jade Dernbach (Surrey)

Steven Finn (Middlesex)

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)

Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)

Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)

Kevin Pietersen (Surrey)

Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)

ODI Fixtures

10 February vs England Lions Abu Dhabi

vs Pakistan

13 February Abu Dhabi

15 February Abu Dhabi

18 February Dubai

21 February Dubai

T20 series vs Pakistan

23 February Dubai

25 February Dubai

27 February Abu Dhabi

Australia Tourist match ticket news for non-Members

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:24:40 +0000

The first phase of non-Members tickets for the Tourist match against Australia has now ended. These are currently only available to 'Over & Out!' subscribers until Thursday 1st March. Please keep an eye on the website for details on when the next phase of tickets to non-Members will be released.

Please note: Members have until Tuesday 1st May to apply for their Australia ticket by sending the Tourist match voucher located in the Members pack. We are urging Members to submit their voucher as soon as possible. If you require reserved seating please specify this on your voucher and amend price accordingly.

Take part in the half term cricket course - now only Â£20!

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:09:57 +0000

Take advantage of the cricket courses which are taking place at the Essex Auto Group Graham Gooch Cricket Centre in half-term.

The first session on Monday 13th February for children aged 7-9 years old is now only £20.00! The session runs from 10am until 3.30pm at the home of Essex Cricket so get involved!

To book a place on the course simply phone 01245 254029 or in person at The Ford County Ground.

A-Z of Essex - H - Hardie, Hobbs & Hussain

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:28:36 +0000

Continuing our look back through the alphabet at Essex cricketers who served the County so well, we arrive at the letter 'H' as we reflect on the distinguished careers of three more players.

BRIAN HARDIE

Having moved down south from Scotland to join Essex in 1973, Brian became one of the most respected players on the county circuit. For almost two decades, he became a highly-dependable batsman initially as an opening batsman before dropping into the middle-order although he later resumed the opener's role when forming a highly effective partnership with Graham Gooch both in one-day cricket and the longer form of the game. He passed 1000 runs 11 times and was an integral part of the side that carried off four County Championships in eight seasons and three one-day titles from seven Final appearances.

Brian Ross Hardie was born in Stenhousemuir in January 1950 and, having linked up with Essex, colleagues and supporters immediately warmed to his engaging personality, sense of humour and - of course - his prowess as an excellent cricketer.

Affectionately known as "Lager", he made his county debut in 1973 but it was a match a year later that brought the right-handed batsman to the attention of the media. Playing against Hampshire, at Chelmsford, he scored 4 runs in two hours and 22 minutes, the Essex record for the slowest innings. However, in that instance, Brian was only playing to orders and he showed on so many occasions thereafter that he could match the run-rate of the fastest of scorers even outscoring his regular one-day opening partner Graham Gooch at times.

A determined batsman who favoured playing off the front-foot, he was also a superb and particularly brave fielder. Stationed in the short-leg position, he took a considerable number of outstanding catches there amongst his career total of 346 that proved to have a defining contribution to the outcome of matches.

His highest score was 162 which he achieved, firstly against Warwickshire in 1975 and then against Somerset ten years later. The highlight of his Essex career came in 1979 when the County won the Benson & Hedges Cup and the County Championship with Brian scoring a four-hour century against Northamptonshire in the victory that secured the three-day title.

He played many superb and effective innings but many would consider his greatest moment came in the NatWest Trophy Final against Nottinghamshire in 1985 when he made 110 from 149 deliveries as he and Gooch posted 202 for the first wicket. Hardie's contribution won him the Man-of-the-Match award in Essex's one-run victory.

The same pair then provided an encore against the same opposition the following day when opening the innings with a stand of 239 in the Sunday League match at Trent Bridge.

In 374 first-class matches for Essex, Brian accumulated 17,945 runs at an average of 34.41 and struck 27 centuries and 89 fifties. He scored 5,621 runs in 236 Sunday League matches.

Following his retirement, he took up a position as sports master at Brentwood School.

ROBIN HOBBS

Robin first came to the attention of Essex when playing for Chingford, a Club that his father also represented. The young Hobbs was actually receiving winter coaching from Kent at one stage and could have become the second Hobbs name to slip through the Essex clutches with the County having allowed Jack Hobbs to play his trade with Surrey despite having given a trial to the opening batsman who was to become knighted for his services to England cricket. Essex "greats" and stalwarts Trevor Bailey and Doug Insole decided that history would not repeat itself and Robin was given a contract.

Over the ensuing years, he became one of the most likeable and popular players to play for the County. He was a leg-spinner at a time when that absorbing style of bowling became something of a dying art and its cause was not helped by the introduction of limited-overs cricket. In fact, by the time he left Essex in 1975, he was the only genuine leg-break bowler in county cricket. Hobbs was exceptional, holding down a regular place in both the Essex three-day and one-day sides and proved a very effective performer in both codes. After he won the last of his seven Test caps, it was another 20 years before England selected another leg-spinner when Ian Salisbury emerged to take up the challenge.

Born in Chippenham, Wiltshire in 1942, he made his Essex first team debut in May 1961 against Leicestershire at Ilford and by the end of the season, 12 matches had produced 23 wickets for the young spinner.

However with Bill Greensmith as first-choice leg spinner and Paddy Phelan having completed his National Service, the signing of Test bowler Jim Laker meant that Robin was forced to spend the 1962 campaign in the Second XI where he took 55 wickets but in 1963, he established himself in the senior side and soon began to attract the attention of the international selectors as his career progressed with some rapidity.

The following season of 1964 proved a highly-rewarding season for the player. He took 10 wickets against Leicestershire at Grace Road, was awarded his county cap and was selected by the MCC for the winter tour of South Africa.

Robin bowled flighted leg-breaks and well disguised googlies from a six pace run and was a fine and dependable county player. In 1966, he took 13 wickets in the match with Glamorgan at Swansea in a year that saw him claim 88 victims and two years later, at Ilford, the Welsh county's bowlers were on the receiving end when Robin struck his maiden first-class century.

He played for England four times in 1967, three of them against India and one against Pakistan, with modest success, and was picked to tour the West Indies the following winter, where he played just once. A year later he toured Pakistan, and was picked for the third Test, but did not bowl or bat as the match was abandoned on the third day. He made one final Test appearance, against Pakistan in 1971, but failed to take a wicket.

Robin took 102 wickets at 21.40 in all matches in 1970 wickets and topped the bowling averages. As a useful low-order batsman, he was capable of solid defence or whirlwind hitting adapting to the situation as demanded. He astonished everyone by recording one of the fastest centuries in cricket history (44 minutes) for Essex against the touring Australians in 1975. Hobbs said afterwards that he went out with the objective of having a good slog, and entertaining the crowd. It was the fastest first-class century for 55 years and his second fifty took just 12 minutes.

On another occasion, he and Stuart Turner posted 192 for the eighth wicket at Ilford against Glamorgan in 1968 with both batsmen recording maiden centuries. Robin was also a fine fielder in the covers.

At the end of 1975 and after 14 years with Essex, he retired to minor county cricket with Suffolk before surprisingly re-emerging in 1979 to captain Glamorgan for a three-year spell. His final match for the Welsh side was against Essex at Colchester when he rounded off an excellent first-class career by taking 5 for 85 in the second innings.

During his first-class career, he took 10 wickets in a match on five occasions and five wickets in an innings 32 times illustrating his accuracy and skilful ability to vary the flight and pace. He was the last English leg-spin bowler to take 1,000 first-class wickets in his career. In all, he took 1,099 victims at an impressive 27.09. An economy rate of 2.86 is testament to his accuracy while a strike rate of 56.7 ranks with any spinner of his generation.

He is still a regular and popular visitor to the County's matches.

NASSER HUSSAIN

Nasser Hussain announced his retirement from cricket soon after notching his 14th century for his country. This came at the end of May 2004 to bring down the curtain on an illustrious career fittingly at Lord's with the batsman steering his country to a win against New Zealand. Just one week earlier, he had played his final innings for Essex - although nobody realised it at the time - when he scored 102 against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.

A highly motivated cricketer, Nasser took on the role of England captain when the performances of the side were at their lowest ebb and he steadily moulded them back into a highly-respected team whilst his own leadership qualities drew the highest praise from far and wide.

He made 96 Test appearances for England scoring 5764 runs @37.18 that included his highest score of 207 made and achieved against Australia at Edgbaston in 1997. He also represented his country in 88 One-day internationals notching 2332 runs @30.28. In 2000/01, he led England to four successive series victories completing wins against Zimbabwe, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Born in Madras in March 1968, the family to England in 1975 and at 12 years old, the talented youngster was the youngest to play for Essex Under-15 s. He helped Durham University to the 1987 UAU Championship before making his Essex first-class debut in 1987 and after another successful year for the students, he recorded his maiden first-class century for the County in 1988 when he struck an unbeaten 165 against Leicestershire at Chelmsford in September. His highly impressive performance, during which he scored a hundred before lunch on the second day of the match, included an array of punishing strokes spanned 215 balls that included a six and 21 fours.

Having established himself in the side, he was awarded his county cap in 1989. During that season, when playing against Warwickshire on a lively Ilford pitch in June, he scored 141 from 155 deliveries. The following month he took a century off the Kent attack at Southend although his 45 against Yorkshire at Southchurch Park was arguably a better effort made on a bowler-friendly track. Essex won the match thanks to Hussain's contribution but were then deducted 25 points because of an alleged poor pitch, a decision that was to cost them the Championship title.

He played many sparkling innings for Essex but one that stands in the memory came at Valentine's Park in June 1992 when he set a county third wicket partnership record of 347 with Mark Waugh as the pair battered the Lancashire attack. The previous year, he had also figured in another splendid partnership posting a record Essex fourth wicket stand when he teamed up with Salim Malik at the Oval in July, an alliance that produced 314 runs as the Surrey attack were given a prolonged insight to the highest level of delightful quality batting. Later that summer, Hussain's name appeared once more in the county batting records when he set a record fifth wicket partnership of 316 with Mike Garnham when playing against Leicestershire at Grace Road in September.

Nasser was appointed Essex captain in 1999, a year that also saw him named as England skipper. Increasing demands on his international involvement forced him to hand over the Essex team captaincy the following year to Ronnie Irani although he retained the title of Club Captain.

Named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year in 2003, he was the captain of the England team for 45 Test matches from 1999 to 2003 and also led the one-day side before stepping down although he continued as a batsman in the Test team until May 2004.

A pugnacious right-handed batsman, Nasser made 189 first-class appearances for Essex scoring 11,982 runs @44.05 that included 31 centuries and 62 fifties and he also scored over 5,000 runs in one-day cricket for the County.

Since his retirement, he has taken up a successful career as a television commentator for Sky Sports.

Join the team at Essex Cricket - Staff Vacancies

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Assistant Groundsman

An opportunity has arisen to join the Groundstaff team at Essex County Cricket Club, in an advanced position as Assistant Groundsman working closely with the Head Groundsman.

1 of only 18 First class cricket Headquarters in the country, The Ford County Ground would be the main workplace, with sometime being spent at other venues in the county where Essex CCC 1st and 2nd teams have matches. Working in a team of four, the candidate would need to be able to take responsibility of staff and be able to work to a high standard at all times.

The candidate would ideally have the following requirements;

NVQ 2 or equivalent in sportsturf
PA 1,2 and 6 spraying certificates
Current driving license
3 years experience at a recognised quality venue/ground
Good team player
Flexible to working hours.

This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic person looking to step up the career ladder in cricket Groundsmanship.

PDF: Job Specification and how to apply

Assistant Scoreboard Operator

In 2012 there may be a rare opportunity to join the match day support team as Assistant Scoreboard Operator at Essex Cricket covering 1st XI, 2nd XI and youth team matches at Chelmsford and Colchester.

Operators would work from an hour or so before play begins until the end of play with breaks for lunch and tea. The Operators are paid at a daily rate.

Knowledge of cricket would be advantageous. May suit early retiree.

Please send your expression of interest/covering letter to Louise Barclay at the Ford County Ground, New Writtle Street Chelmsford CM2 0PG louise.barclay@essexcricket.org.uk by 25th February 2012.

Bumper sales for FL t20 & Australia tickets on first day of 'Over & Out!' ticket priority

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Tickets for the 2012 Friends Life t20 campaign and Australia Tourist match have been on sale since 10am this morning.

The Membership & Ticketing Office has been busy processing the many orders online with significant sales for all 5 FL t20 matches plus the Australia Tourist match. Essex Eagles fans are showing that they are looking forward to getting behind their team at The Ford County Ground when the opening home match starts on June 20th against Kent Spitfires.

Essex Eagles supporter Tony Headingley said, "I will be coming down to the Twenty20 at Chelmsford with my two sons who are fanatical about the Eagles. We took advantage last season of the new Season Ticket offer for the FL t20 so have repeated this again as its fantastic value for money."

Essex Cricket Membership & Ticketing Manager, Eliza Rowley said, "We have seen a surge of ticket sales since Friends Life t20 and Australia tickets went on sale at 10am this morning. The message that my staff and I have been urging to supporters is to book tickets sooner rather than later as we are predicting 5 sell out matches for Twenty20, especially with the reduction in fixtures!"

"We would like to thank those who have purchased their tickets so far for the biggest games of the season and we're looking forward to welcoming you all to The Ford County Ground."

We have also had a number of fans expressing their excitement via our Facebook & Twitter pages who have managed to secure their tickets...

@MrsReubin -Bought @EssexCricket tickets for summer today! Some of my followers won't get it and girlies may even disapprove, but I'm sooo excited! :-D

@DanStephenCook - At last got my tickets for @EssexCricket vs Australia, bring on June 26, can't wait for fortress chelmsford to rock

@Steve Lowe - Just brought my T 20 ticket for the Kent game, bring on the summer.

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter to share your views and stories with fellow fans! Facebook | Twitter

Purchase your tickets using your unique 'Over & Out!' code now! Buy Tickets

FL t20 & Australia Tickets On Sale NOW!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Tickets are now on sale for the 2012 Friends Life t20 campaign and the Australia Tourist match!

This is EXCLUSIVELY available to supporters who have signed up to the 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter and will have now received a unique code to use when purchasing tickets.

Not signed up? Don't worry if you haven't signed up to 'Over & Out!' e-news as you can still receive your unique code by subscribing now - follow the link to sign up and get your code!

ECB agrees new Sky Sports deal

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:30:32 +0000

The England and Wales Cricket Board today announced a new broadcasting agreement with Sky Sports for the next four-year cycle from 2014-17.

Sky Sports has won the rights to show live domestic and international cricket in England and Wales as part of a package which includes all England's home Test, one-day international and Twenty20 series, selected England Lions and England women's fixtures plus 60 days of domestic cricket every season.

Following last week's announcement of a new six-year deal with BBC Radio, ECB's broadcasting agreements for the next contractual cycle will deliver an overall increase in revenues compared with the previous four-year period.

The ECB's agreement with Sky Sports also includes an option to extend for a further two years, which would encompass tours by India in 2018 and Australia in 2019.

The awarding of TV rights followed an open tender process in which all broadcasters were invited to bid for a variety of packages which included the rights to individual Test matches, series or competitions, and a mixture of live and highlights programming.

ECB chairman Giles Clarke said: "Sky Sports has raised the bar for all live television broadcasters with its innovative, informed and comprehensive coverage of cricket and we are very pleased to renew this agreement for a further four years."

"No-one should be in any doubt that our partnership with Sky has been of immense benefit to the wider game. World-class support structures for our successful England teams, major ground improvements at county level, a flourishing coach education programme and a five per cent increase in participation at our 'Focus' clubs are all by-products of this relationship.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "Today's announcement is the latest in a series of broadcasting and sponsorship agreements concluded by our commercial team which will bring additional revenues into our game and be welcomed by all our key stakeholders.

"The sheer breadth and quality of Sky's coverage, which encompasses the main domestic competitions as well as key recreational events like the Barbados Cockspur T20 Cup final, demonstrates their passion for the sport and we look forward to working with them over the next four years.

"On behalf of ECB, I would like to thank both our commercial committee and our commercial department for their efforts, which will be hugely appreciated by everyone within the game."

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: "This is good news for cricket and good news for viewers. Our viewers will enjoy a breadth of live coverage, at domestic and international level, and the ECB extends a partnership that has proved good for the game."

He continued: "Cricket is flourishing in England and Wales with increased participation, record attendances and success for England's men and women. Through extending our partnership, the ECB can invest on and off the pitch and the game can continue to grow."

Only 24 HOURS remaining! Sign up to get your ticket priority!

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Less than 24 hours remaining until tickets for Friends Life t20 & Australia Toursit match go on sale from Wednesday 1st February exclusively for 'Over & Out!' subscribers! It is FREE to sign up via the link below and you will receive your unique code on Monday!

'Jump the Queue' in 2012 by signing up to Essex's 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter...

Not only will you receive ticket priority for 2012 but also get all the team news throughout the year, information on the fixtures, exclusive competition and offers plus much, much more!

Help spread the word - part time Promotional work

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:49:52 +0000

As we go full steam ahead for the 2012 season we are seeking motivated individuals to help promote our Membership, Junior Eagles Membership and Tickets.

If you have some spare time we want to spread the Essex word across the County from coast to capital, Suffolk border to the Thames Estuary. We will shortly be taking delivery of our 2012 printed flyers and posters and we want to be in as many public places as possible, from schools to shops, libraries to pubs. Access to your own vehicle is essential, the roles offer:

Competitive hourly rates of pay
Flexible working hours / days
Mileage expenses covered
Complimentary tickets for 2012
Official Essex Cricket clothing

Ideally we are seeking individuals who can dedicate approx 15 hours per week over the coming months. Please note this role is not a fixed term contract.

If you believe you can Hit our promotion campaign for 6 please contact danny.macklin@essexcricket.org.uk / 01245 254039 by Friday 10th February.

ONLY 2 DAYS TO GO! Jump the Queue for FL t20 & Australia ticket priority with Over & Out! e-news!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Less than 1 week until tickets for Friends Life t20 & Australia Toursit match go on sale from Wednesday 1st February exclusively for 'Over & Out!' subscribers! It is FREE to sign up via the link below and you will receive your unique code on Monday!

'Jump the Queue' in 2012 by signing up to Essex's 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter...

Not only will you receive ticket priority for 2012 but also get all the team news throughout the year, information on the fixtures, exclusive competition and offers plus much, much more!

Have you received your unique code? Sign up to 'Over & Out!' now to get access to ticket priority

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

The unique code has been sent to 'Over & Out!' subscribers for 2012 Friends Life t20 & Australia Tourist match ticket priority!

Not received your unique code? You can still sign up to 'Over & Out! e-news and receive your unique code via email.

Not only will you receive your code but also the breaking news stories, competitions and match information throughout the whole season. It FREE so so sign up today via the link below!

Members Important Notice - Get your discounted tickets until 1st May

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:20:00 +0000

Members wishing to secure their FREE Australia ticket & FL t20 discounted tickets please read.

Just a reminder that the 'Over & Out!' e-news FL t20 & Australia priority starts at 10am on Wednesday.

Whilst Members can claim their FREE Australia ticket and FL t20 heavily discounted tickets until 1st May (subject to availability) we are URGING ALL MEMBERS to secure their tickets as soon as possible.

If you are yet to take advantage of this or wish to renew / purchase your Membership the offices are open 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday and Saturday 9am - 12:30pm - 01245 254010

A-Z of Essex - G - Gibb, Gooch & Greensmith

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Continuing our look back through the alphabet at Essex cricketers who served the County so well, we arrive at the letter ''G' as we reflect on the distinguished careers of three more players.

PAUL GIBB

Born in Brandsby, Yorkshire in 1913, Paul played first-class cricket for Cambridge University from 1935 to 1938 during which time he also represented his native county. He scored 157 not out in his first innings for Yorkshire in 1935, his maiden first-class century and ultimately his second highest score in first-class cricket

He achieved his only double century in first-class cricket when he reached 204 for Cambridge University against Free Foresters in 1938, his first of four first-class centuries that year.

In July 1938, the England wicket-keeper, Les Ames was injured and Gibb was chosen to keep wicket for England in the third Ashes Test against Australia at Old Trafford. The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain and before the Fourth Test; Gibb himself was ruled out through injury. Nevertheless he was chosen to tour South Africa in 1938-39 as Ames' deputy, although he played in all five Tests as a batsman, opening the batting in all five matches. He scored 93 and 106 on his debut and added a second Test century in the Fifth Test during England's second innings in the timeless Test that was abandoned as a draw after 10 days of play.

After the end of World War II in 1946, Gibb was selected as wicket-keeper in the first two Tests against India but was then replaced by Godfrey Evans and although he kept wicket for England the following winter in the First Test at Brisbane but he was replaced again by Evans for the Second Test at Sydney and did not play for England again. In his eight Tests, he had scored three fifties and two centuries and boasted a Test batting average of 44.69.

A slight, bespectacled man, Gibb was a tea-totaller with a passion for ice cream, part of an enormous appetite for food that he enjoyed. Gibb did not play first-class cricket between 1947 and 1950 but joined Essex in 1951, becoming the first cricket blue to turn professional. This caused MCC to suspend his membership.

An eccentric and private man, he often travelled the county circuit in a small van which contained most of his belongings and also provided his sleeping accommodation on many occasions. He scored four first-class centuries in his first season with us and having made 99 against Kent, he soon recorded the first of his 8 centuries for the County when taking 107 off the Yorkshire attack at Brentwood on his way to 1,330 runs for the season also proving a capable replacement for Tommy Wade behind the stumps.

He boasted intense powers of concentration and patience as illustrated in the match between Kent and Essex at Blackheath. Gibb and Dick Horsfall set a new county record of 343 for the third wicket with Gibb contributing 141. The runs continued to flow in 1952 with the popular Gibb scoring 1,519 runs including a contribution of 132 in a new seventh wicket county record of 294 with Sonny Avery. He also topped the list of wicket-keeping victims that summer with a tally of 87 victims including 8 dismissals in the match against Kent at Tunbridge Wells.

A good player off the back-foot with a resolute defence, another 1,000 runs plus followed in 1953 but the following year, injuries interrupted his career although he made an effective return for the 1955 campaign once again exceeding 1,000 runs.

But time and injuries were beginning to make their mark. He appeared in the first three matches of the 1956 term but injured a thumb and was forced onto the sidelines for a month. He returned at Old Trafford in June but was dismissed for a duck and never played again decided to retire at the end of that season.

In 145 first-class matches for Essex he had scored 6,328 runs @ 26.58 and claimed 230 catches and 46 stumpings. Upon retirement, he became a first-class umpire, a position that he held from 1957 to 1966 after which he decided to become a bus driver in Guildford.

He died suddenly in December 1977.

GRAHAM GOOCH

Born in Leytonstone in July 1953, Graham Gooch OBE DL played in all the Essex youth representative sides as a batsman who kept wicket and gaining further recognition when he was selected to tour West Indies with Young England as deputy to Gloucestershire's Andy Stovold.

He made his debut in 1973 and was also called upon to play a number of Sunday League games but it was not until the following June that he began to make his mark and became a useful member of the middle-order. His maiden first-class century came at Chelmsford late in the season when he scored an unbeaten 114 against Leicestershire and his innings underpinned an Essex victory off the last ball of the penultimate over.

In 1975, he was awarded his county cap having been in superb form that won him selection for the MCC against Australia ahead of selection for a Test debut at Edgbaston against the tourists but he bagged a "pair." He retained his place for the Lord's Test but spent the remainder of the season back on the county circuit.

Graham won international recognition once more with selection for the England one-day side in 1976 but it was not until 1978 that he regained his slot in the Test team. By that time, he had begun to open the innings for Essex with great success. He and Ken McEwan set a new third wicket record for the county when combining for a 321 runs partnership against Northamptonshire. With his place regained in the international side, he topped the England averages with 63.33 in the three Tests against New Zealand.

It was in 1980 that Graham hit the first double century of his career when he scored 205 against Cambridge University and that year saw him record a maiden Test century when playing against West Indies. Now enjoying a reputation as a batsman of the highest quality – and famous for his upright stance, a high bat-lift and heavy bat- he became one of the most prolific run scorers top-class cricket has ever seen as runs flowed like water from a tap. In 1982, playing against Sussex in a Benson & Hedges Cup zonal match at Hove , Graham scored 198 not out, the highest score at that time made in one-day competition in England. Gooch also bowled occasional medium-pace and took over 200 first-class wickets. He could be a prodigious swinger of the ball if conditions suited and achieved his best bowling figures of his career in 1982 with 7 for 14 against Warwickshire at Ilford.

His decision to join the rebel tour to South Africa in 1983 kept him out of the national side until 1985 although Essex prospered with his presence. In 1984, he scored 220 when leading the side against Hampshire in the absence of Keith Fletcher at Southampton and he struck the third double century of his career when plundering the Derbyshire attack for 227 at Chesterfield on his way to posting 2,559 runs in the season, the highest-ever by an Essex player. In 1985, he hit 171 in a John Player League game at Trent Bridge against Nottinghamshire setting up a record partnership of 239 in 38 overs with Brian Hardie and he later hit 202 in the Championship fixture on the same ground.

Graham enjoyed a highly successful benefit and was appointed as captain for the 1986 campaign when we lifted the County Championship title once more but he resigned after two seasons citing loss of form. In 1988 came his highest score for the county when he scored 275 against Kent at Chelmsford and he was also restored to the England captaincy whilst in 1989, he resumed the Essex captaincy reins following the retirement of Keith Fletcher.

Amongst a series of sparkling seasons, the 1990 summer proved highly productive. He scored a record 456 runs in the Lord's Test against India in 1990, 333 in the first innings and 123 in the second. As of 2011, this is the only instance in any first-class cricket of a batsman scoring 300 and 100 in two innings of the same match and his aggregate of 456 for the match remains a world record for a Test match. He topped the national first-class averages with 2,746 runs at an average of 101.70 that included 12 hundreds illustrating the magnificent run-machine that was Graham Gooch. Through a career spanning from 1973 until 2000, he became the most prolific run scorer of all time with 67,057 runs in all competitions. He is the leading Test run scorer for England, and has the most runs in a career in List A cricket with a total of 22,211 runs. He also has 246 first-class wickets and 310 one-day wickets to his credit.

Awarded the Wisden Cricketer of the Year title in 1980, he is currently the batting coach for the England cricket team, a role he has performed since November 2009.

Gooch made a habit of leading by example, his batting average as captain being almost twice his average in the ranks but he quit the England captaincy after the Fourth Test match of the 1993 Ashes series with England 3-0 down in the series. ,Although Gooch continued playing international cricket for a couple of years, notably scoring another double century against New Zealand in 1994, he retired from Test match cricket as England's all-time highest run scorer. Over his 118 Test career, Gooch played with a record 113 different team mates.

Graham retired as a player in 1997 having become is the most prolific top-flight batsman of all time.

He holds the record for most first-class runs in a career for Essex aggregating 30,701 and most centuries for Essex with a total of 94 having played 391 matches

BILL GREENSMITH

Another Yorkshire-born player, Bill was one of those players whose statistics fail to do full justice to his value to the side. He batted who in the lower order where his useful scores often pulled Essex out of a difficult situation after their more recognised batsmen had failed. One particular example came in the match at Leyton against Surrey in 1958 when the visitors had been shot out for 76 before Essex lost seven wickets in reaching the Surrey score. However Greensmith, with the assistance of Roy Ralph, doubled the score helping Essex to an innings victory.

Bill Greensmith was a Yorkshire-born leg-spinner from Buckhurst Hill who made his Essex debut in the final match of the 1947 season when he scored 2 and 0 batting at number 11 against Gloucestershire whilst he failed to take a wicket. National Service between the years 1948 and 1950 restricted further appearances but in 1951, he became a permanent member of the first eleven playing all 31 first-class matches. One of his telling contributions that summer with the bat came against Yorkshire at Brentwood when he defied a Yorkshire attack, that included England bowlers Fred Trueman, Bob Appleyard and Johnny Wardle, for more than hour to save the game,.

The following year, he was capped and amongst a number of excellent performances, the match at Hinckley allowed him to showcase his all-round talent. He scored 79 (that included 12 fours) and figured in a 134 runs stand with Frank Vigar before taking 6 for 44 in the Leicestershire second innings with his first five wickets coming in 31 balls without a run scored off his bowling.

Bill was a consistent and effective performer whose leg-spin and googlies accounted for many top batsmen. He exceeded 50 wickets in a season on nine occasions with his most productive summer coming in 1955 when he captured 84 wickets @26.42. The following year, he claimed 80 wickets @21.07 including a career-best 8 for 59 against Gloucestershire at Bristol whilst in 1957 – despite missing a number of matches through injury - he captured 63 wickets.

Batting for 4 hours and ten minutes at Blackheath against Kent, Bill completed his only century for Essex scoring 138 not out and during the course of that innings, he and Frank Rist posted 156 for the eighth wicket. Essex had been 104-7 when the partnership commenced. Matches against Kent coincided with some of Bill's most effective performances and he also figured in a century stand against the Medway side in 1955 at Gillingham when he and Doug Insole added 142 for the eighth wicket which more than doubled our score.

He scored 934 runs in both the 1960 and 1961 seasons and that figure was to prove the highest of his valued service with the County. Apart from a temporary loss of form in 1958 when he briefly lost his place, he was a regular member of the Essex until, having been granted a testimonial in 1963, Bill then lost his place in the side through ill-health and on the few occasions that he did appear, his bowling form had completely deserted him. At the end of that summer, he announced his retirement. .

Bill had numbered 371 first-class matches for Essex that earned him 720 wickets @28.76 and those included two instances of 10-wickets or more in a match whilst he also returned five wickets or more in an innings on21 occasions. He aggregated 8,042 runs with the bat @20.05.

Foster on Foakes - Essex's senior wicket-keeper talks about the up & coming England youngster

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Brentwood Gazette this week spoke to James Foster on the upcoming star at Essex Cricket, Ben Foakes, who this week struck a century for England U19's.

James Foster is predicting a big future for Essex youngster Ben Foakes after the wicketkeeper/batsman hit a century for the England Under 19s in Bangladesh.

Foakes, who turns 19 next month, scored 111 off 118 balls in a 50-over game in Chittagong and Foster, Essex's captain, thinks he's got all the tools to make a real impression in future years.

"He is a very talented boy," Foster told the Chronicle. "I know that Essex and the ECB are really impressed with his development. It goes without saying really that he is one for the future.

"He is a very exciting prospect and at 18 years-old, to score a century in Bangladesh is going to be one of the toughest things you can do."

For most of last season Foakes was restricted to second XI duty but did make his first-class bow when the touring Sri Lankans visited Chelmsford.

His path to the first-team, as a wicketkeeper, is currently blocked by Foster and another young prospect Adam Wheater.

Last season Wheater managed to force himself into the side purely as a batsman. It's a blueprint Foster feels Foakes could follow.

"He played for us last season in the tourist game as a batsman," he said of Foakes. "I know PG (head coach Paul Grayson) is a big fan of his batting, so he could fulfil a role in the side there."

Foster thinks eventually Foakes will prove a valuable asset behind the stumps . "He is very, very good," he said. "Both him and Adam Wheater are, so we've got real strength in depth there.

"You could say that with them around it keeps me on my toes but I've just got to back myself to do my job."

This story was featured in this week's edition of Brentwood Gazette - full story

Tymal Mills with the England Lions - Blog no. 3

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

In his third and final blog from England Lions' tour Bangladesh, Essex fast bowler Tymal Mills reflects on wearing the Three Lions for the first time.

We ended our stay in Sylhet with a comfortable win by six wickets but unfortunately lost the ODI series 3-2. We then headed to Dhaka, our final destination for the tour, for a two-match T20 series and were greeted by the city's infamous traffic jams. It takes ages to get anywhere!

We were given a night out on our arrival and invited to spend the evening at the Australian Embassy. It was a nice break to get away from the cricket and we got to chat to Bangladesh coach Stuart Law. The boys enjoyed picking his brain and learned a lot from listening to his experiences.

We got off to a perfect start in the T20 series, winning the first match by 32 runs with Jason [Roy] smashing a quick 40 and Bucky [Nathan Buck] doing the damage with the ball with a three-fer.

Unfortunately, the second match didn't go quite so well. Bucky again bowled well, taking three more wickets, and Tom Maynard scored 68 but we couldn't quite overhaul their score and drew the series 1-1.

And that ends the Bangladesh leg of the Lions winter! It's certainly been a challenging and eye-opening experience, testing the lads in many different areas. We've all learnt a lot, for sure.

The majority of the squad have gone to Sri Lanka for the second leg of the tour but Tom Maynard, Jason Roy and Simon Kerrigan and myself have headed home, with Jade Dernbach, Craig Kieswetter, Samit Patel and Chris Woakes coming in. We wish all the lads well!!

Tymal's blog is by Jo Harman courtesy of All Out cricket magazine - www.alloutcricket.com

Read Tymal's First Blog | Second Blog

HURRY! Sign up to 'Over & Out!' for FL t20 & Oz ticket priority!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:02:14 +0000

'Jump the Queue' in 2012 by signing up to Essex's 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter...

Not only will you receive ticket priority for 2012 but also get all the team news throughout the year, information on the fixtures, exclusive competition and offers plus much, much more!

Graham Napier meets University of Essex cricketers

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:58:37 +0000

Essex's Twenty20 big-hitter, Graham Napier and Academy Director at Essex Cricket, John Childs met student cricketers at the University of Essex this week.

The visit by Napier, who celebrates his Benefit Year in 2012, and Childs celebrated the partnership between the club and the University, and coincided with Colchester Campus' intermural indoor six-a-side cricket competition.

The University and Essex Cricket are longstanding partners and in 2012 they are looking to increase links even further to support university-level cricket, offer new training opportunities to students, improve facilities at the Colchester Campus and highlight the opportunities to watch first-class cricket in the county.

[left to right - Alex Collins, John Childs, Tom Moore, Graham Napier, Peter Church, David Williams]

Vice-president of the University of Essex Cricket Club Alex Collins said, "The University has well established corporate connections with Essex Cricket. We are keen to develop grass roots links with the club.

"We want to encourage even more people to take an interest in playing cricket at Essex and show that we have a great club at the University.

"For me, cricket is also a fantastic part of the English summer and I want to help promote within the University the opportunities to go and see Essex play down at The Ford County Ground in Chelmsford."

Napier, who holds the world record for the number of sixes hit in a first-class innings and a Twenty20 innings, said, "I think the whole partnership Essex Cricket and the University are building is great. The new scholarship programme in particular is going to help the Essex team in the long term and mean some top sportsmen will be coming up through the University."

In the coming year the partnership between the University and Essex Cricket is set to:

Provide students with the chance to work with Essex coaches
Support work to bring the University's pitch up to Academy/second eleven standard
Offer talented fast bowlers from the University cricket team the chance to attend the cricket club's Fast Bowling Academy
Promote the profile of Essex Cricket within the student community and look for new opportunities to encourage students to attend Essex games

In 2011, the University launched a new scholarship scheme for Academy players choosing to study at Essex with the first scholarship awarded to Youth Development squad member Tom Moore from Brentwood.

The University also sponsors Essex's Junior Indoor League and the new Fast Bowling Academy. Meanwhile, Essex Cricket promotes awareness of higher education through its County Age Group Squads and arranges visits to the Colchester Campus.

Other joint initiatives between the University's Human Performance Unit and Essex Cricket are being developed focussing on fitness and rehabilitation.

Essex Cricket's 'Beyond the Boundaries' Networking Group launches

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Over 150 local and national businesses today attended the launch of Essex Cricket's first official networking club.

Guests at The Ford County Ground were entertained with a Q&A interview with Essex First XI players, Graham Napier and Tim Phillips who took time out from their pre-season training.

Networking with a difference... every month you can associate your company with the Essex Cricket brand with a one-off annual membership (with no hidden extras).

Want to know more about your perfect marketing platform?

Join our unique networking Club before 7th February and save 10%.

For more information & details of further benefits visit www.beyondtheboundaries.co.uk or contact Deborah Thomas – 01245 254051 / 07787294978 – deborah.thomas@essexcricket.org.uk

Essex players, Tim Phillips & Graham Napier during the groups Q&A session

2012 Members' Restaurant - Bookings now being taken

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Book your place early & SAVE... The fantastic pitch side marquee allows Members to watch from the boundary edge. In 2012 we are giving Members and their guests an extra incentive to book in advance.

For further information contact Gemma Foxlow – 01245 254003 / gemma.foxlow@essexcricket.org.uk or visit the Membership & Ticket Office.

The 2012 Members Restaurant is open for the following matches during 2012:

Essex v Australia – Tuesday 26th June – special Menu – a day of luxury awaits...

Enjoy a welcome drink, two-course lunch and a full Australian themed afternoon tea £49 per person – see below for menu

Day 1-3 of every LV= County Championship game at Chelmsford

Choose from 1,2 or 3 courses with an afternoon tea optionBook in advance up to 4pm day before: £13 main only, £18 two-courses, £22 three-courses

After 4pm the day before – subject to availability:£15 main only, £20 two-courses, £24 three-courses

Clydesdale Bank 40 games at Chelmsford

Choose from 1 or 2 course optionsBook in advance up to 4pm day before: £13 main only, £18 two-courses, £22 three-courses

After 4pm the day before – subject to availability:£15 main only, £20 two-courses, £24 three-courses

Australia Members Luxury All day Package:

Welcome Drink

Main Course

Tender Braised Steak served on a Bed of Horseradish and Chive Mash

accompanied with a Red Wine Jus and Sweet Roasted Vegetables

Vegetarian option: Red Onion, Leek, Mushroom and Spinach Tart on Puddle of Tomato and Basil Coulis served with Buttered New Potatoes and Sweet Roasted Vegetables

~~~

Individual Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake with Berry Sauce

~~~

Tea, Coffee and Mints

Afternoon tea

Freshly made sandwiches

Fruit Scones with Devonshire Clotted Cream and Tiptree Jam

Australian Leamington

Hot Villis mini Pies

£49 inc VAT

Please note There will be a food servery rather than a dedicated Members Restaurant at the Colchester Festival – details to follow. The Members Restaurant is not open on day four of the LV= County Championship games or for Friends Life t20 fixtures.

Graham Napier Benefit launch information

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The launch of Graham Napier's Benefit Year takes place on Saturday 11 February with a Valentine's Ball at Boreham House, Chelmsford. There are still tickets available for couples and tables of 10 so join Graham for his opening event.

For more details visit www.grahamnapier.com

Only 1 week to go! All the ticket information for FL t20 & Australia

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:15:16 +0000

Have you signed up to 'Over & Out!' e-news? Subscribers can EXCLUSIVELY purchase the hottest cricket tickets in town!

With just FIVE Friends Life t20 games & Essex v Australia Tourist match we are expecting a HUGE surge in sales from Wednesday.

How do I make sure I secure my tickets?

On Monday 30th January we will be sending a unique code to purchase from 10am on Wednesday 1st February. You can then secure all your tickets for your friends & family.

With the reduction from 8 to 5 FL t20 games we have 18,000 fewer tickets to sell. So DON'T WAIT TO GET STUMPED!

I CAN'T WAIT, when does the action start?

With only 5 FL t20 home matches at The Ford County Ground, the Eagles will be facing tough opposition en route to Finals Day. Up first is the visit of Kent Spitfires, followed by Surrey Lions two days later. There is the return of the Double Header at Chelmsford as England Women face India Women for the build up of the Sussex Sharks.

The Eagles conclude the group stage with matches against Hampshire Royals and Middlesex Panthers. All matches start at 7pm (subject to changes) and will see the Eagles battle it out under the floodlights.

Bringing your group to the game?

Groups of 13 or more can purchase their tickets from 10am on 1st February. Please note only bookings of 13 or more can be purchased by phone on 01245 254010.

Don't miss out on any of the FL t20 action!

Purchase a 2012 Friends Life t20 season ticket and guarantee your place for the 5 home clashes taking place at The Ford County Ground! This is priced from £99 for adults or you can otherwise secure your seat for £125 and have reserved seating!

2012 FL t20 Season Ticket holders will also have the opportunity to purchase Australia Tourist match tickets for the reduced price of £25!

I'm a Member – how do I secure my tickets?

Members are entitled to a FREE Australia ticket until 1st May (subject to availability)

PLUS Members can secure their discounted FL t20 tickets up until 1st May (subject to availability)

To receive your free Australia Tourist match ticket, simply fill out and return the Members voucher (see the Membership pack). This voucher must be redeemed by Tuesday 1 May.

Where can I sit for the Australia match?

The Members areas for the Tourist match v Australia are:

The Tom Pearce Upper & Lower Stand (certain section are available to reserve for an additional £7)
The River Stand Upper & Lower
The Tiptree Family Stand (alcohol-free)
Hayes Close Seating Area
LifeSkills Stand (formerly Parkway Terrace)

All remaining seating is for Members and public.

Please note that the grass area is not an alcohol-free zone for the 2012 season.

Foakes hits century for England U19's

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:46:47 +0000

Ben Foakes today struck a century for England U19's as they went on to beat Bangladesh U19's by 3 wickets in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Foakes took hold of the keeping gloves in the match taking a catch and also claiming another wicket by stumping before hitting his 111 runs to see England over the line.

Essex team mate, Kishen Velani, also featured in the match hitting 12 runs not out.

England U19's now trail 2-1 in the ODI series against Bangladesh and will play again on Saturday in Sylhet.

Full match report to follow...

ECB meets with FCCs and MCC to discuss Morgan Review

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:37:39 +0000

ECB met with representatives of all 18 First Class Counties and the MCC today to discuss the recommendations made in the Morgan Review earlier this month.

The ECB's Board were keen to provide the First Class Counties and MCC with an opportunity for dialogue on the detailed recommendations contained in the Morgan Review.

The discussions were wide ranging and constructive and all the views expressed will be reported back to the ECB Board by Gordon Hollins, MD Events and County Business, at its next meeting in March. The meeting received feedback that the Review provided a constructive template for the First Class game. In particular the counties welcomed the strengthening of the First Class Cricket department.

Key discussion points included:

the importance of domestic one day cricket being scheduled on Sundaysthe benefits of LV=County Championship matches being played in divisions of eight and tenassessing the relative commercial and cricketing benefits of the forty and fifty over formats in the Clydesdale Bank competition.

Graham Napier looks forward to the 2012 season

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:07:10 +0000

Graham Napier says Essex are desperate for promotion back to the top flight this year and believes they've got the emerging talent to go for glory in all formats of the game.The all-rounder admits the club were bitterly disappointed with last year's campaign, but says they learnt valuable lessons.

"It is difficult to put your finger on exactly what went wrong last year," he said.

"But where we really need to be strong this year is in getting off to a good start in the championship.

"We want promotion because we are too big a club to be playing second division cricket for too long.

"And that's where our focus will be – on the four-day game."

Napier's bad luck with injuries continued this winter when a spell with Central Districts in New Zealand was cut short when he tore a tendon in his right elbow joint while bowling in a season-opening loss to Otago. He said: "It was not a major injury, but it was quite a serious one.

"But the medical team at Essex and at Chelmsford Medical Centre have been brilliant, and I'm hoping to begin bowling again next week."

Napier expects teenage batsman-wicketkeeper Ben Foakes to make a big impact this year, and remembers when he broke through.

He said: "When I started, the likes of Peter Such and Mark Ilott were all players I looked up to and seeing them reach benefit years made me realise that was the pinnacle of being a county player."

Napier's benefit year kicks off with a Valentine's Ball at Boreham House, Chelmsford, on February 11. For more information visit www.grahamnapier.com

This story is courtesy of the Echo newspaper and written by James Colasanti. View the full story

Essex Boundary Club/Graham Napier Pre-season Benefit Dinner

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:38:06 +0000

The Essex Boundary Club is staging a dinner to support Graham Napier's Benefit in the Premier Suite at The Ford County Ground on Thursday 29th March.

The evening will feature Graham who has served Essex Cricket tremendously since making his county debut in 1997.

Last season, Napier made his highest score of 196 and equalled the world record for most sixes (16) in a first class innings. In 2008, he hit an amazing 152 against Sussex in the Twenty20 which included sixteen sixes – a world record for that competition.

The cost - which includes a three course meal - is £40 for Essex Boundary Club members (£45 non members).

If you would like to make a booking or require further details, please contact Malcolm Rowley on 01245 284929 (direct line) or email malcolm@boundaryclub.fsbusiness.co.uk

A-Z of Essex - F

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

It is time to delve into the letter 'F' in this edition of the A-Z of Essex Nostalgia Corner series, as we look back at the lives of Fane, Foster and Fletcher...

Frederick Fane

Having represented the County in their first year in the County Championship back in 1895, Frederick's death at the age of 85 severed the final link with that side that included other well-known players such as Charles McGahey, "Bunny" Lucas, Bob Carpenter, Walter Mead, Charlie Kortright and Harry Pickett.

He was born in County Kildare, Ireland on April 27, 1875 and died in Brentwood in November 27, 1960 having been a prominent cricketer for some 20 years before the First World War. Apart from playing for Essex, he was capped 14 times for England and also turned out for Oxford University and London County.

He captained England on five occasions, winning two matches and losing three and he also became the first Irish-born player to score a century in a Test match for England, That record stood until Eoin Morgan repeated the feat against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in July 2010.

In 1899, he scored 207 against Leicestershire becoming the first Essex player to post his maiden century when scoring a double hundred but he failed to spark at all the following year with just 175 runs at less than 10 before he rediscovered his touch topping 1,000 runs in the next two seasons and five times in all during his long career.

He toured South Africa with England in 1905/06 topping the batting averages whilst also completing his only century for his country when he scored 143 in the third Test.

Fane, who liked to open the innings and was an attractive batsman playing off the front foot with nimble footwork took over the Essex captaincy in 1904 and after two poor seasons of results, steered us into seventh place in the Championship in 1906. That also proved to be his most rewarding summer with the bat with 1,572 runs at an average of 34. Later in the year, he went on an Ashes tour and took over as captain for the first three matches after Arthur Jones became ill.

He decided to stand down as skipper of the county before the start of the 1907 season because of his inability to commit himself to playing on a regular in the future

In 1905, when Essex beat the Australians by 19 runs at Leyton, Fane finished the game with a remarkable catch, not for any outstanding individual matter in its completion but from the place where it was executed. Claude Buckenham was bowling at great pace and Fane, to save a possible boundary from byes, took up a position practically in line with the wickets and just inside the pavilion rails - in short, occupying a position of very deep long-stop. Aussie batsman Frank Laver, with a stiff-armed stroke from the shoulder lifted the ball high but straight to where Fane had positioned himself.

In 1911, he made his highest score for the County when taking 217 off the Surrey attack at The Oval in an innings spanning five and a quarter hours and then followed-up with 162 against Sussex at Eastbourne.

The outbreak of the First World War halted his career and when hostilities ceased, he made only spasmodic appearances for the County with his last coming in 1922 at the age of 47 although he made his final first-class appearance two years later. Frederick scored 12,599 runs including 18 hundreds in his 292 matches for Essex at an average of 26.13.

Owing to an unfortunate error, the 1956 Wisden reported his death but it was premature by some years. The error occurred because of a similarity of initials. The Mr. F. L. Fane who died in December 1954, was Mr. Francis L. Fane, a cousin of Frederick. By a coincidence, Frederick also revealed that his father had also once read his own obituary!

Neil Foster

Forced to pack in the game at the early age of 31, Neil had played 29 Tests for England plus 48 one-day internationals and would have added many more had serious knee problems not affected his career. During his benefit season he was eventually forced to announce his retirement despite having undergone a series of operations over the years.

Neil bowled very straight but could move the ball away from right-handers maintaining an excellent line and length that brought him a clutch of wickets including twice reaching the milestone of 100 wickets in a season, both years in which Essex carried off the County Championship title.

Raised in the Essex village of Wivenhoe, Neil played for Essex from 1980 to 1993, making his debut as an 18 year -old whilst still at Philip Morant Comprehensive School in Colchester. Ahead of the fixture with Kent at Valentine's Park, a virus had deprived the Essex side of a number of players whilst others were still feeling unwell. The pace attack of John Lever, Stuart Turner and Keith Pont needed back-up and so Foster was drafted in to partner JK with the new ball. His first delivery ball disappeared to the boundary for wides but soon afterwards, he was amongst the wickets removing England batsman Bob Woolmer and Chris Tavare whilst Alan Ealham became another victim on his way to figures of 3 for 51.

It was not until the 1983 campaign though that he established himself in the team and he played his full part in helping us win the championship and he also played in the Benson& Hedges Cup Final at Lord's. That was the summer when Surrey were bowled out for 14 having been destroyed by Neil and Norbert Phillip who returned figures of 4 for 10 and 6 for 4 respectively. In the same year, he was awarded his county cap, made his Test debut (taking the wicket of New Zealand's Jeremy Coney) and was selected for England's winter tour. It was an incredible year for a player who had been forced to undergo a major back operation the previous winter to repair a stress fracture condition.

In 1984, Essex won the championship once again with Neil taking 87 wickets at 24.11. On that winter's England tour to India, he returned figures of 11 for 163 in the Fourth Test which proved to be a match-winning performance. Then in 1986, he finished the season with 105 first-class wickets to his name which embraced match figures of 11 for 157 against Worcestershire. The following year, he produced his best bowling figures both in Championship cricket and at Test level with 7 for 33 against Warwickshire at Chelmsford and 8 for 107 against Pakistan at Headingley. During the 1989 Fourth Test, an England rebel tour to South Africa was announced and Foster was named in the party. All the rebel players were subsequently banned for three years from Test cricket.

A strong personality, Neil proved to be the leading wicket-taker in this country in 1990 with 94 wickets at a cost of 26.61 and he also captained Essex for the first time. leading the side against Glamorgan at Southend.

In what was another memorable summer for the player, he underlined his rating as a more than useful late-order batsman- who hit hard with a straight bat - when he achieved his maiden first-class hundred taking 81 balls and 83 minutes to reach three figures against Leicestershire which contained 5 sixes and 8 fours.

The following season, this courageous and determined player took 100 wickets in a season for the second time helping Essex to carry off the championship title once more during a summer when he hit the highest score of his career, an unbeaten 107 at Horsham against Sussex and improved career-best bowling figures of 8 for 99 at Old Trafford against Lancashire.

He won a Test recall in 1993 for the Second Ashes Test, his first Test appearance in four years. His selection was designed to bring more aggression to the English attack but on a docile pitch, the Australians scored 632 for 4 declared and England lost by an innings and 62 runs. Foster played only one more county match before announcing his retirement because of persistent knee problems.

Neil made 180 first-class appearances for the County taking 747 wickets at 23.59 that included seven hauls of 10 wickets or more in a match whilst he also scored 3440 runs at 22.05. He was also a dependable performer in one-day cricket representing Essex on 152 occasions that realised 216 wickets and 1009 runs. Despite his injuries, he was also an athletic outfielder with a strong, low return.

In all, he had as many as nine knee operations, and the problems jinxed a fine career.

Upon retirement from the game, Neil qualified as a chartered physiotherapist.

Keith Fletcher

Born in Worcester in 1944, Keith Fletcher entered the record books as the first Essex captain to lead the side to a major trophy. Having been in existence for 103 years without a major title to our name, we beat Surrey in the Benson & Hedges Trophy Final at Lord's and a month later, the County Championship title was secured.

A shrewd skipper and player, Keith evoked loyalty in his team-mates and admiration from his opponents, even when they had been the victims of bluff and compromise.

In addition to leading Essex, Keith played 59 Test matches for England captaining his country on 7 occasions, whilst he also played in 24 One-day internationals. His Test tally of 3,272 runs came at an average of 39.90 and he later became England's team manager.

Keith, who succeeded Brian Taylor as skipper, was a talented and exciting middle-order batsman particularly clever in his use of the crease against spinners on a turning pitch. He made his Essex debut as a 17 year-old in July 1962 against Glamorgan at Ebbw Vale and quickly adapted to the demands of the professional game. The following season, he reached 1000 runs before the end of July.

His international debut came in 1968 when he was selected to play against Australia at Headingley although he had to wait patiently for his first England which came on his twentieth Test appearance, however he went on to score six more hundreds at a rate of one every four Tests.

A Keith grew and matured into one of the most respected and feared opponents around the circuit, so the Essex fortunes soared as they reached the previously uncharted waters of winning trophies. Within 6 years, and with Fletcher at the helm, we won every domestic honour, three Championship titles, three Sunday League titles, and both Knockout Cup tournaments.

He had the wonderful gift of brilliant man-management skills that allowed him to get the best out of his players and that, combined with his deep technical understanding of the game and unparalleled tactical awareness, proved the recipe for continued Essex success over many years.

As a batsman, he ranked amongst the Essex greats and at the time of his retirement in 1988, he had scored more runs in a career and more runs for Essex than any other player. For the county, his first-class tally was 29434 in 574 matches that included 45 centuries and he also held 519 catches. He was also a very effective one-day player scoring 5726 runs 262 Sunday League games plus a further 2111 runs in 130 Benson & Hedges Cup matches and 1036 runs in 47 Gillette Cup/Nat West Trophy games.

Fletcher captained Essex successfully in two spells (1974–1985 and then 1988 when he took over from Graham Gooch) turning the most entertaining side around the circuit into winners who were still able to compete with smiles on their faces.

He scored two double-centuries during his career, one for England against New Zealand and the other for Essex against Sussex at Hastings in 1968. He was a fine all-purpose fielder and an occasional leg-break bowler who could turn the ball considerably achieving a career-best 5 for 41 against Middlesex at Colchester in 1979.

From 1993 to 1995, Fletcher served as England team manager before returning to the County as first-team coach until he stepped down in 2001 to be replaced by Graham Gooch. Keith still has an active role with the county combining scouting duties with managing one of the youth sides.

Awarded the OBE in 1985, he was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1974. His great and yeoman service to Essex Cricket as a player and other prominent guises has seen his name written indelibly in the County's cricketing history.

Why not become an Essex Member in 2012?

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

A new year means a new season at Essex with Paul Grayson's men competing on 3 fronts in the LV= County Championship, Clydesdale Bank 40 and Friends Life t20 formats.

Becoming a Member with Essex has never been better with a host of new benefits included such as the 2012 Voucher Book. Also in 2012, Essex welcome the number one ODI team in the world when Australia visit The Ford County Ground in June.

Jump the Queue with Essex for 2012 ticket priority

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

'Jump the Queue' in 2012 by signing up to Essex's 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter...

Subscribers will automatically receive a whole month of priority on all Friends Life t20 home games & the much anticipated Australia Tourist match. Make sure you sign up by Wednesday 1st February to take advantage and get behind the Eagles in 2012!

Not only will you receive ticket priority for 2012 but also get all the team news throughout the year, information on the fixtures, exclusive competition and offers plus much, much more!

Book your courses at the Essex Auto Group Graham Gooch Cricket Centre in February

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Come and play cricket in February at the Essex Autogroup Graham Gooch Cricket Centre with courses running throughout the month. They are available to boys and girls aged from 7 up to 13 years old for the price of £32.00.

Why not treat yourself to a cricketing masterclass with Essex player coach, Matt Walker - limited places available so get booked up!

There are still spaces available but book up now to avoid disappointment.

Â£5 Shop Sale on 2011 Essex Clothing

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:49:17 +0000

Essex announce new kit supplier

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Essex Cricket can today announce a three-year agreement which will see Gray-Nicolls becoming the County's new Official kit supplier.

With the combination of heritage and innovation by Gray-Nicolls the new partnership will launch with three new replica shirts ahead of the 2012 season. In the next few weeks Essex Members and supporters will be able to show their pride and prove the only way really is Essex.

The new replica shirts will be seen on the backs of the Essex team for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In addition to their new whites Essex will have a modern looking red Clydesdale Bank 40 shirt before airing the expected best-seller Friends Life t20 shirts.

Essex fans will, for the first time, be able to personalise their shirt with the name & number of their favourite player.

Gray-Nicolls Sales & Marketing Director, Richard Gray, commented, "Everyone at Gray-Nicolls is very proud to have been selected by Essex Cricket as their official clothing supplier. This is a true testament to the quality of Gray-Nicolls clothing and its reputation on the professional circuit; where it is already the choice of Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and Yorkshire CCCs. Gray-Nicolls have had enjoyed a long and successful relationship with a number of star Essex players over the years (including most recently Nasser Hussein and Alastair Cook) so it is particularly fitting that we are now able to become official sponsors of the club."

Danny Macklin, Essex Cricket Commercial Manager, "Naturally we are all delighted with having a new first-class replica clothing partner in the form of Gray Nicolls. A number of our leading players including Alastair Cook are already using Gray Nicolls bats and playing equipment. We are now looking forward to the official launch of our new replica kits and training wear to the Essex."

"With the support from one of the most regarded cricket suppliers the Sport@Essex shop and mail order catalogue will also be re-branded as Essex Cricket Retail."

Kelly Dewes, Essex Cricket Retail Manager added, "We have been working hard behind the scenes with Gray Nicolls in the design of our replica clothing and training wear and look forward to taking delivery of our 2012-2013 ranges".

Essex Cricket would like to thank their previous clothing supplier Surridges for their support over recent years.

This story is part of the latest 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter. Sign up today and make sure you get the stories coming out of Essex Cricket first. Subscribers also receive 1 months priority on Friends Life t20 & Australia tickets from Wednesday 1st February.

Sign up here

Tymal Mills with the England Lions - Blog no. 2

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:45:00 +0000

In his second blog from the England Lions' tour of Bangladesh, Essex fast bowler Tymal Mills looks back on a disappointing defeat in the ODI series.

Unfortunately I'm sat writing this entry after we have just lost the one-day series against Bangladesh A. We're currently 3-1 down in the series going into the final match before the two-match T20 series.

We had a few days break between the second and third matches and had an opportunity to get out and do something on one of those. It turned out that the batsmen and spinners spent the day on the golf course letting off some steam and using the chance to show off their much talked about golfing prowess, whilst the quick bowlers proved to be the more cultured members of the group as we went to the renowned Chittagong shipyard, where boats from all over the world come to be dismantled and moved on. Both sets of lads and staff had a good day out and it was good to get away for a little while.

We unfortunately lost the third match of the series – our final fixture in Chittagong – by 75 runs leading into a do-or-die match in Sylhet. After two flights from Chittagong and then Dhaka we arrived at our home for the week in Sylhet. After losing the toss and batting first Joe Root made 81 and Jos Buttler made 41 on our way to 208. Unfortunately, we could not restrict the opposition as their opening batsman Imrul Kayes batted through for 110* as they won by six wickets.

Now we'll be playing for pride in the final game and looking to carry some momentum with us forward into the T20s in Dhaka.

Tymal's blog is courtesy of All Out cricket magazine - www.alloutcricket.com

View Tymal's first blog

Enjoy this cricket fans - Charlie Allison the 6-year old cricketer

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:35:28 +0000

Enjoy this cricket fans... Charlie Allison who is remarkably only 6 years old! Look out for the Essex kit he is wearing! Thanks to Piri-Piri Cricket for sharing this video - www.piripiricricket.com

A-Z of Cricketers - E

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Continuing our look back through the alphabet at Essex cricketers who served the County so well, we arrive at the letter ''E' and are able to reflect on the distinguished careers of three more players.

R.E.East

The illustrious writer and broadcaster John Arlott once wrote: "Ray East was one of the old school, an immensely popular cricketer who always conveyed a sense of fun whenever he played." However, Ray should be remembered at the same time as a slow left-arm bowler with abundant ability who took over 1000 wickets in his 19 seasons and who deserved be capped by his country although that honour failed to materialise.

Born in Manningtree in 1947, Raymond Eric East represented Essex from 1965 until 1984 and took 1,010 first-class wickets for the County @ 25.54 which included a 10 wickets match haul on 10 occasions and 5 wickets or more in an innings 49 times with a career-best of 8 for 30.

He was also a useful batsman with a career aggregate of 7,103 runs during his 405 first-class matches for Essex. Add into those statistics 269 wickets in 280 List 'A' matches together with 1139 runs and that illustrates the value of this wonderful servant to the cause of Essex cricket.

One of the most popular characters to play county cricket in recent times, Ray combined his on field wit with a series of superb performances with the ball and for many years he formed an effective 'spin twin' partnership with David Acfield that, in 1979, helped the County to finally unlock a trophy cabinet that had laid dusty and bare since its introduction to the County Championship back in 1895. Further silverware followed a-plenty with the fun-loving Ray playing a significant part.

His best Championship bowling return in a match was recorded against Warwickshire when he claimed match figures of 15-115 and although he only made one first-class hundred, he played many notable innings to support the efforts of others, often when runs were desperately needed.

In 1977, he was instrumental in helping Essex achieve their first win of the season when he followed up figures of 4 for 71 with 8 for 30 against Nottinghamshire at Ilford, the latter statistic proving the best of any bowler that summer. Later in the season, at Leyton, he took 8 Derbyshire wickets for 57 runs during the only 45 minutes play that was possible on the first two days and in the second game of that festival, he demolished Glamorgan with figures of 8 for 90 and then 4 for 23.

Ray's most successful season came in 1978 and coincided with his benefit year when he accounted for 92 batsmen yet he failed to win an England cap despite performing the hat-trick in a Test trial game. Unfortunately, his career corresponded with that of the brilliant Derek Underwood who was England's first choice left-armer for more than a decade.

Ray proved to be a difficult bowler to face in one-day cricket as John Player League figures of 5 for 18 against Worcestershire at Harlow and 6 for 18 against Yorkshire at Hull testify although he once went for 79 in 8 overs in a Sunday League match. He also chipped in with welcome runs and in 1982; he and Stuart Turner set a new tenth wicket partnership record of 81 in the Nat West Trophy playing against Yorkshire at Headingley.

At Southend in 1983, he sent down 40.1 overs during the Hampshire second innings taking 3 for 161 but those victims allowed him to reach the 1,000 first-class wicket milestone. He took at least five wickets or more in an innings against every county with the exception of Sussex.

Ray retired from first-class cricket in 1984 although many thought somewhat prematurely and he took up a position with the County of coach and Second XI captain. He continued until the end of the 1988 campaign when he became the County's Youth Development Officer. He also played for Suffolk, in 1991 and 1992, and now coaches cricket at Ipswich School

L.C.Eastman

Born in Enfield in 1897, Lawrence Charles Eastman proved to be one of the most consistent all-rounders to represent Essex in a career that spanned the years from 1920 until 1939. His career was only cut short by the outbreak of World War II but by that time, he had played 442 matches for the County and amassed 12,965 runs at an average of 20.57 to add to a tally of 975 first-class wickets at 26.77 apiece.

Throughout his first-class career, he only ever played for Essex in this country although he did play in New Zealand and Argentina collecting enough wickets in those countries to take him past the 1,000 career wickets milestone. Originally an amateur player with the County, his ambition was to enter the profession of medicine but those ambitions were halted by World War I although he did win the DCM and MM when serving his country.

He showed much promise in his debut year when he helped A. C. 'Jack' Russell add 175 for the ninth wicket against Middlesex at Lord's after walking to the wicket with the scoreboard showing 184 for 8 and it was not the last time that Lawrie would play a prominent part in reviving a failing innings.

In 1922, he was appointed assistant-secretary at Leyton combining administration duties with those of playing with equal effectiveness. At Southend in 1924 and going in at number 6, he scored 101 out of a ninth wicket stand worth 123 in 70 minutes when Essex had been 156 for 8. It was his maiden century.

Now developing as a hard-hitting opening batsman with a fondness for the straight drive and the hook shot, he turned professional in 1927 and his batting became more consistent. In 1929, he totalled 1290 runs that included 161 against Derbyshire which was to prove to be his highest career score. He was forced to mss the following season through injury although he showed he had lost none of his effectiveness as a batsman when he returned.

The year 1933 proved to be the most productive of his career with the bat when he aggregated 1338 runs and the following years saw him reach his peak as a bowler when he became to be one of the most incisive bowlers since the days of Walter Mead to wear an Essex sweater.

His consecutive year by year tally of victims from 1934 was 85, 99, 74 and 70. He also finished the three seasons immediately prior to the war by scoring 1,057 runs, 1,033 and 1,027 without ever scoring a century in those years although he did come close when taking 99 off the Surrey attack in 1939 before being cruelly run out.

In 1934, he took 4 for 0 in 14 balls against Somerset and the following summer, he produced a devastating 5 for 7 spell in 14 balls that helped beat Surrey

Ever-cheerful, Lawrie made only 6 hundreds, half of them in 1933 but his consistency and powerful hitting were a feature of his game. He once remarked that he had batted in every position bar number 11 but he was finally forced to occupy that position during his Benefit game with Middlesex after he was troubled by water on the knee. Essex lost that match by 5 runs but the proceeds realised £1,200, an indication of the popularity of the all-rounder.

Lawrie Eastman was only 43 years of age when he died following injuries sustained when, acting as an ARP Warden, he was almost hit by a high-explosive bomb causing him severe shock and following an operation, he died in Harefield Sanatorium.

B.E.A Edmeades

Born in Matlock in 1941, Brian Ernest Arthur Edmeades was a talented all-rounder who had played for both London and Essex schoolboys before he joined Essex. He made his debut for the County in 1961 at the Hoffman Ground against the touring South Africa Fezelas to launch a first-class career that embraced 335 matches for Essex scoring 12,593 runs @ 25.91 and taking 374 wickets @25.90 including a 10-wicket match haul once and 5 wickets in an innings on ten occasions.

He was also highly-respected by opposing sides in the limited-overs form of the game after becoming one of the mainstays of the Essex side and achieving 2,728 runs in 155 matches at an average of more than 23 whilst his medium-pace bowling brought him 167 wickets.

In 1962, Brian became a regular member of the first team developing as a middle-order batsman and he collected his maiden century when taking 135 off the Lancashire bowling at Old Trafford in 1964. He was awarded his county cap the following year after returning figures of 7 for 43 and ten wickets in the match against his native Derbyshire at Derby.

An injury to Trevor Bailey in 1966 allowed Brian to increase his workload and he responded to the greater bowling opportunities by taking 106 wickets that summer at an average of 18.59 apiece with a best analysis of 7 for 37 against Glamorgan at Leyton. It was a stellar year for the player with the ball as he sent down 725 overs and took four wickets or more in an innings on eleven occasions. One of his match-winning contributions came against Kent at Dartford where the home side were beaten by 4 runs with Edmeades claiming match figures of 9 for 84 (5-55 then 4-29). He also took 3 for 32 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield when Essex recorded their first win against a Championship side in the Gillette Cup.

When Brian Taylor took over as captain, one of his first moves was to promote the County's most successful bowler in 1966 to number three in the batting order and the player warmed to the task with 1152 runs, the best yet of his career. In the final month of the 1968 campaign, he was promoted to open the innings, an initiative to which he responded most favourably and it was a role he usually retained for the remainder of his first-class career although he did revert to middle-order role in the limited-overs game before moving back up to face the new ball during his final year with the County.

In 1971, he was troubled by a career-threatening eye complaint which caused him to miss many matches but he returned for the following summer and showed his complete recovery by scoring 1257 runs including a career-best 163 v Leicestershire at Leyton. Although he was less productive over the next two years, he rediscovered his touch in 1975 scoring 1,190 first-class runs showing better form in a benefit season than any Essex beneficiary since the war.

Opening the innings in his final season as a player, he achieved much success in one-day cricket averaging of 47.75 in Benson & Hedges matches, 46.50 in Gillette Cup and 36.16 in the John Player League.

His benefit raised more than £12,000 and at the end of the 1976 season, he announced his retirement to take up an appointment in Scotland where he continued to play professionally until 1981 when he finally called a halt on his career. Brian was always a favourite with Essex members and supporters who warmed to his commitment for the team in which he was highly-valued, effective and successful all-rounder.

Matt Walker speaks with Essex Chronicle's David Arnold on his new role at Essex

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Essex's newly appointed Assistant Coach speak with Essex Chronicle's David Arnold on his new role at the club.

Matt Walker hopes his 'keep it simple' mantra and positive outlook will help inspire Essex to success next season.

Last term was hugely disappointing for the club as they fell well short of promotion in the County Championship as well as missing out on the latter stages of both One Day competitions.

The batsmen, in particular, struggled to perform with first innings totals consistently below par and now Walker, who has replaced England-bound Graham Gooch on the coaching staff, plans to help the club's fleet of young batsmen – the likes of Billy Godleman, Jaik Mickleburgh, Adam Wheater, Tom Westley and Ben Foakes – with the mental pressure associated with the modern game.

He insists though that they'll only have themselves to blame if they fail to perform. "Bottom line when it comes to batting you are judged on runs; by the public by the people on the committee," the 38-year-old told the Chronicle. "If you're averaging 25 year in year out it's not good enough – you will lose your job.

"Hopefully my ideas as a coach will pay off and that's to be honest with people and give them as much practice as I can and just to be there as a mate just to chat, to comfort and make people feel good about themselves when they're not feeling so good.

"It's not brain surgery, I'm not here to re-invent the wheel.

"Coaching needs to be a simple thing. As soon as you start to over complicate things it becomes a nightmare for the player. I've had a few of those over the years and it becomes a nightmare."

Making the switch from player to coach isn't always easy though. Walker's playing career, which included more than 10,000 first-class runs and spanned a 19-year period, is effectively over (although he is technically still registered as a player in case of an emergency) and if that transition wasn't tough enough he's now managing players who were his team-mates just months ago.

"I was employed in this role because of the person that I am," he said. "So I'm not going to go and change my personality because I've become a coach.

"I think people would lose respect in a breath if I started to live my life as a different person – absolutely not.

"My things are being honest, being fair, being available, giving players time and having that positive outlook on things. I've worked with numerous when you come out of a net session and you feel like the worst player to have ever played the game – that's not me.

"I was a little bit worried about the role in that do I feel that my days as a player are gone? You don't want that thing where it's another year and do I go on? But I know for a fact from the guys that I've worked with already that yeah, I'm definitely ready."

Read the story here...

This story was supplied by the Essex Chronicle and is featured in this week's copy.

Essex announce 2012 friendlies

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:01:26 +0000

Friendlies announced for 2012

Essex Cricket can announce that 3 friendly matches will take place in March at The Ford County Ground, before Essex face Gloucestershire in the LV= County Championship at the beginning of April.

These will be in addition to the fixtured 3-day match against Cambridge MCCU at Fenner’s on Saturday 31st March.

Wed 21st – Thu 22nd March v Surrey at The Ford County Ground

Mon 26th March 40-over match v Middlesex at The Ford County Ground

Wed 28th March – Thu 29th March v Worcestershire at The Ford County Ground

Entry to all these matches is free of charge and the expected start time for all days play is 11am. Confirmation on the facilities available during the matches will be publicised closer to the date via www.essexcricket.org.uk

Sign up here

Come & play Street20 with Essex Cricket

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:41:23 +0000

Street20 (a game founded by Cricket4Change) is an urban, funky form of Cricket, designed to be played in crowded urban environments and using facilities such as five-a-side football pitches, multi-use-games-areas, basketball courts and sports halls. Just take 2 bats, 2 sets of plastic stumps, a ball and you're ready to go! The ball used for this game is a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape, which makes the ball act in the same way that a cricket ball does - only without the sting!

Street20 has proved popular in inner city London areas, and Essex Cricket are working in partnership with The Lords Taverners, Cricket4Change, Pro-active East, sportessex, Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme, Essex Police, NACRO, local authorities, positive futures, and many other partners to bring this great game to the Streets in Essex.

Life Skills and Amlin are sponsoring the new development in Essex. Sport England Sportsmatch and Essex Cricket and Community Trust are supporting the street20 programme, as well as us being involved in the national Street20 initiative launched by The Lords Taverners and Cricket4Change.

There are over 14 street20 projects currently running in the county, we also run county street20 tournaments.

We are looking to train new coaches/volunteers/teachers/youth workers in this exciting game so that more people can deliver street20 sessions in the community. We are holding a Street20 Coaching Course on the 16th Feb 11am – 1pm at Bishops Park (Clacton Coastal Academy) Sports Hall, Jaywick Lane, Clacton CO16 8BE. Any one is welcome to attend the course (must be aged 14+) please complete the registration form to sign up for this FREE Street20 Cricket Coaching Course.

For more information please contact Project Coordinator Christopher Drummond 01245 254027, email: christopher.drummond@essexcricket.org.uk

Book a place on the course

Enter the MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year competition

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:28:39 +0000

Wisden and MCC are again running the Wisden – MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year. It's open to pros and amateurs and we want to get as many entries as possible, from village and club cricket up to Test matches and County games.

Following the success of the inaugural Wisden – MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year, in association with Park Cameras, competition in 2010, the two organisations have joined forces once more in a bid to find the best cricket image from the current calendar year.

Last year over 200 entries were received from across the world, with New Zealand's Scott Barbour emerging as the eventual winner. Barbour's arresting photograph depicted James Anderson and the rest of the England team celebrating the wicket of Brad Haddin during the Adelaide Ashes Test in a perfect 'v' formation.

Other entries focused on different aspects of the game, with examples ranging from Indian photographer Supriya Biswas's image of children playing cricket in Kolkata, to Paul Kane's striking snapshot of young cricketers playing on a beach as the sun sets on the horizon.

Amateur & professional

In 2011 the winning images will be chosen by a panel of independent expert judges appointed by Wisden and MCC, and headed by the former Chief Sports Photographer for The Sunday Times, Chris Smith.

The judges will draw up a shortlist of 11 entries, from which a winner and two runners-up will be selected. All of the shortlisted photographs will be exhibited at Lord's throughout next year, and the top three will feature in the colour section of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2012.

The competition is open to all photographers - amateur and professional - from across the world, and the only stipulations are that entries must have been taken during 2011 and in some respect have a cricket theme.

Wisden and MCC plan to run this annual competition in perpetuity, so all entrants can take pleasure from knowing that their efforts will contribute to an ever-growing Cricket Photograph of the Year archive which, when reviewed in the long term, will document the ever changing face of cricket.

Editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, Lawrence Booth, said: "We're delighted to be able to continue our relationship with MCC in search of the world's best cricket photographs.

"The standard of entries in the first year of the competition was breathtaking, and we're looking forward to more of the same from the 2011 batch."

Prizes

The top three winning photographs will be the first three images in the colour section of each new edition of Wisden.

Eleven shortlisted entries will be exhibited at Lord's, and there are prizes for all eleven shortlisted images.

The prize for the winning photograph is £500 cash, plus a £500 Park Cameras voucher for Canon equipment.

Two runners-up will each receive £250 cash, plus a £400 Park Cameras voucher for Canon equipment.

Eight other shortlisted entries will each receive £50 cash, plus a £150 Park Cameras voucher for Canon equipment.

The closing date for entries is 15th January.

It doesn't just have to be cricket action. Anything on a cricket theme is eligible.

ENTER HERE

All details of the competition can be found at www.lords.org/photooftheyear

Mervyn Westfield case - brief Essex Cricket statement

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:44:52 +0000

Essex Cricket will be making no comment regarding the Mervyn Westfield corruption case until the sentencing is complete. The sentencing is due to commence on Friday 10th February.

Cook hits century for England in Dubai

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:16:08 +0000

Essex's Alastair Cook has once again shown his class with bat for England by hitting a century and steering his team to a respectable total in the first innings.

Alastair Cook played a near lone and highly-skilled hand to defy the Pakistan Cricket Board XI's pace and spin on day one of England's final warm-up match at the ICC Global Cricket Academy ground in Dubai.

Opening batsman Cook was last out for 133 in his side's 269 for nine declared on an awkward surface, before the PCB XI responded with 23 without loss in a tricky eight-over spell to stumps.

England had faltered first to 14 for two against Mohammad Talha, who returned 4-43, with the new ball and then 121 for five against leg-spin, with Yasir Shah claiming 5-76.

But Cook, employing decisive and sure footwork, stood firm. He already had 84 to his name when he offered the first of two chances - a mis-pull for a return catch to Talha - and mostly batted on a different level to his team-mates.

Among them, there were ducks for Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell - and Eoin Morgan was again unable to register a significant score, making just 11.

But with one more innings possible before next week's first Test against Pakistan, there are no such qualms about Cook, who added 10 fours in his first hundred of 2012.

He shared stands of 83 for the third wicket with Kevin Pietersen and 90 for the sixth with fit-again Matt Prior.

Talha took two wickets in four balls to put England in trouble in the seventh over after they were asked to bat first in this three-day match.

The swing bowler, included in Pakistan's Test squad, had Andrew Strauss caught behind with a very good delivery - and then number three Trott offered no shot to go lbw to one that nipped back.

Pietersen needed 10 balls to get off the mark, as he had in the first innings of England's previous tour match on the same ground.

But he was soon driving confidently, while Cook's outlet against pace was mostly on the back foot - before both batsmen manoeuvred comfortable runs up to lunch off spinners Raza Hasan and Yasir.

The afternoon began badly for England when Pietersen fell in the first over, picking the wrong ball to force away off the back foot and was bowled by Yasir for 38.

Bell fell lbw second ball, attempting to sweep Yasir, and Morgan picked out deep backward-square with a more expansive version of the same shot soon afterwards.

Yasir, in particular, was a test for all on a used pitch which was offering plenty of help for spin - albeit slowly - but Cook was equal to the task.

Prior, who missed England's first match with a bruised left ring finger, was in the mood to make the most of match batting practice before next week too - and dug in to keep Cook company and keep the tempo handy for the remainder of the session.

Prior's was the first of four wickets to fall after tea, nibbling an edge behind to a diving Sarfraz Ahmed on 46.

Graeme Swann, who made 24 from 29 balls, also took an attacking approach, and succeeded with a straight six off Yasir and two fours until he edged another attempted big shot behind off the leg-spinner.

Graham Onions, in his first match for his country for more than two years following a career-threatening back injury, fell to a one-handed catch at mid-on - and when Cook finally went caught-behind trying to cut, Strauss decided on a declaration which spared Chris Tremlett from having to bat so soon after recovering from an eye infection.

He did not have long to bowl either, before England turned to spin at both ends in conducive conditions - and in the final over of the day, Swann almost had Nasir Jamshed caught-behind on eight.

Tymal Mills with the England Lions - Blog

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

The England Lions tour in Bangladesh is underway and the side started poorly with a 6-wicket defeat against Bangladesh A in Chittagong.

Essex's Tymal Mills is part of the touring squad and he been sharing his experiences on his blog of the tour...

Essex fast bowler Tymal Mills is writing exclusively for All Out Cricket about his time away with the England Lions in Bangladesh. In his first blog, the 19-year-old paceman settles into life in Chittagong.

After a couple of weeks off, all of the coaches and staff met at Heathrow on the evening of New Year's Day ready for the long, arduous journey to Bangladesh. After three flights and a coach journey we arrived at our new home for the first part of the tour, the Peninsula Hotel in Chittagong. Here we will be playing a warm-up match followed by three ODIs against Bangladesh A.

The first full day's training was a light one, with just a few games to get us running around again and blow out any cobwebs that may have developed over the previous few weeks. We are based at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium for all our matches and practice, which is where the national side play a lot so it has the best facilities possible.

We then had a few more practice days at the stadium and the lads were all into the swing of things pretty quickly with our batting, bowling and fielding all shaping up nicely leading up to the first practice match. We faced up against a strong 'Selected Bangladesh XI' on Friday but the lads performed very well to beat them comfortably by four wickets. Brooksy (Jack Brooks) and Briggsy (Danny Briggs) took three and four wickets respectively as we bowled them out for 186. JRoy (Jason Roy) and Rooty (Joe Root) then got us off to a good start getting 30s and everyone else chipped in as we knocked off their score without too much fuss.

There isn't a great amount to do here in the evenings so we spend most of the time trying to find ways of entertaining ourselves, which usually involves spending time in the Pizza Hut across the road – or in my case, trying to find someone who can beat me on FIFA! Alex Hales keeps trying and failing, much to his annoyance.

At the time of writing I'm just chilling with my roommate JRoy ahead of the first ODI in the morning. Hopefully we will build on the performance in the warm-up game.

Tymal's blog is courtesy of All Out cricket magazine - www.alloutcricket.com

Foakes tells all on the upcoming England tour

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:38:34 +0000

Ben Foakes tells all to ECB.co.uk as the England under 19's prepare for their tour to Bangladesh. Ben explains how the squad are preparing and looking forward to the Under 19's World Cup later in the year.

View the interview with Ben Foakes

Become an Essex Member in 2012

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:16:24 +0000

A new year means a new season at Essex with Paul Grayson's men competing on 3 fronts in the LV= County Championship, Clydesdale Bank 40 and Friends Life t20 formats.

Essex Cricket announce two year sponsorship deal with Woodland Group

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:50:32 +0000

Essex Cricket is delighted to announce that it has agreed a two year sponsorship deal with Chelmsford based logistics company Woodland Group Limited. The deal will see the Woodland Group Logo appear on the back of Essex Cricket's CB 40 shirts. As well as the shirts the Pavilion Marquee at The Ford County Ground will be renamed the Woodland Group Pavilion Marquee. Essex Cricket's Dutch all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate will also carry the Woodland Group logo on the back of his playing bat for the 2012 season.

Sean Kirby, Managing Director of Woodland Group Limited said, "We are proud to support our local sporting teams and the Essex Cricket sponsorship for the next two years is an exciting prospect. The Woodland Group wishes everyone at Essex Cricket and its supporters a prosperous and successful 2012"

Perry Norton, Business Development Manager for Essex Cricket said, "We are delighted that we have secured another major partner, we are really excited at the prospect of working with such a dynamic company as the Woodland Group, and look forward to building the relationship over the next two years"

Woodland Group provides Global logistics solutions by Air, Sea and Road, the business employs more than 500 staff Worldwide who's focus and drive is to provide the very best in 'customer experience', so for an improved service, cost savings and an experience beyond your expectations visit www.woodland-group.com or call 01245 619900'.

Chelmsford Medical Centre becomes Essex Cricket Official Medical Partner

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:46:47 +0000

Essex Cricket is delighted to announce it has secured a three year sponsorship agreement with local medical provider Chelmsford Medical Centre. The agreement will see Chelmsford Medical Centre become the Official Medical Partner to Essex Cricket.

John Sutcliffe, Chairman of Chelmsford Medical Centre said "We are looking forward to building our relationship with Essex Cricket and supporting them through the next three seasons. We have an excellent facility with state of the art equipment in the town centre for all sporting injuries which includes diagnostics, spinal and back pain experts, orthopaedic surgeons, sports medicine and specialist sporting injury physiotherapists. We see this partnership with Essex Cricket as a natural fit with the services we provide."

Perry Norton, Business Development Manager at Essex Cricket said "We are pleased to have secured yet another long term partner at the club. We look forward to developing our relationship over the next three years. Chelmsford Medical Centre is located a stone's throw away from the ground and their first class service will be beneficial to not only our staff but also our many members and supporters.

Chelmsford Medical Centre is a private health clinic specialising in day case and minimally invasive treatment and surgery in Essex. They offer a range of specialist consultant clinics supported by onsite MRI, x-ray and ultrasound diagnostic facilities. For more information please visit www.chelmsfordmedical.co.uk or call 01245 253760.

Foakes preparing for the Bangladesh with England U19's

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:07:36 +0000

Essex's Ben Foakes speaks to ecb.co.uk about how he and squad are preparing for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh which begins on January 17th, with a warm-up match in Chittagong. The wicket-keeper joins fellow Essex team mate Kishen Velani in the 15-man squad.

We enjoyed a few days off over Christmas after our hard tour of South Africa but are already back training ready to take on the challenge of Bangladesh which we will depart for next Friday.

The final third of our time in Potchefstroom saw us move into the competition phase. The three games we had against North West Province started off with a couple of losses but we bounced back with a win in the final game.

North West were a tough opposition but in all truth one that we should have been beating.

The aim of the games was to allow players to understand the different roles that we may have to play and how to go about these based on a number of statistics we were shown.

In the first two games we were bowled out in each innings with about 30 balls remaining which was something we admitted wasn't good enough and had to be improved.

In the last game we chased down 300 losing only three wickets with plenty of overs remaining. This was largely down to Daniel Bell-Drummond's quick-fire hundred which was awesome to watch from the other end.

During the last game something seemed to click and there was a huge confidence boost considering keeping wickets in hand had been something we'd found difficult in the past.

All of the batsmen seemed to find batting easy and had taken our drills out into the middle and made the most of our improved skills.

Unfortunately we were struck by a number of injuries and niggles that meant at times there were fewer fully fit players to choose from, which was definitely an obstacle we had to work to overcome.

Disappointingly I was one of the guys who picked up a niggle early in the first game so missed the first two matches and only managed to play a full 100 overs in the final game.

The tour taught us a lot about one-day cricket and how to go about an innings batting in different positions. The bowlers now have far better plans of how they want to bowl which will be crucial to our success in a place like Bangladesh.

www.essexcricket.org.uk will be keep up to date with Ben & Kishen's progress with England on the tour.

Tymal Mills speaks on his England Lions call-up

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

In the next issue of All Out Cricket, Essex's young prospect. Tymal Mills talks about a rapid rise that his seen him progress from an academy player to an England Lion in less than a year.

Mark Ramprakash tells us you were the fastest bowler he'd faced for some time in county cricket. How did you get on against him?
I didn't bowl that much to him actually, I think we got him out quickly. He didn't get many runs in either innings. It was a bit awkward because the way he shapes up to a left-armer is a bit different to the way he shapes up to a right-armer, so it was a bit off putting at first, but I did okay and I'd like to think I held my own.

Any other big names you've enjoyed the challenge of bowling to so far in your career?
I made my debut against Sri Lanka so I was running in at Kumar Sangakkara and I think I went quite well against him. He didn't take me on and he showed me a bit of respect so I was quite happy with how that went.

Did your selection for the EPP and then the Lions come as a surprise?
Yeah, it was a big shock. I was in my initial programme of strength and conditioning at Loughborough and set to go to Chennai in the New Year [with the Potential EPP] when I got a call from Paul Grayson saying Ajmal Shahzad had to have surgery and they'd selected me to take his place. Come January, I will have gone from from being on the Essex academy and having played about four second team games to playing for the Lions in the space of a year.

What's the Chelmsford pitch like to learn your trade on?
This year it did a bit throughout the season, it offered swing a lot which was quite nice. And obviously bowling with Dave Masters you learn a lot. Chelmsford is a good place to learn in general. I struggled a bit from one end so that's something I want to work on. It's not the easiest place to bowl, the boundaries are small, but it's not like Taunton where the bowler doesn't get anything.

Strength and conditioning is obviously a key part of training for fast bowlers now. Is the potential for injury something that concerns you?
I wouldn't say I've got a fear of injury, I think it's part and parcel now with the amount of stress you put through your body. I'm not exactly the lightest on my feet so I've got a lot of forces going through my body but I haven't had a major injury yet. I had a little bit of a back problem last season but that was just because I bowled more overs than I'd ever bowled before. You've just got to listen to the coaches' recommendations, work hard and get yourself in the best shape to give yourself the best chance of staying injury free.

And outside of the game, you're in the process of completing a degree in journalism?
Yeah, I'm in my second year now and I was full-time but obviously with my cricket commitments I've had recently and what's coming up in the new year with the Lions tour, I've been struggling to balance my time. I've tried to give it a go but realistically it wasn't really feasible so I'm deferring this coming year and I hope to go back in September if I'm not so busy.

You can read the full interview with Tymal Mills in the February issue of All Out Cricket Magazine – a fast bowling special. View the interview online

Get the latest Essex Weekly Wallpaper in your desktop

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Kick off the New Year with the latest Essex Weekly Wallpaper on your desktop... included this week is all the 2012 LV= County Championship fixtures as the season draws closer!

Alastair Cook talks to EssexTV on his remarkable year

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:45:14 +0000

Alastair Cook speaks with EssexTV before jetting off to the United Arab Emirates with the England squad on his remarkable year with the bat. Alastair also looks forward to 2012 with both England and Essex which begins with the series against Pakistan over January and February.

This interview was conducted during the recent visit to Ford employees at Ford UK, Warley where James Foster, Alastair Cook and Graham Gooch attended a q & a session.

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Job Opportunity - Marketing & Communications Assistant at Essex Cricket

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Job Description

Marketing & Communications Assistant

The principal duties are:

Marketing & Communications Assistant for Essex Cricket

Salary: £12,000 plus £500 commission OTE

Main responsibilities:

Support to Marketing & Communication Officer

Develop the Club / Board / Trust exposure and interaction across the various social media channels
Devising and co-ordinating web content for all websites (Club / Board / Trust)Liaison with local / regional media to showcase our Community work
Implementing the marketing strategy for Essex Autogroup Graham Gooch Cricket Centre
Support in creating regular corporate e-newsletters
Generate press releases and follow up media enquiries
Scorecard preparation
Co-ordinating sale of matchday tournament guides / scorecards
Flyer dispatch coordination (with support from Commercial staff)
Market Stall co-ordination
Outbound calling to lapsed / past Members & Ticket Buyers
Sourcing and co-ordinating resource for Club mascots (Eddie and Ellie)
Support to Colchester Festival & Chelmsford Festival marketing
Website forum / general website enquiries
Lead player led content for 2012 season
Demonstrate technical marketing skills and have a good understanding of cricket and cricket industry
Ability to interact and cooperate with the Essex Cricket playing squad
Maintain professional internal and external relationships meeting core values of the Club
Proactively establish and maintain effective working team relationships with all departments
Devising and approving content for Tournament Guides and diaries

The Marketing & Communications Assistant will report directly to the Marketing & Communications Officer

Applicants can send a CV and cover letter by noon on Friday 13th January to danny.macklin@essexcricket.org.uk

2011 Season Review - September

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

The conclusion of our 2011 campaign brought defeat by promotion-bound Surrey despite another 5-wicket Championship haul by David Masters, the eighth time during the summer the bowler had achieved the feat. It took his tally of victims in the competition to 93, the highest by an English-qualified seamer since Andy Caddick in 1998.

Another seamer, Surrey's Chris Jordan chose the match to produce his career-best figures with both bat and ball starting with 71 out of 315 in the visitors first innings. Graham Napier was in excellent form with 6-53 as Surrey gained a first innings lead of 62. Jordan surpassed his earlier effort, this time with an unbeaten 79 and their opponents were left requiring 349 for victory. Jordan now turned his attention to exploits with the ball taking 4-57 and with Essex losing their first 6 wickets for 146, the outcome was predictable.

However, Napier provided another example of his all-round attributes as he went on the rampage blasting 80 from 64 deliveries that included 4 sixes and 11 other boundaries that mixed the conventional with the audacious. In a ninth wicket partnership worth 53 runs, he scored 52 and there was one extra whilst Tom Craddock faced just 11 balls without contributing a run before Napier was caught. Craddock fell to the very next delivery and Essex had completed their season with a 109 runs defeat and seventh placing in Division Two.

Happy New Year from Essex Cricket

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Essex Cricket would like to wish all our Members and supporters a very happy New Year. We look forward to welcoming you to The Ford County Ground in 2012 for a prosperous season ahead!

Paul Grayson talks to EssexTV on his hopes and preparation for 2012

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

2011 Season Review - August

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

For the third time this season, we travelled to Cardiff and a meeting with Glamorgan, who were also holding LV= County Championship promotion hopes. Owais Shah hit 118 and Adam Wheater reached an unbeaten 92 that took the visitors to within 36 runs of their opponents first innings score but caution clouded the timing of the Welsh side's attempts to set up a positive outcome. Their second innings concluded to a background of jeers from their own supporters before a belated declaration set Essex 334 from a minimum of 52 overs. It seemed though that home skipper Alviro Petersen might have the last word as his bowler's reduced Essex to 108 for 6 at the start of the last hour of play. However, Tim Phillips and Graham Napier staved off defeat with an unbroken 39 runs partnership that spanned 20 overs. It was a result that suited neither side in their quest to reach the top-flight.

There was a satisfying outcome for Essex Eagles when they faced Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford in the CB40 affair. Chasing a daunting 257-4, the Eagles won by 6 wickets with two deliveries to spare thanks to a splendid 104 from opener Mark Pettini who added 88 with Ravi Bopara for the 2nd wicket. Pettini then made 111 in 14 overs for the 3rd wicket with Shah, who went on to score 75, as the Lightning suffered their first defeat in 12 limited-overs matches.

Ryan ten Doeschate returned for this match having been given time off at the end of the previous month following a worrying loss of form but he was to bounce back in what proved a feisty encounter with Gloucestershire at Castle Park. He scored 124 not out but there was controversy surrounding the innings. With his score on 10, he was initially given out caught behind off the final ball of the morning session on day one after bowler Will Gidman appealed for a catch behind the wicket but umpire Steve Gale initially remained impassive. The batsman lingered briefly before starting to head off to the pavilion to begin the lunch break but was horrified to find Gale then raising the finger of fate believing ten Doeschate had "walked". Much discussion ensued before ten Doeschate was "reprieved".

When play restarted, he and Adam Wheater took their 6th wicket partnership to 204 as both completed centuries with the Netherlands all-rounder 124 not out when his side were finally dismissed for 363. Essex then gained a 99 runs lead but Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman, still smarting from the controversy on day one, remonstrated with Gale when he was given out leg before wicket to David Masters who took another five wickets to end with 6 for 75. In a match interrupted by bad light and rain, there was further controversy when Jon Lewis obstructed James Foster as the batsman completed a run before the bowler shoulder-barged his opponent. An eyeball to eyeball confrontation took place before Gale stepped between the pair and the game continued, although Lewis was reported to Lord's for his actions. Essex opted to bat on for 6 overs on the final day before declaring setting their 388 to win from a minimum of 88 overs, but the weather again intervened with the visitors 131 for 5. When the restart came, 28 overs had been lost but the home side could make no further inroads and the victory quest was called off immediately when Chris Taylor had completed a match-saving century.

The teams met again at the same venue for a special Help for Heroes day at Castle Park, this time in the CB40 when the Eagles completed a convincing victory over the Gladiators with Shah recording his first one-day century for the Club, whilst Foster and Westley both contributed fifties taking the home side to 299 for 7. The Gladiators never appeared likely to lay down a challenge and were beaten by 118 runs.

Returning to Chelmsford just two days later, Essex took on Derbyshire in the County Championship with both teams realistically facing up to Division Two cricket for 2012. The weather was to play a significant part in washing out both the first and last scheduled days. Play did get underway after a further 30 minutes was lost on day two but Derbyshire failed to cope with a ball that swung considerably in the conditions and capitulated to 132 all out. By the close, the home side had gained a lead of 41 runs thanks to a half-century from ten Doeschate, but further rain then prevented a resumption until mid-afternoon on day three when the three remaining wickets added 34 runs of which 29 came in a last wicket stand between Masters and Maurice Chambers. Derbyshire had reached 187 for 4 when bad light stopped play immediately after Wes Durston had struck successive boundaries off Masters but that was to prove the final action of the match.

The final Group C match of the campaign took us to leaders Somerset who had all but secured their place in the semi-finals. Essex still had the chance of reaching the last four but needed to win at Taunton whilst additionally relying on favourable results elsewhere but in the event, the calculations proved unnecessary with the Eagles suffering a 40 runs defeat. Tymal Mills was given his CB40 debut whilst Shah and Masters were rested. Chasing 252 for victory, Jaik Mickleburgh and Wheater put on 78 in 11 overs for the second wicket and the prospects looked promising but the loss of 3 wickets in 20 deliveries changed the complexion of the match and at the halfway stage, the Eagles were 113 for 5. Napier attempted to salvage the game with 41 from 38 balls but it was not sufficient to prevent Essex sustaining their third, leaving them to reflect on their misfortune at having three matches abandoned that proved so costly.

The last day of the month brought the final away trip of the season and a visit to Canterbury but on a poor wicket, Essex suffered a 6 wickets reverse. It was the fourth time in as many matches during the season that Kent had beaten their old adversaries but their delight was somewhat soured by the deduction of 8 points by the ECB for an unsatisfactory pitch in this latest head to head meeting. That didn't help Essex though who once again paid the price for a disappointing first innings performance with the bat. David Balcombe, Kent's on-loan fast bowler from Hampshire returned career-best figures of 6 for 51 as the visitors were dismissed for 144. Masters responded with 6 for 78 including three wickets for one run in 9 balls but the home side had gained a defining lead of 116 before their opponents started their second knock. Balcombe took his match tally to 10 wickets and Essex, on a pitch that by now was showing extreme examples of uneven bounce, were tumbled out for 185 to leave Kent requiring just 70 runs to win. However, there was a brief period of hope for the visitors as the vagaries in the pitch caused concerns for the batsmen. Napier took three wickets as the hosts slumped to 35 for 4 before Martin van Jaarsveld and Geraint Jones restored order with the latter deciding aggression was the favourable option hitting 6 boundaries in his 28 not out made from just 14 deliveries.

Matt Walker talks to BBC Essex's Ian Puckey on his new role

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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This interview is courtesy of Ian Puckey's Drivetime Show on BBC Essex

2011 Season Review - July

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

A mixed cocktail of fixtures saw the county figuring in all three major competitions starting with the continuation of the Friends Life t20. Essex were place in fourth place when they faced Kent Spitfires at Canterbury with the Eagles including Scott Styris for the first time in five matches following his torn hamstring. That proved a hasty decision with the injury recurring and forcing the all-rounder to bat with a runner in the latter stages of his innings whilst also preventing him from bowling. The home side cruised to victory by 8 wickets, reaching their 154 runs target with 13 balls to spare.

The Eagles hopes of reaching the knockout stages were then fuelled by successive victories, firstly against Middlesex Panthers at Chelmsford. Despite being penalised 6 runs for slow over-rate, Essex protected a modest 139-9 with 8 runs to spare. That was followed by a convincing revenge success over Somerset at Bath who were thrashed by 65 runs in front of a packed crowd. Ravi Bopara stroked an imperious unbeaten 72 from 42 balls and his 4th wicket stand of 108 in 11 overs with Mark Pettini, who scored 81, matched the glorious setting and evening weather. The hosts were then undermined by a 4-wickets haul from Tim Phillips who took his tally to 25 to head the competition list of wicket-takers.

Essex then faced leaders Hampshire Royals at the Rose Bowl two nights later and with Bopara leading the side in the absence of the suspended Foster. The Eagles failed to raise the tempo at a crucial time in pursuit of a revised target of 132 from 17 overs after rain disrupted their innings and were beaten by 9 runs under the D/L method.

A remarkable performance by Tim Southee was the feature of the 5-wickets win against Glamorgan Dragons at Chelmsford where Pettini took over the captaincy reins in the absence of Foster and Bopara, the latter on international duty. Southee returned figures of 6 for 16 that included a hat-trick amongst 4 wickets in the final over of the Dragons innings that closed on 144-9 before fellow Kiwi Styris, playing as a batsman, thrashed an unbeaten 42 from 21 deliveries to steer the Eagles home with 5 balls to spare.

That left Essex needing victory over Kent Spitfires in the final match to secure a place in the quarter-finals but before that, there was a visit to Grace Road to resume LV= County Championship cricket.

Foster was back at the head of affairs on the field and recorded his second successive hundred in the four-day game before David Masters pitched in with another 5 wickets haul to reach 51 first-class wickets for the season. With a first innings lead of 48 runs, Essex reached 344 for 5 before declaring with centuries from Billy Godleman and Owais Shah. The opening stand of 101 - featuring Godleman and Tom Westley - was the first occasion since 2009 that an Essex opening pair had recorded a three-figure stand in the Championship. Bottom of the table Leicestershire were blown away for 138, three of their wickets falling to the pacy Tymal Mills.

So to the Friends Life t20 decider saw the Spitfires post an imposing 183 for 3 having been put into bat. There was controversy when Styris dived forward at short third man to claim a "catch" when Darren Stevens had scored 4 but despite repeated TV replays by the third umpire, he was unable to conclusively determine that the ball had not touched the ground and the batsman was allowed to stay. Stevens progressed to score an unbeaten 41 and then took 4 wickets as the Eagles bowed out of the competition, beaten by 15 runs.

There was further controversy when the Clydesdale Bank 40 affair at Trent Bridge was abandoned after a series of weather interruptions had left the Eagles chasing a mere 74 from 10 overs under D/L method. Light drizzle had been falling for much of the latter stages of the Nottinghamshire Outlaws innings but Essex were denied the opportunity of batting, a decision that Head Coach Paul Grayson was clearly unhappy with as he remonstrated with the ground staff before making his way to the umpires room.

The weather also proved problematical at Chelmsford where Glamorgan Dragons had reached 251 for 8 from 38 overs in the CB40 contest before rain interrupted proceedings. After a delayed resumption, Essex, now missing Foster who had sustained an ankle injury in training that was to keep him sidelined for 4 matches, were left 15 overs to score 133 under D/L to achieve victory. Good progress was being made at 53 for 2 after 6.2 overs when the weather gods again turned their backs on the Eagles forcing the match to once again be abandoned.

The Eagles travelled to the delightful Cheltenham College ground for their CB40 match with Gloucestershire Gladiators but a wretched performance with the bat saw them slump to 52 for 7 before Phillips averted total humiliation for his side. He scored an unbeaten 58 whilst adding 63 with Napier for the 8th wicket and then 80 for the 10th wicket with Chris Wright who scored 42. The Gladiators reached their 196 runs target with 5 overs and 4 wickets to spare. Mark Pettini took two catches as an able wicket-keeping deputy for Wheater who was suffering mild concussion after a collision with bowler James Fuller.

Garon Park provided the setting for the final two matches of July with mixed results. Championship opponents Leicestershire had gained a first innings lead of 58 but that was to prove insignificant after Bopara had stroked his way to the classiest of centuries. He became the first Essex player in 6 years to reach three figures at the venue on his way to 178 that included a 111 runs stand with Masters for the 7th wicket and the visitors were eventually set 315 runs to win. What followed was the most amazing session of cricket seen on the ground as the basement side capitulated sensationally in 14.4 overs to be bowled out for 34. The innings lasted just 72 minutes with Masters running amok returning a magnificent 8 for 10 including 6 wickets in 16 deliveries to complete career-best figures as victory was completed with a day to spare and keep the promotion hopes alive.

Somerset though provided an altogether different proposition in the CB40 contest as the Group C top-two locked horns. It was the leaders who enhanced their ranking as one of the leading one-day sides with a 6-wickets win reaching their target of 141 with 6 wickets and 10.1 overs to spare although Phillips, one of 8 Eagles bowlers used, did cause a few problems with 3 for 28.

photos - Nick Wood, www.unshaken-photography.co.uk

The Essex Members' Christmas Lunch with guest John Lever

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

John Lever takes part a Q & A session at the 2011 Members' Christmas Lunch which took place in the Premier Suite in December.

Check out www.essexcricket.org.uk to find more information on 2012 Essex Cricket Membership.

2011 Season Review - June

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

The month heralded the start of the Friends Life t20 campaign and the Eagles, with their squad including New Zealand international’s Scott Styris and Tim Southee amongst a squad packed with potential match-winners, were expected to be serious challengers for the title. The month consisted of 10 group matches from the 16 but our campaign got off to a poor start with victories in just two of our opening seven matches.

We recovered from a 32 run defeat by Sussex Sharks at Hove, where Naved-ul-Hasan took four wickets in seven deliveries amongst figures of 5 for 17, to beat Gloucestershire Gladiators at Chelmsford by 122 runs. Essex posted a huge 204-4 including 10 sixes (4 by Styris) before the Gladiators chances were blown away within 3 overs of their reply when they slumped to 4 for 3 wickets with none of their first three batsmen scoring a run.

Sussex Sharks proved a different proposition though for the return fixture at Chelmsford where the Sharks openers posted a record 1st wicket stand in t20 for their Club reaching 106 before being parted. Luke Wright carried his bat for 81 whilst Tim Phillips claimed his career-best competition figures of 4-27 before the Eagles closed their reply on 151 for 7 and were beaten by 17 runs. Middlesex at Lord’s provided a perfect response and after the Panthers had been restricted to 150 for 5, Owais Shah produced an innings of the highest quality to underpin victory by 5 wickets contributing an unbeaten 78 on his former stomping ground.

A brief interruption from the quick-fire game was provided by the visit of Sri Lanka to Chelmsford for a three-day friendly. Ben Foakes, Tymal Mills and trialist Tom Craddock were given their first-class debuts and Essex, led by Ravi Bopara, gained a first innings lead of 14 runs thanks to 164 by Ryan ten Doeschate who struck 164 out of 351. Tom Westley was dismissed one run short of a century having figured in a 195 runs partnership for the 4th wicket with the Netherlands all-rounder. Rain allowed just 12.4 overs on the final day but that still allowed Reece Topley to take his match figures to 6 for 34.

Back to Friends Life t20 involvement starting with a visit to The Oval and a match that saw a controversial decision that was to impact on captain, James Foster. Surrey Lions reached 154-7 from their 20 overs and the dismissal of Foster left the visitors 95 for 6 but the Essex captain protested that the delivery sent down by Zander de Bruyn was above waist-high. His pleas to the umpires fell on stony ground and he remonstrated once more as he returned to the dug-out. The Eagles were beaten by 43 runs; Foster was subsequently fined by Essex for his actions but was also summoned to Lord’s. A disciplinary decision noted what they considered the poor disciplinary record of the County over the past 12 months, harshly decided to hand out a 2 match suspension to the player.

Somerset piled on the misery for Essex Eagles where an unbeaten 108 from Marcus Trescothick, who put on 127 in 9 overs with James Hildreth, allowed the visitors to Chelmsford to reach 225 for 2. Hapless Essex were bowled out for 82 in 10.3 overs, their lowest t20 total and it was the largest margin of defeat by runs in the domestic history of the competition.

A total wash out at Bristol versus Gloucestershire Gladiators was followed by success in Cardiff where Glamorgan Dragons were beaten by 4 wickets with a ball to spare. This was after Foster was dropped by Simon Jones off the third ball of the final over with 5 runs needed. The Eagles followed up with an impressive success against Hampshire Royals at Chelmsford where Tim Southee, promoted to opener, hit 74 out of 162 for 7 before Phillips took 4-29 to orchestrate a 26 runs win. On the following day, the weather again proved the only winner, this time at Chelmsford where rain washed out the scheduled return with Surrey Lions.

The month finished with a return to the four-day game and the visit of Division II leaders Northamptonshire. The home side produced their best performance of the season thus far with a 171 runs victory. Craddock was given his competition debut and although the home side were dismissed for 183, they still managed an 84 runs lead on first innings after David Masters and Reece Topley both took four wickets apiece. The bowlers continued to dominate until the arrival of Foster to join Wheater in the middle when the two Whipps Cross born players posted a County 6th wicket record of 253. Foster hit 103 and Wheater 164, the latter’s first three figure score for the County which included a hundred between the lunch and tea intervals on day two. Set 416 to win, Northants lost former Essex player Stephen Peters without a run on the board as the opener completed a “pair” and with Craddock returning 4-70, the visitors suffered their first defeat of the campaign.

A-Z of Essex Cricketers - D

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:23:37 +0000

We continue to trawl through the alphabet in this feature that recalls players who have given excellent service to the County. Arriving at the letter 'D', we focus on three more players that served the County with distinction.

T.C.Dodds

Born in Bedford in 1919, Thomas Carter ("Dickie") Dodds joined Essex in 1946 playing as an amateur that season. He wasted little time in showing his prowess putting on 270 for the first wicket with 'Sonny' Avery against Surrey at The Oval. Although his leg-break bowler was rarely in evidence, he did take a wicket with the first ball that he bowled in first-class cricket when he claimed the wicket of Middlesex batsman Jack Robertson in a match at Westcliff.

Dickie attacked bowling from the start of his innings heavily and it made no difference to the opener whether it was during the first over he faced or whether he'd been batting for an hour or more. On one occasion facing Ian Thomson of Sussex at Ilford, he sent the very first ball of the match over the boundary and onto the pavilion roof whilst another time, he lifted a delivery from Middlesex bowler Alan Moss over the fence during his opening over. Playing against Lancashire, he thumped the opening two deliveries of the match and bowled by England fast bowler Brian Statham for 4 and 6.

Pprematurely grey, the highly consistent Dodds enjoyed his most productive year with the bat in 1947, (the year he turned professional), with more than 2,000 runs at an average of 40 although he only reached three figures in one innings that summer. For many seasons, he was considered as the fastest scoring opener in the country.

In 1956 when Essex met the Australians at Southend, he despatched leading international bowlers Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller to all parts of the ground during a rapid innings lasting an hour in which he scored 58 out of 70 before losing his wicket. Another example of his quick-scoring was shown at Clacton in 1957 against Kent when he and Gordon Barker plundered 161 runs off the visitors attack before lunch. Essex twice won the News Chronicle Award for Brighter Cricket with Dodds making a significant contribution with his rapid batting. The game was never dull when he was at the crease.

It was once suggested in the cricketing Playfair Annual that the batsman Dickie Dodds, "almost an anachronism, should be knighted for his spirit of adventure". There was slightly more caution from his Essex team-mate Doug Insole: "His appearance is sufficiently dignified to qualify him for a bishopric, the cabinet or a television panel game ... his batting is fit for a World XI or the madhouse," he said.

The son of a clergyman, Dickie spent his winters working with Moral Re-Armament, first in London then in the industrial areas of Britain and later in India, Australia, America and Europe. His benefit in 1957 realised £2,325, which he immediately turned over to Moral Re-Armament. Much of it was spent in India.

He retired from the County game at the end of the 1959 season at the age of 40. Although he lost form part way through the 1959 season, surprisingly the County failed to renew his contract despite the fact that the opener had topped 1,000 Championship runs in 13 consecutive seasons. In 396 first-class matches he had made 19,407 runs, including 17 hundreds and 110 half-centuries, at an average of 28.75.

His excellent autobiography, Hit Hard and Enjoy It (1976), was written at the behest of Sir Neville Cardus and after his retirement, Dodds worked with the former vice-captain of the West Indies, Conrad Hunte, to promote racial harmony in Britain.

Dickie Dodds died in Sep 2001, aged 82.

M.H. Denness

When Essex persuaded Mike Denness to join them in 1977, they secured the services of a highly-experienced and accomplished batsman but more than that, they gained for themselves a missing ingredient towards success. For Denness was to prove a major influence around the dressing room and on the pitch that proved significant in the County winning major honours for the first time in their history. A reliable batsman, he brought stability to an innings yet he could be a punishing stroke player with a series of glorious drives whilst he was also at ease when facing spin.

With such wonderful batsmen as Graham Gooch and Ken McEwan in the batting line-up, Denness was quite content to offer the support role during his four seasons with us but his value cannot be under-estimated in a period in which we carried off our first County Championship title and also the Benson & Hedges Cup for the first time.

Michael Henry Denness was born in Lanarkshire in 1940 and became the first schoolboy to be capped by Scotland. Three years later, in 1972, he made his debut for Kent. Few batsmen were more stylish than Mike Denness who was at his peak, in the late 1960s and early to mid 1970s. Tallish and slim, well-balanced, immaculately dressed on and off the field, he possessed of a fine array of strokes and was also an excellent cover fieldsman.

He gained the first of his 28 England caps in 1969 and was awarded the Test captaincy four years later. By now Denness was in charge at Kent leading them to the John Player League title three times, the Benson & Hedges Cup on three occasions and the Gillette Cup. But he then tasted some bitter personal disappointments; he was stripped of the England captaincy in 1975 and then lost the Kent captaincy the following year.

Essex though were delighted to offer the player the opportune to continue his playing career and Denness took up the offer to "just enjoy playing the game" and at the age of 36, he began a new lease of life although his wealth of experience was always available to those seeking to capitalise on a superb cricketing brain.

Mike Denness knew how to win trophies and helped to educate Essex in that strategy where his contribution to the new era of success enjoyed by the county was immense.

He decided to retire at the end of the 1980 season although he remained with us for a while as second XI captain and fund-raiser.

He eventually returned to Kent as a Committee member and he also became an ICC match referee but, at Port Elizabeth in 2001-02, his decision to sanction six Indian players - including Sachin Tendulkar - caused such a furore that the Indian and South African boards barred Denness from officiating in the next match, at Centurion. The ICC responded by withdrawing Test status from the game.

He made a total of 501 appearances in first-class cricket and 232 more in one-day matches. He scored over 30,000 domestic runs in all, including 33 first-class hundreds with a top score of 195 (made for Essex against Leicestershire in his first season with us) and six one day centuries with a top score of 188 not out.

J.W.H.T Douglas

Born in Clapton in 1882, John William Henry Taylor Douglas was generally acknowledged as one of finest all-rounders to have played for the County. He proved to be the backbone of the side for many of the post-war World War I years.

To illustrate the fact, Essex managed to achieve only five victories in 1921 but Douglas scored 562 runs in four completed innings and also claimed 53 wickets at nine runs apiece. In consecutive matches, against Worcestershire and Derbyshire, he recorded the "match" double of 100 runs and 10 wickets as befits the player who was the first Essex player ever to achieve the season's "double" of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets. He completed that milestone in Championship matches alone in the 1914 season.

Douglas took on the England captaincy during the Ashes trip to Australia in 1911-12 after Sir Pelham Warner had been taken ill and he later led the 1913-14 team in South Africa and the 1920-21 side Down Under.

Johnny made his Essex debut in 1901 against Yorkshire at Leyton and marked the occasion with a "pair" being bowled by George Hirst in both innings. He then failed to score in his next innings but the County retained faith in him and he responded making steady rather than spectacular progress. His first significant advance came in 1905 when he topped the Essex bowling averages taking 35 wickets at 25 each. His outstanding bowling performance that summer came at Leyton against Yorkshire when he took five wickets in 8 deliveries at no cost. During that particular that spell, he became the first Essex player to record a hat-trick.

Johnny Douglas was Essex captain from 1911-1928, he led the side well and proved to be loyal to those players who played under him. Whilst not the greatest tactician, he relied on endeavour and inspiration. In 1920, he collected 147 wickets and the following year, he scored 1547 runs including 210 not out against Derbyshire at Leyton. In the same match, he took a career-best 9 for 47 and also added 247 with Steriker Hare for the ninth wicket.

As a medium-pace bowler, he possessed the ability to move the ball both ways and also gained considerable nip off the pitch whilst as a batsman, he could also be extremely obdurate with a sound and correct defensive technique. It was that style of batting during a tour of Australia that led to him being dubbed "Johnny Won't Hit Today". However he could also score at an agreeable rate and during his County career, he figured in seven double-century stands and 50 in excess of 100.

In 1928, the years started to catch-up with Douglas, he was now aged 46 and unable to avert a disappointing season for the County who won only two of their 32 Championship matches finishing second from bottom in the table. Douglas scored 848 runs at 21.71, his lowest average since 1913 whilst he also failed to prove effective with the ball. He was asked to resign the captaincy but refused and he never turned out for the Club again. In 459 matches for Essex, he had accumulated 17915 runs which included 18 centuries and he had also taken 1443 wickets @23.32.

He was an accomplished sportsman winning an Olympic Gold Medal in Boxing at middleweight and he was also selected to play football for the England Amateur side against Bohemia.

His father was a timber merchant and in the winter of 1930, Johnny and his father travelled to Finland to order timber for the following year but they were never to make it back to England. O n the return trip, their boat collided with its sister ship in dense fog off the coast of Denmark and sunk in four minutes. Douglas and his father were amongst 42 people who drowned in the incident.

2011 Season Review - May

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

We continue our month-by-month reflection of the 2011 season with a look at our performances and results for the month of May.

The month provided 9 matches for the County with five of those in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition, starting with a fixture against Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Chelmsford. The Eagles got their limited-overs campaign off to a fine start with a 7-wicket success, despite a century from Outlaws opener Alex Hales. Although Lonwabo Tsotsobe claimed two wickets, his 8 overs cost 73 runs leaving Essex to require 288 to win. Alastair Cook (96) and Ravi Bopara composed a second wicket stand of 110 which included a range of quality strokes. This was before an unbroken 108 liaison between Matt Walker and James Foster saw Essex over the line to victory with one over to spare.

Twenty-four hours later, a Chelmsford Bank Holiday crowd watched Essex dismiss Lancashire Lightning for 190 with Tsotsobe returning what were to be his best figures for the County (4 for 43). Bopara and Foster continued their fine form with half-centuries as the Eagles completed a facile victory by 7 wickets.

The CB40 action continued with two away trips, firstly to the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff where Graham Napier took a hat-trick as Glamorgan Dragons reached 222 for 7 but rain then washed out any further proceedings.

Onto Bury St.Edmunds where Tim Phillips served notice of what was to be an excellent personal limited-overs campaign with career-best one-day figures of 5-28 as a Unicorns side that included Tom Craddock were bowled out for 137. Sadly a poor pitch failed to match the pleasant surroundings with a number of batsmen sustaining bruises but the Eagles completed an 8-wicket victory in a sedate manner.

Focus then switched back to the LV= County Championship with a journey to Derby where the loss of 5 wickets in the first 71 minutes of play left Essex on the back foot. This was despite a shock announcement by the home Club during the match as they announced the dismissal of their Head Cricket Coach John Morris and his assistant. David Masters took the first of his eight 5-fors in the season but the home side gained a first innings 109 runs lead; with the highest contribution in their innings coming from ‘Mr. Extras’ with 52 that included 6 wides and 22 no balls. The home side were left requiring 223 to win despite a century from Bopara but their efforts were foiled by a number of interruptions for rain and poor light. When the match was finally abandoned, Derbyshire were just 21 runs short of their target with 4 wickets intact. This proved to be the final appearance for Tsotsobe who was dropped prior to being released prematurely before the end of the month.

Whitgift School was the setting for another Championship fixture made memorable by an amazing display of hitting from Napier. He faced 130 deliveries from which he blasted a world record-equalling 16 sixes in a career-best innings of 196 spanning 199 minutes. It was the highest score made by an Essex player batting at number 7 and his last 103 runs came from just 29 deliveries before he was finally dismissed when he lofted the ball off a leading edge attempting another six. During his innings, he added 186 for the ninth wicket in 22 overs with Chris Wright who proved a dependable ally scoring 34 from 81 balls, before Essex were bowled out for 548. Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown then scored 159 but with Essex posting 324 including a two and a half hour 58 from Phillips, the teams were left with a drawn match.

It was back to CB40 action and Chelmsford where the Eagles, with Owais Shah making his first appearance, completed the ‘double’ over Unicorns with an 8-wicket victory after Mark Pettini (88) and Walker (71) had combined for an unbroken 149 third wicket stand.

With four wins from their opening five matches in the competition, Essex were in second-place in Group C, just one point behind Somerset who were leading with a 100% record.

Reece Topley rushed from a Business Studies exam to face Middlesex in the LV= CC at The Ford County Ground but it was Napier again who excelled with 5 for 56, including a spell of three wickets without conceding a run. Playing against his former team mates, Shah failed by just four runs to complete a fairy-tale hundred. The home side were eventually set 306 in 53 overs for victory and at 80-5, there were some worried looks amongst the home supporters. However, Adam Wheater chose the occasion to post 76 and his highest score thus far in an Essex sweater and the match was drawn.

The month concluded with a drawn match at Bristol where rain caused the loss of 72 overs on the second day but, after gaining a 66 runs lead on first innings, Essex hopes of making up for lost time were denied by the Gloucestershire ninth wicket pair of Jon Lewis and Chris Dent who put on 101. The visitors’ attacking options were reduced though when Ryan ten Doeschate, playing his first match following his return from IPL duties and having dismissed Alex Gidman with his third delivery, was banned soon afterwards when his sixth and seventh deliveries were adjudged beamers.

With half of their LV= County Championship programme completed, Essex were in sixth position with 68 points, 43 behind leaders Northamptonshire who had only played 7 matches and 27 points adrift of second-placed Glamorgan.

2011 Essex Season Review - April

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the 2011 Essex Season Review month-by-month to overlook the high's and low's of a campaign which saw records, the rise of new generation and some superb individual performances.

We take a look back month-by-month on the County’s 2011 season. This was a campaign that proved unrewarding in terms of trophies but highly-satisfying in terms of player development. The famed Essex production line once again unearthed more young players who proved equal to the task of donning the Essex shirt and playing competitive first team cricket.

With the experienced players Owais Shah and Ryan ten Doeschate occupied abroad on IPL duties, it was “unknown” 17 year-old fast bowler Reece Topley who captured the early headlines.

Still at school, he had impressed on the pre-season tour to Barbados and was given his First Class debut in the drawn match at Fenners against Cambridge MCCU, where Alastair Cook scored the first of his five summer centuries that launched our First Class season.

However, it was on his Championship debut that the 6’7” prospect burst forward onto the domestic scene. He took 7 wickets, including 5 for 46 (International opposition in Rob Key, Joe Denly, Geraint Jones and James Tredwell were all victims) on his LV= Championship debut against Kent at Chelmsford.

Despite that effort and an unbeaten first innings 88 from skipper James Foster plus a half-century from Billy Godleman, the home side slumped to a 57 runs defeat.

Another defeat followed immediately, this time to Middlesex at Lord’s where the visitors never recovered from being dismissed for a paltry 115 in their first innings. They eventually succumbed by an 8-wickets margin despite another 5-for by left-armer Topley, whilst Tom Westley hit a second innings 59 which turned out to be the highest score of the match.

The fixture at Northampton saw the debut of overseas signing Lonwabo Tsotsobe but the South African Test paceman had an unhappy introduction to English cricket. His opening delivery was a no-ball and although he took his first wicket with his 22nd delivery, he also sent down another 14 no balls as Northamptonshire posted 538 for 9 declared in reply to an Essex total of 433. Cook continued his fine start to the season with 155, his highest yet for the County whilst Jaik Mickleburgh also reached three figures.

Despite a period of concern when the visitors lost their fourth second innings wicket still needing 23 to avoid an innings defeat, Mark Pettini and Matt Walker combined to steer the side through to safety with an unbroken County 5th wicket record against Northants of 147 runs.

Glamorgan arrived to complete a quarter of the Championship programme before the end of April and Essex were able to mark the occasion with their first win – and in some style. Trailing by 24 runs on first innings, that figure had been extended to a target of 360 for victory when Godleman and Cook started the second innings. Despite the loss of Godleman in the first over, Essex were able to celebrate a 6-wickets win thanks to a wonderful partnership between Ravi Bopara and Walker worth 217 for the fourth wicket. Bopara hit an imperious 136 not out whilst Walker hit 97 before he was dismissed just 20 runs short of the winning margin.

Keep an eye on the website, Facebook and Twitter pages for exclusive content this winter including EssexTV interviews, exclusive competitions and player updates!

Essex Cricket Christmas & New Year opening times

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:34:25 +0000

Shop Opening times over the Xmas & New Year:

Saturday 24th December 9.00am – 1.00pm

Sunday 25th / Monday 26th / Tuesday 27th December Closed

Wednesday 28th December 9.00am – 5.30pm Normal Opening

Thursday 29th 9.00am – 5.30pm Normal Opening

Friday 30th 9.00am – 5.30pm Normal Opening

Saturday 31st December 9.00am – 1.00pm

Sunday 1st / Monday 2nd January Closed

Tuesday 3rd January 9.00 – 5.30 (No late night)

Wednesday 4th January Normal hours resume

The Membership & Ticketing office will be closed until Tuesday 3rd January - 9am.

England cricket team & Andy Flower awarded honours

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:12:35 +0000

ECB Chief Executive David Collier today led the tributes to the England team and Team Director Andy Flower who each won major awards at last night's BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) event.

The England team were named Team of the Year – the third time in seven years they have won this prestigious award following previous triumphs in 2005 and 2009.

Team Director Andy Flower also became the first England Cricket Coach to win the BBC SPOTY Coach of the Year award since this category was first introduced by the broadcaster in 1999.

England Test captain Andrew Strauss and One-Day captain Alastair Cook were also shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award which was won by cyclist Mark Cavendish at last night's event in Manchester.

Commenting on the awards, ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: "The awards to the England team and Andy Flower are richly deserved and reflect a tremendous twelve months which has seen the team become the world's number one ranked Test side in the Reliance ICC World Test rankings and win an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 1986-87. Our congratulations go to all the players and the team management."

Commenting on the award to Andy Flower, ECB Managing Director – England Cricket, Hugh Morris said: "This is one of the most sought-after awards in British sport and we are delighted that Andy's outstanding leadership of the team has been recognised in this way. He is a world-class coach whose outstanding man management skills and tactical nous played a huge role in ensuring that 2011 was a year to remember for the England team."

Kishen Velani & Ben Foakes called up to England Under 19's tour of Bangladesh

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:09:03 +0000

ECB today announced the England Under 19 squad for the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh which begins in January.

Kent all-rounder Adam Ball will captain the 15-man tour party which includes eight players who featured in this summer's One-Day series against South Africa.

England Under 19s are due to depart the UK on January 12th for a seven-match series of U19 One-Day Internationals against their hosts with the first encounter due to take place in Chittagong on January 20th.

England Under 19 Squad to tour Bangladesh

Adam Ball (captain) (Kent)

Muhammad Abid (Lancashire)

Shozair Ali (Warwickshire)

Daniel Bell Drummond (Kent)

Ben Foakes (Essex)

Gavin Griffiths (Lancashire)

Brett Hutton (Nottinghamshire)

Aneesh Kapil (Worcestershire)

Sam Kelsall (Nottinghamshire)

Jack Leaning (Yorkshire)

Craig Overton (Somerset)

Jamie Overton (Somerset)

Rammy Singh (Durham)

Kishen Velani (Essex)

Sam Wood (Nottinghamshire)

Shop 70% Sale Now Extended

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

The Essex Cricket shop sale has now been extended due to the recent uptake in the great range of Essex clothing on offer! Make sure you check out the latest lines now available including training kit, leisure wear and replica shirt and training coats. The sale is on now via online or in person at The Ford County Ground.

A-Z of Essex Cricketers - C

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:37:35 +0000

We continue to trawl through the alphabet in this feature that recalls players who have given stalwart service to the County. Arriving at the letter 'C', we focus on three more players that served the County with distinction.

H. A. Carpenter.

Born in Cambridge in July 1869, Herbert Carpenter had cricket in his blood being the son of Robert Carpenter, one of the greatest batsmen of the United All-England and Cambridgeshire teams of the mid-19th century.

Herbert too became a fine and respected batsman with a studious defensive technique and a penchant for back-foot play with his favourite shot being the late-cut. He made his Essex debut in 1888 and his consistent performances with the bat over the ensuing years helped the County achieve first-class status in 1894. He opened the batting in the inaugural Championship match against Leicestershire and was the only Essex batsmen to reach double figures.

The following year, he scored 145 in four and half hours although Essex lost to Surrey by an innings but he did have the consolation of featuring in the Essex side that recorded their first Championship victory when they beat Somerset and his innings proved defining. Wickets were falling all around him but he scored a pedestrian 52 without a single boundary. However, he showed another side to his game with a contrasting effort in the return at Taunton where he raced to a run-a-minute 153 with a five and 26 boundaries before he was run out. That season, he became the first Essex batsman to score 1,000 runs when he aggregated 1,087 with 976 runs for the County and 111 for MCC.

He scored 1,000 runs in a season on six occasions and in 1900, amassed 1468 runs including four centuries. 'Cricket 'magazine was moved to comment that 'Carpenter ought to be the most successful batsman; he has style and skill – but hitherto, he has been very little favoured by fortune' His best year was in 1901 when he hit a century in both innings against Kent but, never blessed with the best of health, Carpenter only made a few appearances the following year and did not appear at all in 1903. It is uncertain whether the reason was on health grounds or following a dispute with the Committee but whatever, he returned the following season to show that the year out had not blunted his effectiveness.

If anything, he was even more effective putting on 328 with Charles McGahey for the third wicket against Surrey at The Oval when he also recorded his highest score of 199. He passed the 1,000 runs mark again in 1905. He was restricted to just 6 matches in 1909 but two years later, he had the distinction, together with John Freeman, of sharing in century partnerships in each innings of the match with Surrey at Leyton. He collected the last of his 25 first-class centuries in the match with Worcestershire hitting an unbeaten 126.

After the First World War, and at the age of 51, he played in the last two matches of the 1920 season before bringing to a close a superb career spanning 26 years with the County scoring 13,403 runs in 262 matches at an average of 29.50

J.H.Childs

Born in Plymouth in August 1951, John had spent ten seasons with Gloucestershire having played under Mike Proctor and forming an effective twin-spin pairing with David Graveney. He took 421 wickets for the West Country County but after a couple of leaner seasons, and at the age of 33, he was released. He made the move to Essex where he suffered a poor first season taking only five costly wickets. The County though retained every faith and belief in the slow left-arm bowler and Chairman Doug Insole and Captain Keith Fletcher concluded that with the right guidance his main fault, a too-slow flight, could be corrected. So in total agreement with the player, it was decided that John should spend some time at Lord's in the winter working with Fred Titmus, the former Middlesex and England off-spinner and the MCC head coach, Don Wilson, himself a former England slow left-armer. The initiative proved an overwhelming success and John was transformed into the most successful spinner in the country enjoying many successful seasons. Explaining the change in his technique, John said at the time: "Pitches have got slower in the ten years since I started, and my basic problem in 1985 was that, without the confidence of taking wickets, I had been running up and just 'putting' the ball there. The result was that even when the ball was tuning, it had so little pace batsmen could generally adjust and play it off the pitch." Titmus described the flaw in a way which will strike a chord in all spin bowlers lacking confidence. "He was bowling as though he half expected the ball to come back like a bullet!" he commented.

A quicker approach to the crease and a flatter trajectory brought John 89 wickets in 1986 becoming the leading English qualified bowler by some distance that summer. He continued to prove a formidable opponent for batsmen assisting Essex to three Championship titles as his performance with the ball proved so defining on so many occasions and he teamed up with Peter Such to forge one of the most effective spin partnerships in the country.

An orthodox spinner, John's personal achievements were acknowledged in 1987 when he was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year having helped his county carry off another championship title. The following year, he became England's oldest Test debutant for 41 years when, at the age of 36 years and 320 days, he made his international debut against West Indies before winning a second cap that summer. He was named in the party for the winter trip to Indian but the tour was cancelled on political grounds and he was not picked again, although he was named in the England XII at Headingley in 1992.

His career-best return with ball was 8 for 58 and on 6 occasions he took 10 wickets in a match whilst he could also boast of 31 occasions when he took five wickets in an innings for Essex. By the time he finally retired in 1996 well into his forties, this most popular of cricketers had taken 604 wickets in 214 matches for us and he then moved into a coaching role at Chelmsford and is currently Academy Director.

J.A Cutmore

Born in Walthamstow in 1898 Jim played for the County from 1924 until 1936. He was educated at Clark's College and studied accountancy before joining the navy. In 1924, he signed for Essex making his debut against Surrey and soon proved to be a confident and capable batsman. He was awarded his County cap the following year after scoring 95 against Derbyshire and shortly afterwards, he made an unbeaten 134 against Lancashire on his way to passing 1,000 runs for the season.

A most entertaining batsman, he achieved his highest score when recording 238 not out against Gloucestershire at Bristol, 1927, the only double-century of his career and by 1930, he had formed a reliable opening partnership with Dudley Pope. In the final match of that season, Lancashire needed to beat Essex at Blackpool to lift the County Championship and having been set 286 to win, Essex were dismissed for 111 although Cutmore, who was also an accomplished music hall entertainer, proved a tough opponent hitting 77 in 75 minutes on a poor wicket. He was the only batsman to reach double figures in the innings but he was soon celebrating with the victorious title winners when bursting into song.

Cutmore also proved a doughty fighter when Essex hitting an unbeaten 31 when Essex were bowled out for 64 by Yorkshire at Dewsbury in 1933. The following season, he hit 1,876 runs at an average of 40.78 but that was to prove the peak of his cricketing exploits and within two years, his career was over. He had struck 1,000 runs in 1935 including 72 and 59 not out in the County's victory against the South Africans and the following May he took 137 off the Indian tourists at Brentwood combining with Peter Smith (105) in a stand worth 214 for the eighth wicket. But he then lost form alarmingly and within a month, he had been dropped from the side although surprisingly he was not retained at the end of the season.

In the winter months during his playing career, he had often appeared at the Walthamstow Palace and also in pantomime at the Dominion in Tottenham Court Road and he also cut a couple of records. However, rather than become a full-time entertainer when the spotlight had been dimmed on his cricket career, Cutmore spent two years selling newspaper advertising space whilst also playing for Crompton in the Central Lancashire League prior to a coaching and playing role for Forfarshire in Scotland. In 1938, he became a sales representative for Horlicks and stayed with that company for 27 years.

He settled in Brentwood after the Second World War and played for Brentwood, Shenfield and Navestock and was also an active agent in the formative years of the Essex Supporters' Association Pool.

He represented Essex in 342 first-class matches aggregating 15,937 runs @28.61 that included 15 hundreds and died in 1985 following a heart attack at the age of 86.

Tymal Mills selected for England Lions squad

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:26:03 +0000

England selectors today announced a 16-man England Lions squad for the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh beginning in January.

Essex's Tymal Mills has been named in the squad after being part of the England Performance Programme.

Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor will lead the squad during the tour which consists of a five match one day series against Bangladesh A followed by a two match Twenty20 series also against Bangladesh A.

All 16 members of the Lions squad were selected on the England Performance Programme in October and have spent the first part of the winter training at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough and are currently training in India and South Africa.

ECB Performance Director David Parsons said: "We have selected a young squad for this tour which is in line with our strategy of looking ahead to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and identifying and working with players who may be able to go on and play a role for England in the future.

"These players have worked extremely hard over the last couple of months with a strong focus on limited overs cricket. This tour presents a good opportunity for these players to continue to develop their skills in subcontinent conditions on what will no doubt be a challenging tour of Bangladesh as well as push for selection for future England squads."

England Lions squad

James Taylor (Nottinghamshire) (Captain)

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)

Scott Borthwick (Durham)

Danny Briggs (Hampshire)

Jack Brooks (Northants)

Nathan Buck (Leicestershire)

Jos Buttler (Somerset)

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)

Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire)

Tom Maynard (Surrey)

Stuart Meaker (Surrey)

Tymal Mills (Essex)

Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire)*

Joe Root (Yorkshire)

Jason Roy (Surrey)

James Vince (Hampshire)

England Lions will then travel to Sri Lanka following the conclusion of the Bangladesh tour for a one day series against Sri Lanka A. The squad for the Sri Lanka tour will be announced in January.

England Lion fixtures

6 Jan Practice match Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong

8 Jan 1st 50 over match vs Bangladesh A Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong

10 Jan 2nd 50 over match vs Bangladesh A Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong

13 Jan 3rd 50 over match vs Bangladesh A Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong

16 Jan 4th 50 over match vs Bangladesh A Sylhet Divisional Stadium, Sylhet

18 Jan 5th 50 over match vs Bangladesh A Sylhet Divisional Stadium, Sylhet

21 Jan 1st T20 vs Bangladesh A Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

23 Jan 2nd T20 vs Bangladesh A Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

*Boyd Rankin will join the England Lions squad after playing for the ICC Combined Associate and Affiliate XI against England in Dubai on 7-9 January

Proposed cuts to BBC local radio cricket coverage

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:49:51 +0000

Sport is currently covered seven days a week by many of the larger BBC local radio stations - the proposal is to reduce this to four hours on a Saturday afternoon from 2-6pm.

As it stands, domestic ball-by-ball cricket coverage will disappear within 12 months.

• 11 cricket counties have ball-by-ball coverage for all matches - approximately 80 days per year during the cricket season. Coverage is from 11am-6pm for county matches.

• The other 7 counties only have coverage for 'limited over' matches (20-over and 40-over matches) – approximately 34 matches per season.

• The majority of coverage is via the BBC website, but 'limited over' matches are transmitted by the normal FM/MW frequency.

• Essex have thousands of listeners during the season - virtually as many that would attend all matches across the season and certainly more on a daily basis than attend the LV= County Championship. ('Limited over' matches push the attendances ahead overall)

• The cost to the BBC of providing ball-by-ball coverage is approximately £15-20K per county has coverage.

• Taking Essex as an example the audience has a very similar breakdown to that of Test Match Special - expats, students, retired, those working from home and those that can listen in at the office. The advance in mobile technology means the coverage is just starting to reach a new audience as people can listen in their cars etc, via the internet on their mobile phones. There are also a good number of regular e-mailers from around the world that have never seen a cricket match but only found the sport via the BBC sport website commentaries.

• The existing radio/internet coverage of County Cricket will continue in 2012, but is due to end after the 2012 season, next September. Under the current proposals, there will no audio coverage of domestic cricket in the 2013 season and beyond.

Supporters have until the Wednesday 21st December to let the BBC Trust know their views about the proposed cuts.

Full details here: http://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/bbc/localradio/

Membership & Retail Shop Closing Early Today

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:23:55 +0000

The Essex Cricket Retail Shop and Membership Office will be closing at 12pm today.

The Membership Office will be opening from 10am-12pm on Saturday (17th Decmeber).

You can purchase your 70% sale items in the Essex Retail Shop tomorrow from 9am - 5pm at The Ford County Ground.

Essex Boundary Club support James Foster's Benefit Year

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:17:46 +0000

Essex Boundary Club Vice-Presidents Doug Insole and Brian Taylor are pictured handing over a cheque for £4,500 to the Essex captain and 2011 beneficiary James Foster.

This is part of the proceeds raised by the Essex Boundary Club in organising a Dinner in Chelmsford and a lunch in the City.

The presentation was made at the annual Essex Boundary Club Christmas lunch and the special occasion witnessed three Essex captains covering 62 years. Insole led the side from 1950 to 1960 with Brian Taylor skipper from 1967 to 1973 and Foster took over as captain in 2010 to date.

Our picture shows (left to right): Doug Insole, James Foster and Brian Taylor

You can find out more information on the Essex Boundary Club by visiting - http://www.essexcricket.org.uk/membership/boundary-club/

Meteor Way car park 2012 opening times

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:35:34 +0000

You can also view a PDF version below:

The Ford County Ground car park Christmas opening times

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:57:57 +0000

A-Z of Essex Cricketers - B

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:18:38 +0000

We continue to trawl through the alphabet in this feature that recalls players who have given stalwart service to the County.

Trevor Bailey

The death of Trevor Bailey earlier this year was acknowledged by warm tributes from colleagues and opponents all over the world. His deeds at Test level, where he won 61 caps for England, are well-documented but they form only a small part of his sporting prowess.

He played for Walthamstow Avenue when they won the FA Amateur Cup in 1952 and was in the side when they held Manchester United to a draw in the fourth round of the FA Cup. He later became a director of Southend United Football Club.

However, it was his cricketing achievements that will be more readily recalled and for which Essex owe the Cambridge University-educated player a great debt of gratitude. In three successive years from 1960 he achieved the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season and, during a career spanning 23 years from 1946, he scored 21,460 runs, including 22 centuries in 482 matches at county level, and collected 1,593 wickets.

On 91 occasions he took five wickets in an innings and in 1949 he returned figures of 10 for 90 in an innings against Lancashire yet still finished on the losing side. He also performed the hat-trick against Glamorgan at Newport a year later but once more was unable to save his side from defeat.

But while his performances on the field are the stuff of legends, some of his greatest contributions for his beloved Essex stemmed from his efforts off it. Whilst still a player he filled the role of county secretary from 1955 to 1965 and was responsible for borrowing £10,000 from Warwickshire to purchase the county's Chelmsford headquarters.

He was a founder member of Ilford Cricket School and on a trip to Barbados, discovered Keith Boyce who was to become such a favourite with the Essex supporters. Bailey's services to cricket were recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 1994 with the award of the CBE and after his playing career, he carved out a successful career in journalism including being a highly-respected member of the BBC Test Match Special team.

Deep into middle age he could be found playing for Westcliff, where he lived all his life, A fierce competitor on the field of play, he imparted a tremendous generosity of spirit off it.

He lived life to the full, was a devoted family man and his dry wit and fund of stories made him a great companion and a much-sought after-dinner speaker.

Gordon Barker

Born in Leeds in 1931, Gordon Barker played for Essex from 1954 until 1971 embracing 444 matches during which time, the stalwart little right-hander and opening batsman scored 21,895 runs that included 30 centuries.

He was discovered by Doug Insole and Trevor Bailey whilst playing for the Army and made his debut for the county against the Canadians at Clacton in August 1954 where, after being dismissed for 0, he showed true grit, determination and character to score an unbeaten 107 in the second innings.

He was an attractive stroke-player with a particular fondness towards the cut or hook shot. By 1957, he had formed a regular and effective opening partnership with forceful Dickie Dodds when their contrasting styles complemented each other.

An engaging character, Gordon passed 1,000 runs in a season every year from 1954 to 1967 with his most productive campaign in 1960 when he amassed 1741 runs although his highest score came the following year when he took an unbeaten 181 off the Kent attack at Castle Park. During that innings, he scored a hundred before lunch.

Another of his outstanding matches came at Westcliff in 1959 when Essex needed 211 to beat Kent on a wearing pitch. Wisden reported that 'Barker drove splendidly and without fault for three hours 20 minutes, hitting 17 fours and scored 105 out of a total of 193', but Kent still won by 17 runs.

He was quick and alert in the field and was an excellent cover point during a career that saw him claim 236 catches.

Gordon also played professional football making 57 League appearances, scoring 9 goals as a right-winger for Southend United between 1954 and 1959 and after calling time on his playing career, he became sports teacher and cricket coach at Felsted School.

Gordon passed away in 2006 at the age of 74 after a long illness.

Keith Boyce

Keith remains one of the most exciting imports to have played for the county. He was spotted by Trevor Bailey who had been playing in the Caribbean and made such an impression that Bailey persuaded him join Essex that summer. Arriving at the age of 21, Keith spent 12 years with us from 1966 to 1977 before continuous knee problems finally ended his career.

Keith, who was a fine all-round sportsman and had played in goal for Barbados.

epitomised the Essex philosophy of having fun and playing the game with a smile. He was only allowed to play friendlies during a 2-year qualifying period and made a stunning debut taking 9 for 61 against Cambridge University at Brentwood and 4 for 47 in the second innings. Whilst waiting to be unleashed on the county game, he spent his time playing club cricket for Walthamstow.

A dynamic right-handed batsman and hostile right-arm bowler, his maiden championship century came against Hampshire in June 1969 when he batted three hours to hit 147. In 1975, he scored a century in 58 minutes against Leicestershire facing conventional bowling throughout his innings. It was the fastest hundred for 38 years and included 8 sixes and 7 fours. He also returned 12 for 73 in the same match but finished on the losing side!

Amongst a catalogue of notable other achievements was his innings of 98 from 54 balls in the John Player League against Surrey at The Oval in 1971 and later that summer in the competition, he returned 8 for 26 against Lancashire at Old Trafford and also claimed a hat-trick against Somerset at Westcliff. He became the first player to complete the Sunday League "double" of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets.

In 285 first-class matches, he scored 8,800 runs and took 852 wickets plus 2,395 runs and 268 wickets in 164 List 'A' games. He was also a brilliant, athletic fielder and was capped 21 times for West Indies and was named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year in 1974.

He was forced to retire in 1977 – his benefit year - and he returned to Barbados where sadly, on his 53rd birthday, he collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack.

Alastair Cook named BBC East Sports Personality of the Year

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:22:17 +0000

Alastair Cook has been named BBC East Sports Personality of the Year for 2011 at the event which took place at Bedford University on Thursday evening. This was awarded for an outstanding Ashes Series which saw Cook hit 766 runs and help England to victory.

This achievement is another addition to a successful week for Alastair who has also received his MBE and named in the Test squad to face Pakistan.

Cook has also been nominated for the National Sport Personality of the Year Award which takes place later his month.

The other winners on the night included:

Outstanding Achievement: Chrissie Wellington, triathlon (Norfolk)

Sports Personality of the Year: Alastair Cook, cricket (Essex & Beds)

Sporting Legend: Tim Foster, rowing (Beds)

Unsung Hero: Dawn Barnard (Essex)

Disabled SPOTY: Jody Cundy, paralympic cycling (Cambs)

Team of the Year: Red Bull F1 (Bucks)

Coach of the Year: Graham Westley, Stevenage FC manager

Volunteer: Sam Robinson (Cambs)

Club of the Year: Norwich Canoe ClubYoung

SPOTY: Charley Hull, golfer (Northants)

School of the Year: County Upper School, Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk)

Cook & Bopara named in England Test Squad

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:26:25 +0000

Essex's Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara have both been named in England squad to face Pakistan in the UAE, which takes place next month.

The England selectors today announced a 16-man Test squad for the forthcoming series.

Test captain Andrew Strauss will again lead the squad in what will be England's first Test series since being crowned the number one Test team in the world in August earlier this year.

A number of players will be returning to the Test squad from injury including Stuart Broad (shoulder), Eoin Morgan (shoulder) and Chris Tremlett (back) as England faces its first Test tour since retaining the Ashes in Australia last winter.

National selector, Geoff Miller, said: "This is an important series given it is our first Test series since hosting India in August this year and we expect a stern challenge against a Pakistan side that will be accustomed to playing in the UAE.

"We believe we've selected a very strong squad with a number of key players looking to return from injury including the likes of Stuart Broad, Eoin Morgan and Chris Tremlett. All three have missed a significant period of cricket recently but continue to make excellent progress and will be looking forward to having a substantial impact during this series. To have three world-class players of their calibre returning to the squad is an enormous boost for the Test team.

"We've been very pleased with the preparations undertaken by a number of players during what continues to be a lengthy break from international cricket. Several players including Andrew Strauss, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett are attending training camps with the England Performance Programmes in South Africa and India. With a long lead-in period once the squad arrives in Dubai there will be a substantial amount of preparation time to acclimatise and adapt to the conditions.

"This series sees Steven Davies once again deputise as wicketkeeper to Matt Prior while Monty Panesar, who has been playing cricket in Sydney recently, has been selected as the second spin option along with Graeme Swann. Monty's selection comes off the back of a strong domestic season with Sussex and with the potentially spin-friendly conditions of Dubai and Abu Dhabi in mind.

"Ravi Bopara has another opportunity to show his growth as a Test player and we believe he will continue to add depth to our batting stocks for what promises to be a highly competitive series."

England Test squad v Pakistan

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)

James Anderson (Lancashire)

Ian Bell (Warwickshire)

Ravi Bopara (Essex)

Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)

Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)

Alastair Cook (Essex)

Steven Davies (Surrey)

Steven Finn (Middlesex)

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)

Monty Panesar (Sussex)

Kevin Pietersen (Surrey)

Matt Prior (Sussex)

Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)

Chris Tremlett (Surrey)

Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)

Paul Grayson Looks Ahead to 2012 - Listen

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

The fixtures are now released and Head Coach, Paul Grayson speaks to BBC Essex on the cricketing year ahead at Essex. With the visit of Australia to The Ford County Ground along with 5 home Friends Life t20 fixtures, Grayson discusses the new additions to the squad and the changes in format to spell out the squads goals in 2012...

{cms_module module="avplayer" alias="Paul-Grayson-Speak-Out-on-the-Year-Ahead"}

Courtesy of BBC Essex

Essex Fixture Update

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:00:51 +0000

The Friends Life t20 fixture between Essex Eagles and Kent Spitfires at The Ford County Ground which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 19 June will now be played on Wednesday 20 June, 7pm start.

This is due to a fixture clash with England's Group D European Championship 2012 match with hosts Ukraine.

In addition to this amendment, the Friends Life t20 away fixture to be played at The Kia Oval on Friday 15 June has now changed to Wednesday 13 June.

Essex Cricket Commercial Manager, Danny Macklin said, "We understand that during this sporting year, a number of our supporters would like to get behind both the Essex Eagles and England so have changed the date after positive correspondance with both the ECB and Kent County Cricket Club".

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Sign up to the 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter and you will receive ticket priority for all FL t20 matches and the Tourist Match against Australia on Tuesday 26 June.

Alastair Cook receives MBE

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:46:06 +0000

Alastair Cook today received his MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Alastair was given the honour following his outstanding Ashes series last winter.

Cook, who has helped England become the top-ranked Test team, was presented with the honour at a Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony.

"It's been a fantastic couple of years for the England cricket team and for me to be here and get the MBE is an honour - I feel very humble to be given it," he said.

"We've achieved some fantastic things - the aim now is to try and continue that success."

The left-hander followed in the footsteps of Test captain Andrew Strauss and team director Andy Flower, who have both received OBEs for their efforts in guiding England to victory over Australia.

Cook, England's one-day international skipper, added: "We've had fantastic leadership under Andy Flower and Andy Strauss, and we've been outstanding. The aim now is to maintain that.

"Everyone is desperately determined to continue to remain at the top and a lot of hard work is needed and we're going to have to scrap very hard in a lot of games.

"We've got a lot of confidence from what we've achieved but hopefully it's not the end of it."

Cook described his best Ashes moment as the last Australia wicket at Sydney, which secured series victory.

"When Chris Tremlett got the final wicket, all that hard work had paid off, and to have contributed in such an important series meant a lot," he said. "As an Englishman playing against Australians in Australia, it was great to win."

Speaking about his brief chat with the Queen during the presentation, he added: "She knew about the success over the last two years and knew where we were in the rankings, so it's nice to know she follows cricket."

Netherlands Away Venue Announced

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:55:41 +0000

The venue for the Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Netherlands has now been announced with Excelsior Cricket Cricket the location for this overseas away fixture. Excelsior Cricket Club is located near the city of Rotterdam. The match takes places Tuesday 29 May.

Further information on the fixture will be available on www.essexcricket.org.uk in due course.

View a Map & Directions of the Ground

Australia Tourist Match Start Time Announced

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:28:46 +0000

Essex can now confirm that the Tourist Match versus Australia that takes places on Tuesday 26 June at The Ford County Ground will begin at 2pm. The finish time of the match will be 9:45pm.

View the ticket information

Receive a priority period for tickets with 'Jump the Queue' by signing up to the 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter for free.

Graham Gooch to Step Down as Essex Batting Coach

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:10:19 +0000

Essex can announce that Graham Gooch is stepping down as First Team batting coach as of the 2012 season. Graham will now focus fully on his role with the England set-up as a full-time coach, whilst remaining as Club Ambassador for Essex.

Graham said, "I'm sad that I am unable to continue my coaching duties with Essex. I never wanted to relinquish this role at the Club working with Paul but as my England commitments have grown it is now impossible to do justice to both roles. I look forward to supporting Essex Cricket in the future through my work as the Club Ambassador."

Essex Head Coach, Paul Grayson commented, "We want to thank Graham for his services with the coaching side of the team. He has been a massive support to both the playing squad and myself but we understand his England requirements he has."

Matt Walker Appointed Essex Assistant Coach

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:08:00 +0000

Essex are pleased to introduce Matt Walker to the coaching staff where he will become Assistant to Head Coach, Paul Grayson. Matt joined Essex in 2009 from Kent and will continue to be registered as a player for the Club, but will be primarily part of the coaching team.

Matt said, "I am very honoured and flattered to be asked to become Assistant Coach to Paul at Essex. I am very much looking forward to the new role, especially working with an exciting group of players.

Essex Head Coach, Paul Grayson commented, "I am really excited to be working alongside Matt Walker as he has vast knowledge of the game and I know he is looking forward to this next chapter of his career."

Get Coached by the Pros with Tim Phillips Coaching

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:18:31 +0000

Learn to play like the professionals with Essex's Tim Phillips who runs coaching sessions for people of all ages and abilities. Check out www.timphillipscoaching.com today!

2012 Membership & Tickets for CB 40 & LV= CC Now On Sale

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:27:37 +0000

Supporters can now snap up tickets for Clydesdale Bank 40 and LV= County Championship competitions which can be purchased by phone - 01245 254010, in person at The Ford County Ground or online!

Tickets for the Friends Life t20 and Australia fixtures are on sale to the public from Thursday 1st March, 10am but make sure you sign up to 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter for free to receive a month's priority period (can purchase tickets from Wednesday 1st February).

2012 Essex Membership

2012 Essex Membership is now available to purchase and renew in person or online at the click of a button. Click below and you can purchase today or download the 2012 Membership Application Form.

Essex Players Abroad Part 2

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:28:12 +0000

We continue the player update on the winter months ahead. With the new year approaching, many of the players are looking to get some playing time overseas in places such as Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The current winter schedule for the First Team squad

Tymal Mills – Off to South Africa for three weeks with the England Performance Programme.

Ryan ten Doeschate – Is playing for Mashonaland Eagles in Zimbabwe's domestic Twenty20 competition.

Adam Wheater - represented Matabeleland Tuskers in the Zimbabwe Twenty20 competition and is due back in the UK this week prior to linking-up with the England Performance squad. Then he will be off to Sri Lanka in the New Year.

Billy Godleman – Currently practicing in the Indoor nets and will be heading out to Cape Town after Christmas to play some club cricket.

Jaik Mickleburgh - Currently practicing in the Indoor nets before going out to India for a month where he will be working on his batting and may also play some matches.

Tom Craddock – Will be joining Jaik Mickleburgh in India for a month in the New Year where he will be working on his leg spin bowling.

Tom Westley – Spending 5 months of the winter playing and practicing in Cape Town.

Reece Topley – Off to South Africa for three weeks with the England Performance Programme and will then be preparing for the England Under-19 tours to Bangladesh and Australia.

Mark Pettini – Will be departing in January to play in Zimbabwe for two and a half months in their 4-day and 50-overs domestic competitions.

Ben Foakes – Off to South Africa for three weeks with the England Performance Programme and will then be preparing for the England Under-19 tours to Bangladesh and Australia.

Graham Napier – Will be going to in New Zealand for 6 weeks to play in their one-day competition.

James Foster –Off to Australia for a month in January.

Tim Phillips – Hoping to tie up a deal to play in Zimbabwe.

Greg Smith – Playing cricket in Zimbabwe at present and will then be playing some club cricket in Cape Town.

Charl Willoughby – Planning time in South Africa playing some first-class cricket.

Michael Comber – Has been in Perth, Australia for 6 weeks at the Paul Terry Cricket Academy and will continue there over the winter.

Maurice Chambers – Intending to go to Brisbane in January for a couple of months.

David Masters – Spending the winter in the UK working for his father's building firm.

Owais Shah – Playing for Cape Cobras.

Matt Walker – Coaching and practicing at the Indoor Schoolwork.

Alastair Cook & Ravi Bopara - Expected to be involved in England's winter schedules and will be preparing accordingly.

The Cricket Festival is Coming to Chelmsford in 2012

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:55:19 +0000

NEW FOR 2012 – The Chelmsford Cricket Festival – Wed 1st – Sun 5th August

Join us for five days in the height of the sporting summer at The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford.

Rather than just another week of cricket we are making this week extra special... Essex will welcome Leicestershire at the business end of the County Championship season before both teams swap their whites for colours as the Road to Lord's continues! During the week the local community will see plenty on offer from face painters to competitions plus the chance for children to practice their cricketing skills or to pick up bat and ball for the first time. To keep the adults amused we will be hosting a Real Ale Festival in the Pavilion Marquee!

Danny Macklin, Essex Cricket Commercial Manager – "With an additional week of cricket here at Chelmsford during the Olympics, we want to give everyone the chance to watch live sport in their community. Our hugely discounted tickets and family offer will not break the bank – what better way is there to entertain the family during the school holidays?!"

To make the week really sparkle we have some one-off HUGE ticket savings – purchase in advance & enter our competition to meet the First XI Team!

Members – entry included in 2012 Membership
Adults £10 – CB 40 £12 on day
Under 18's £1
Family (2+2) £20
Rover ticket – all 5 days just £25!

*Tickets for the Clydesdale Bank 40 and LV= County Championship are now on sale by phone - 01245 254010, in person at The Ford County Ground or online

With added interest we are putting tickets on sale for all home LV= County Championship & Clydesdale Bank 40 games at 10am on Thursday 1st December

Keep an eye on the website & your 'Over & Out!' e-news over the coming months.

Essex's Tracey Davies to Head Up Cricket Without Boundaries Country Manager Role

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:07:09 +0000

Essex Head of Cricket Development, Tracey Davies will be heading up the CWB Country Manager role for Kenya.

Fresh from returning from a 2 week project in Kenya with CWB, Tracey has agreed to take on the Country Manager. The role will involve helping the CWB projects as well as helping maintaining and developing relationships with both existing and new stakeholders as well as working closely with Cricket Kenya.

"The CWB Kenya trip was an amazing experience for us all with memories that will last a life time. We taught thousands of children and young people HIV/AIDS awareness messages. The fact that we could potentially make a real difference to their lives through these messages through cricket, as well as spending time with them was an amazing feeling.

That's why I can't wait to start working as a Country Manager for CWB. Working in partnership with Cricket Kenya I know we can really help develop the game out there."

As Andy Hobbs, CWB Trustee, said

"Tracey is a great appointment. Not only her experience of developing cricket at Essex, but also her enthusiasm and her energy will be a great addition for us. I have no doubt she will be a huge success as Country Manager for Kenya."

Free invite to the 'Beyond the Boundaries Networking Club'

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Essex Cricket are pleased to announce the launch of the 'Beyond the Boundaries Networking Club' that aims to bring the business decision-makers to the home of Essex Cricket at The Ford County Ground.

The first event takes place on Thursday 26 January at 1pm and is free of charge to all attendees. If you would like to be a part of this free taster session then please contact Deborah Thomas with your name, company and contact details on 01245 254051/07787294978 or by email - deborah.thomas@essexcricket.org.uk.

The special guest on the day will be Essex's world record-breaking batsman, Graham Napier.

You can also view further details and sign up to the session via the website which is www.beyondtheboundaries.co.uk.

The wait is over - 2012 Essex fixtures

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:02:00 +0000

The 2012 Essex Fixtures are here, you'll be redirected to the fixtures page shortly.

2012 Membership Purchase Information

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Supporters will be able to purchase 2012 Essex Membership online in the next few days. Otherwise, please contact the Membership Office on 01245 254010 or in person at The Ford County Ground.

Keep an eye on the website for further information to follow.

Have You Got the Latest Weekly Wallpaper on Your Desktop?

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:54:55 +0000

Have you got the latest Essex Cricket Weekly Wallpaper??? Every week you can have the latest wallpaper on your computer desktop by visiting www.essexcricket.org.uk!

You can have the latest wallpaper on your desktop now which is a must for all Essex Eagles fans!

To get the wallpaper now simply -

via the homepage:

Click on the Weekly Wallpaper tab > Click on the image so a larger version appears > Right-click and choose 'Set as Desktop Background'

You can click on the image below to follow the Eagles in 2012...

ECB First Class Umpire List for 2012

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:24:08 +0000

Martin Saggers has been added to the ECB First Class Full List of Umpires for 2012, following the retirement of John Steele at the end of the 2011 season.

As well as being capped three times for England in 2003 and 2004, Martin played first class cricket for Durham and Kent between 1996 and 2009 and has been umpiring since 2010.

ECB Umpires' Manager, Chris Kelly, said: "We would like to congratulate Martin on his promotion to the Full List which has been the result of some outstanding performances in matches over the last couple of seasons. His commitment and attitude on the Reserve List has been exemplary and his promotion is thoroughly deserved."

In addition three more umpires have been appointed to the ECB Reserve List of Umpires, Ben Debenham from Essex, Paul Pollard formerly of Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire and Mike Burns formerly of Warwickshire and Somerset.

ECB Full List 2012

Rob Bailey, Neil Bainton, Mark Benson, Martin Bodenham, Nick Cook, Nigel Cowley, Jeff Evans, Steve Gale, Steve Garratt, Michael Gough, Ian Gould, Peter Hartley, Richard Illingworth, Trevor Jesty, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Jeremy Lloyds, Neil Mallender, David Millns, Steve O'Shaughnessy, Tim Robinson, Martin Saggers, George Sharp, Peter Willey.

ECB Reserve List 2012

Paul Baldwin, Mike Burns, Ismail Dawood, Ben Debenham, Mark Eggleston, Russell Evans, Graham Lloyd, Paul Pollard, Billy Taylor, Alex Wharf.

Andy Flower Wins Prestigious Coaching Awards

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:23:45 +0000

ECB Chief Executive David Collier today hailed the contribution of Andy Flower after the England Team Director won two prestigious awards at the 2011 UK Coaching Awards.

Flower was named UK Coach of the Year and High-Performance Coach of the Year at an awards ceremony in London last night which was hosted by sports coach UK and attended by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal.

The double award was in recognition of his role in helping England become the number one ranked Test side in the world following a four nil whitewash over India earlier this year and last winter's historic first Ashes success 'Down Under' since 1986-87.

Commenting on Flower's achievement, David Collier said: "Andy has been an outstanding Coach to the England cricket team and I am delighted that his dedication, knowledge and all-round leadership skills have been recognised within the wider sporting world.

"The last twelve months have been momentous ones for the England cricket team and this is in no small part due to Andy's personal drive and determination to bring the best out of his players and ensure that our preparation and performance are second to none."

The world 400 metre hurdles champion Dai Greene's coach, Malcolm Arnold, and Team GB sailing coach, Matt Howard, were also shortlisted for High-Performance award.

Cook Nominated BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:34:30 +0000

Hailing from four nations of the UK and representing six very different sports, the 10 have thrilled audiences around the world in 2011 and each now has a chance of being crowned the 58th BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The winner will be selected by public vote during the live show on Thursday, 22 December from 2000 GMT.

The shortlist (in alphabetical order) is: Mark Cavendish (cycling), Darren Clarke (golf), Alastair Cook (cricket), Luke Donald (golf), Mo Farah (athletics), Dai Greene (athletics), Amir Khan (boxing), Rory McIlroy (golf), Andy Murray (tennis), Andrew Strauss (cricket).

The shortlist of 10 contenders was put together by a panel of sports editors from national and regional newspapers and magazines.

Presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey, the show will broadcast live on BBC One from MediaCityUK, Salford, with some of the biggest names in world sport expected to attend.

Asked about the absence of women amongst the nominees Lineker told The One Show: "Don't blame me, I don't vote! It perhaps has not been as strong a year for women but I'm sure that will change next year with the Olympics with the likes of Jess Ennis and Rebecca Adlington. There are no footballers, there has not been a big tournament this year, and the rugby players have not had a good year."

The public will be able to vote for their BBC Sports Personality of the Year by telephone; details of the numbers to vote on will be given out during the programme.

In addition to the main award of Sports Personality of the Year there will also be awards for: Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, Young Sports Personality of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Helen Rollason Award, Sports Unsung Hero.

Jockey Tony McCoy was the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Find out more about this year's top 10 contenders:

In pictures: Sports Personality top 10

Mark Cavendish

Darren Clarke

Alastair Cook

Luke Donald

Mo Farah

Dai Greene

Amir Khan

Rory McIlroy

Andy Murray

Andrew Strauss

www.bbc.co.uk

2012 Fixtures - Sign up to 'Over & Out!' to receive them first tomorrow!

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:13:19 +0000

The 2012 Fixtures are released tomorrow morning.... Make sure you receive them first by signing up to the 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter and you will receive the fixtures as soon as they are released in the early hours of Tuesday!

You be able to find the match dates for the 2012 season on 'Fixtures Page' which will be updated at 10am.

Easy Cricket Activators Course

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has launched a new form of cricket to encourage more adults to play the game....Which can be played anywhere at any time!

So, if you or your colleagues have never played or lost touch with cricket this is the perfect opportunity to give it a go and get playing!

It doesn’t matter how many is in your team, or the length of time you have, Easy Cricket can be played with any number of players for as long as you wish!

Essex County Cricket Board (ECCB) is running an Easy Cricket Activators Course FREE of charge to those who wish to become a Cricket Activator for their Company/College or University and fellow colleagues. The 1 hour course will give you all the tools needed to start your own cricket sessions whether it’s at lunchtime with 20 individuals or just 6 colleagues on a Friday evening for 30mins.

The course is being held at The Essex Auto Group Graham Gooch Cricket Centre on Thursday 12th January 2012.

Companies – 1200 – 1300
College /University – 1300 - 1400

To book your place please contact Chris Drummond on 01245 254027 or christopher.drummond@essexcricket.org.uk

Once you're registered as a Cricket Activator and have received your Easy Cricket kit, all you'll need to do is submit a monthly record detailing the number of sessions and the number of people that have attended those sessions. In return for your efforts and hard work, ECCB will reward you with a variety gifts.

Graham Napier awarded Benefit Year for 2012

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:32:27 +0000

Essex have awarded Graham Napier a Benefit Year in 2012. The 31-year-old all-rounder has been an integral part of the side over the last decade, helping the team to success through his explosive efforts with the bat and wicket-taking ability.

Graham said, "I am looking forward to the year ahead, with the support of my Committee, and I hope to have some interesting and fun events.

"My year kicks off with a Valentine's Ball at Boreham House on Saturday 11th February. This is followed by a Golf Day on Friday 16th March at Hintlesham Hall, Suffolk.

"I would like to thank the Club and the Members for all the support I've received over the years and for awarding me with this Benefit Year."

Chairman of the Graham Napier Benefit Year 2012, Anthony Bright said, "It is an honour for myself to be given the opportunity of being Graham Napier's Chairman for his Benefit Year. I have known Graham for about 10 years through sponsorship with Essex Cricket, Panacea Services and being Chairman on Ronnie Irani's Benefit Year in 2003.

"I'm looking forward to a good and exciting year with Graham. With the current economic climate it will be difficult but Graham is obviously a popular man on and off the pitch so I'm sure he will make it very successful.

"There are a number of events planned in the year and we hope the people of Essex support Graham as a way of saying thank you for the many years of service and hard work he has given to the Club."

Essex Cricket Chief Executive, David East said, "Graham Napier epitomises what the awarding of a Benefit Year is all about. He has been a fantastic servant for the Club and has achieved a huge amount in the years he has been with us."

"I'm sure I can say on behalf of all the Members and staff of Essex Cricket that it has been great watching Graham over the years develop into an outstanding cricketer for the County. We wish him the very best for his important year ahead."

For more information on the Graham Napier Benefit Year 2012, including the events taking place throughout the year, please visit www.grahamnapier.com.

There are also social media pages you can follow to find out all the latest information about the Benefit Year.

Follow Graham's Benefit Year on Facebook

Follow Graham's Benefit Year on Twitter

70% Sale Is Back at Essex Cricket - Online & In-store for 1 Week Only!

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:14:52 +0000

VOLUNTEER Women & Girls Assistant Required

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:32:05 +0000

VOLUNTEER

Women & Girls Assistant Required

Essex County Cricket Board are looking to recruit a Volunteer Women and Girls Cricket Development Assistant to work alongside the Women and Girls Development Officer, assisting in the development, improvement and sustainability of women and girl’s cricket in the County.

This is an exciting time for Women and Girls Cricket in the County, the Women’s 1st X1 have just been promoted into the top flight of Women’s County Cricket. The County are again due to host an England Women’s match; women and girls clubs are developing throughout the County which means more meaningful competitive cricket needs to be organized for these teams.

Although this is an unpaid volunteer role due to the type of work undertaken the successful applicant will be required to hold a current Full Enhanced C.R.B.

Please apply with your full details and C.V. to Dave Letch on dave.letch@essexcricket.org.uk the closing date for applications is Friday 16th December 2011.

Role Description

ECB Signs Investec in Landmark Sponsorship Deal

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:15:35 +0000

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced that Investec, the international Specialist Bank and Asset Manager, has agreed to become the new title sponsor of Test Match cricket for the next ten years.

The sponsorship, which will run until 2021, is the longest sponsorship agreement secured in ECB's history.

It will begin next summer when England take on the West Indies and South Africa. This will be followed by three home Ashes Test series against Australia in 2013, 2015 and 2019, and major tours by India in 2014 and 2018, Pakistan in 2016 and South Africa in 2017.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: "This is excellent news for all supporters of Test cricket and a further boost for our five-day game following the England team's recent achievement in becoming the world's number one ranked Test side.

"Investec are an established brand with extensive experience in the sports sponsorship field and we are delighted that they have made such a significant, long-term commitment to promoting Test cricket in this country.

"The extent of their investment reflects the fact that our five day game continues to command very significant audiences - both at home where we achieved record attendances for international cricket in 2011 and abroad where the England team is gaining increased exposure in markets such as Asia, South Africa and Australia.

"ECB has an excellent track record in developing and sustaining business partnerships across professional and recreational cricket and we look forward to working closely with everyone at Investec over the coming decade."

As part of the agreement announced today, Investec will receive a comprehensive range of sponsorship and advertising rights which will include ticketing, hospitality and access to England players.

The London and Johannesburg-based firm becomes only the third company ever to sponsor Test Match cricket in this country and succeeds the energy provider npower whose ten-year association with English cricket concluded at the end of the 2011 season.

Raymond van Niekerk, Global Marketing Director of Investec, commented:

"Investec is delighted to announce this landmark ten year sponsorship of Test match cricket in England. The five day game requires intelligence, teamwork, adaptability and a strong competitive spirit; attributes that are closely aligned to Investec's business values.

"We are excited to begin our sponsorship with England as the world number one team in the Test rankings, following their impressive defeat of India in the summer. Investec has an established track record of enhancing the sports events it is associated with and we look forward to working with the ECB over the coming years."

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - Trip Report

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:27:08 +0000

Nine Cricket Without Boundaries (CWB) volunteer coaches have just returned from a two week project in Kenya having coached and developed cricket with key AIDS awareness messages.

The members of the team came from all over the UK and had an age spread of 16-60.

The team in partnership with Cricket Kenya worked with players and coaches in order to improve cricket participation and to use the game as a vehicle to promote familiar HIV/AIDS awareness messages. The team spent their time based in the town of Nakuru and the city of Kisumu.

Amongst the many highlights were coaching in 24 schools and 4 orphanages and teaching over 3,000 children.

A key achievement was coaching more than 120 coaches to achieve an ICC coaching accreditation, ensuring that the coaching of cricket would be sustained in the months ahead.

The team showed great passion, enthusiasm and adaptability by delivering sessions non-stop for 12/14 days. The sheer joy of seeing the game develop in some of the poorest communities and schools as well as their enthusiasm and energy was something the team will never forget.

For more information on the Kenya trip please visit the blog at www.cwbblogs.com/kenya11 and the YouTube channel www.youtubecom/cwbkenya2011

CWB Kenya Country Manager and Head of Cricket Development at Essex County Cricket Club, Tracey Davies had this to say about the trip:

"the CWB Kenya trip was an amazing experience for us all with memories that will last a life time. We taught thousands of children and young people HIV/AIDS awareness messages. The fact that we could potentially make a real difference to their lives through these messages through cricket, as well as spending time with them was an amazing feeling.

Whilst the poverty, slums and orphanages was heart breaking, playing cricket, dancing, singing and chanting with these children was the most heart warming experience I have ever had in my entire life. The people we met in Kenya are truly incredible and an inspiration to us all. I cannot wait to go back again in the near future.

I must also thank Cricket Kenya for their genorisity in both hosting us and in the planning of an excellent itinerary"

ECB to Review Format of Domestic Cricket - Morgan Report

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:49:10 +0000

At its Board meeting held at Lord's on 23 November, the ECB received an interim report from David Morgan concerning the domestic game.

The Board congratulated David Morgan on the extensive consultation which has taken place with in excess of 300 individuals including players, supporters, media, coaches, county chairmen, county chief executives and ECB officials.

The interim report proposes that further work be completed to define proposals in four key areas:

To consider a domestic season from 2014 comprising 14 LV= County Championship, 10 Clydesdale Bank 50 over and 14 Friends Life t20 matches, with the 50 over and t20 competitions to include knockout stages from Quarter Final onwards.

To utilise the reduction in cricket to facilitate appointment to view for t20 cricket on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, and to commence LV=CC matches on Fridays in the early season, on Sundays in mid-season, and Mondays at the end of the season.

To consider an enhanced role for the department responsible for the domestic professional game within ECB to mirror the successful Team England and Cricket Partnerships departments.

That a reduction in Team Salary Payments and strengthening of Performance Related Fee Payments be considered.

The Board endorsed these principles and determined that full recommendations should now be developed for the Board to consider at its January meeting.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier commented:

"The Board was highly impressed with the diligent consultation and findings presented by David Morgan. It is clear from David Morgan's initial work that in order to compliment the Team England goal of mirroring success in the Test and Twenty20 formats at the forthcoming Cricket World Cups, the format of ODI cricket must be introduced within domestic cricket from 2014. To support and strengthen the domestic County game, 14 FL t20 matches should be played, and to provide preparation time for high quality four day cricket, the LV= County Championship should be reduced to 14 matches.

The Board unanimously endorsed the Morgan Review comments to create an appointment to view with consistent start dates in the LV=CC and FL t20 competitions. The Board also welcomed the findings of the work commenced by Gordon Hollins since his appointment as Managing Director of Events and County Business by strengthening the department responsible for the professional domestic game."

David Morgan commented:

"There are divergent opinions concerning the optimum structure to strengthen the domestic game. There was however a consistency of views expressed that the success of the Team England and Cricket Partnerships departments within ECB should be complimented with the strengthening of the department responsible for the domestic professional game.

The volume of domestic cricket has made it impossible to schedule consistent start dates and I believe that spectators, players and administrators alike would welcome the certainty which a predictable programme would provide.

I am convinced that there are no substantive commercial benefits evident from a 40 over format in comparison with the 50 over format which is the standard for international one day cricket. I have therefore concluded that the Board should adopt the 50 over format from 2014.

I am pleased that the Board recognised the value of the extensive consultation which has been central to this review and appreciate the kind comments expressed by the Board on my initial presentation."

Following his appointment earlier in November, Chris Watts reported to the Board on the work being undertaken by the Anti-Corruption, Education and Security (ACCESS) Unit. Chris joined ECB from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and he will work in close co-operation with the ICC ACSU unit.

Commenting on the ACCESS unit report, ECB Chief Executive David Collier said:

"Earlier this year, ECB strengthened its anti-corruption training, education and monitoring unit. The ECB was the first Board to develop and introduce a code and regulations to control activities which threaten the integrity of our sport.

It is clear from the cases which occurred in both international and domestic cricket last year that there is a significant issue which requires increased focus.

I am delighted that Chris Watts has joined ECB from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary following 30 years of experience in the police force at a high level.

A key focus, in partnership with the PCA, will be to increase education and training as well as providing confidential reporting services for any suspicious activity.

ECB has a very good working relationship with regulated bookmakers to assist in identifying unusual betting patterns. The role of the ACCESS group is to receive reports, usually twice per annum, from Chris Watts as the executive responsible for proactive education programmes, current investigations and reports of incidents which require expert investigation.

The ECB Board reiterated its policy of zero tolerance to corruption in sport, welcomed the focus of the UK government, ICC and the EU on this issue, and provided its support for the work being led by Chris Watts."

Essex Cricket Stars Attend the BIG Switch On

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The countdown to Christmas got well and truly underway on the 19th November with thousands attending the Basildon BIG Switch On.

Hosted by Heart Essex DJs Matt Mackay and AJ, the event saw fun and festivities throughout the afternoon with the likes of Josh Dubovie, Kayzar Reloaded, Lee Bennett, Karizma Dance and the cast of the Towngate Pantomime all performing.

Street Entertainment, market stalls and rides and amusements ran throughout the day with the event culminating with Essex Cricket stars Maurice Chambers and Graham Napier joining the Mayor of Basildon, Cllr Mo Larkin and Santa Claus to turn on the switch and light up the town.

Earlier in the day, the Essex County Cricket Board took over the centre of Basildon High Street. The team, led on the day by Patrick Ward, gave demonstrations of Street20 Cricket which we are currently delivering throughout Essex.

Street20 is a 6 a side game using a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape, the ball behaves in the same way as a cricket ball except without the sting, so young people can simply turn up and play without needing pads or any equipment of their own. Street20 is fast and fun, and is rapidly developing in the county. There are over 2000 children and young people taking part in Street20 on a weekly basis in Essex, with a multitude of projects taking place on local housing estates around the county.

Street20 in Essex is supported by the Essex Cricket and Community Trust, sponsored by LifeSkills and Amlin, and also supported by Sport England, The Lord Taverners and Cricket4Change.

If you would like to get involved in Street20 please contact Chris Drummond by email chris.drummond@essexcricket.org.uk or telephone 01245 254027.

Thank you to all those who attended on the day.

Tymal Time at the England Performance Programme

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:20:10 +0000

The winter months have been busy for Essex's Tymal Mills with the cricket continuing into the New Year. Mills was called up to the England Performance Programme in mid-October to join the group of England's up and coming talent including Jon Bairstow and Jos Buttler. Tymal has shared his experiences so far at the Performance Programme with www.essexcricket.org.uk.

Tymal's Time in the Programme:

"The first part the EPP (England Performance Programme) started with a week long training camp at the National Performance Centre at Loughborough University. The week was split into various strength & conditioning, fitness and personal development sessions to get us back into the feeling of training again after a few weeks off... safe to say it was a bit of a shock to the system!

The week 2 was spent getting away from cricket as all the players and staff headed up to north Wales to spend half of the week in the freezing cold water learning white water rescue techniques, which consisted of a variety of tasks and exercised requiring us to work as a team in order to complete.

The second half of the week was spent up in Manchester with the Greater Manchester Fire Department where we were invited to get stuck in with them, learning how to operate the breathing apparatus, how to cut cars open in road traffic accidents and generally learning how the job operates on a day-to-day basis.

After returning to Loughborough the following week, there was more of an emphasis on skills work alongside continuing our strength, fitness and fielding drills. The fast bowlers were still on a rest period from bowling so we got to spend plenty time in the nets learning how to play a few shots!

All in all the first 3 weeks of the EPP have been extremely enjoyable and challenging and I feel in a good place going forwards as myself and the fellow fast bowlers head to Potchefstroom in South Africa for 3 weeks this week whilst the batsman and spinners head to India to further work on our games.

This Evening's Members' Forum Update

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:57:27 +0000

Please note that the November Members' Forum will be taking place this evening (Wednesday 23rd November) in the Pavilion. The bar will be open from 6:30pm with the Forum scheduled to start at 7pm.

The attendees on the night will be:

David East (Chief Executive)

Nigel Hilliard (Chairman)

Keith Brown (Treasurer)

Tony Debenham (Membership Committee Chairman)

John Faragher (Deputy Chairman)

Danny Macklin (Commercial Manager)

Paul Grayson (Essex Head Coach)

Tom Craddock (Essex Professional Squad)

2012 Fixtures News - Receive the Dates First on Tuesday

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:15:06 +0000

The 2012 fixtures are just 1 week from being released on Tuesday 29th November - 7am and you can receive them first by signing up to 'Over & Out!' e-news.

Subscribers will have the full fixture list sent straight to their inbox on Tuesday morning before they are available for public viewing via the website on the same day.

Make sure you don't miss when the Australian's visit The Ford County Ground, the crucial Friends Life t20 clashes and the Festivals at Chelmsford & Colchester.

Be sure to sign up today and you will also receive details on how to enter the latest Essex Cricket competition and Membership news!

Essex Groundsman Commended at 2011 ECB Groundsman of the Year Awards

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:45:18 +0000

Essex's Head Groundsman, Stuart Kerrison, has been highly commeded at the 2011 Ground of the Year Awards in the one-day category.

Andy Fogarty from Headingley Carnegie is the winner of the four-day category with David Measor of Emirates Durham ICG and Steve Birks of Trent Bridge sharing the runner-up prize. In the one-day category, the winner is Steve Birks with the runner-up prize awarded to Andy Fogarty.

Commendations went to Keith Exton (SWALEC Stadium), Mick Hunt (Lord's) and Sean Williams (Bristol) in the four-day pitch category, while Simon Lee (Taunton), Andy Ward (Grace Road) and Stuart Kerrison (Chelmsford) were commended in the one-day category.

Will Relf at Loughborough is the winner for pitches at MCC Universities with John Moden at Fenners runner-up. Ross Spry at Cheltenham was awarded the Outgrounds prize with Terry Glover and Matt Merchant runner-up in respect of their work at Liverpool.

Every pitch is rated at the end of the match by each of the umpires with these ratings used as the basis for making the awards.

Sign Up to 'Over & Out!' & Get the Fixtures First

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:16:07 +0000

The release of the 2012 fixtures are imminent and you can receive them first by signing up to 'Over & Out!' e-news.

Be the first to see the match dates of the 5 action-packed Friends Life t20 fixtures at The Ford County Ground, the clash versus Australia plus when the Chelmsford & Colchester Cricket Festivals will be taking place!

'Over & Out!' e-news subscribers will also have the chance to win a 2012 Membership in the exclusive competition which launches when the fixtures are released. Keep an eye out on how you can enter by subscribing today!

Don't miss that BIG SIX from Napier, STUMPING from Foster or CATCH from Shah by becoming an Essex Member in 2012. The Membership package prices will be released next week on the website so 'Be Part of Our Future' in 2012...

A Cricket Masterclass with Essex's Matt Walker

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:02:40 +0000

'Over & Out!' Experience Feedback Survey

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

England Step Up Preparations for Pakistan Test Series

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:29:28 +0000

England Test captain Andrew Strauss is one of several players stepping up preparations for England's forthcoming Test series against Pakistan by joining England Performance Programme (EPP) camps in South Africa and India throughout December.

No less than seven members of the England Test team will undertake training camps in Potchefstroom and Pune and Mumbai over the first three weeks of December to escalate preparations ahead of England's three-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE in January.

Strauss will join the EPP training camps in Pune and Mumbai along with Test wicketkeeper Matt Prior and batsmen Eoin Morgan, who is returning from a shoulder injury.

After being rested from England's recent One-Day International tour of India James Anderson will join up with the EPP training camp in Potchefstroom along with fellow bowlers Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett - who are returning from shoulder and back injuries respectively - and Graham Onions. The England Development Programme (EDP) will also be training in Potchefstroom during December.

England Performance Director, David Parsons, said: "The England Performance Programme camps will offer the England players the perfect chance to step up their training and preparations ahead of the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan in January.

"These camps will not only see the players working on their cricketing and physical preparations through training but will also involve matches in highly suitable conditions which will provide an invaluable form of practice prior to commencing a Test series in sub-continental conditions.

"The players attending these camps didn't participate in England's recent ODI tour of India or have been sidelined through injury so this is the ideal opportunity to build up their preparations during an important period leading into January and provides the talented young players on both the EPP and EDP programmes a chance to train alongside and learn from some of the very best."

Witham CC Awarded 'Community Club of the Year'

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:28:07 +0000

Essex CCB are delighted to join in congratulating Witham CC who have been named Community Club of the Year at the 2011 Essex Sports Awards . Witham were the National ShowCase Club for Cricket Force . The County & ECB & I believe that the sheer volume of time & effort put in by the club demonstrated that they fully merited the award. The club literally put in hundreds of hours in committee meeting planning the event and in the lead up to the weekend . The image that sums up the effort was when a group of 20+ turned up on a Saturday in February & dug the footings for their new patio despite torrential rain all day. The outcome was a great event that put not only Witham on the map but showed the work & support of the County & endorsed the decision of ECB to show their faith in allowing Witham to be the launch club for 2011.

Witham engaged with the Hockey Club, the local community, schools, U3A, other organisations & council. They worked with their MP & many local companies supported in varied ways. They also worked with the Community Pay Back team & Colchester Institute, Construction college who built a scorebox.

They organised many different fundraising events & managed to get huge donations in kind. The result is a club that is 'buzzing' & now contemplating many other projects. It has also enabled the county to really share with other clubs the success of this venture. Working with the community has enabled the club to get nearly £100k worth of work done for an outlay of about £10k, money raised by the club in various fundraising efforts.

A-Z of Essex Cricketers - A

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:44:40 +0000

In this new feature, we travel alphabetically through the history of Essex Cricket and highlight players who have given stalwart and effective service to the County.

David Laurence Acfield

Born in Chelmsford in 1947, David made his Essex debut against Kent at Westcliff in 1966 whilst a student at Cambridge University. He took 53 wickets that summer which included 25 for the County to establish himself as an integral member of the first team squad.

David was capped in 1970 and showed his value as a one-day player when he took 5 for 14 against Northamptonshire in a John Player League match. He toured East Africa with MCC three years later and then represented MCC against the Champion County , Hampshire, at Lord's in 1974 and MCC against West Indies two years later.

He could count himself as very unfortunate not to win major international honours but he was able to play a significant part in helping the county win a string of trophies. Able to turn the ball sufficiently to unhinge batsmen, he also had the virtues of being able to bowl consistently with command of line and length.

His best year with the ball came in 1981 when he collected 76 first-class wickets at 22.61 whilst he also produced an amazing spell of bowling two years later that led Essex to victory against Somerset at Taunton. Chasing 255 in three and half hours, the home side succumbed to David's guile as the bowler enjoyed a remarkable spell of five wickets for one run in 13 deliveries to finish with 6 for 34 and provide the defining contribution in the 141 runs victory.

By the time he retired from playing in 1986, he had taken 855 first-class wickets at 27.49 in 378 matches for Essex that included 10 wickets in a match on 4 occasions together with 30 instances of 5 wickets or more in an innings.

David was also an Olympic fencer, taking part in the 1968 and 1972 Gamesand also won a gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. During his time as a player, committee man and - from 1993 chairman - Essex won 6 Championships, 3 Sunday League titles and made nine one-day Lord's Finals appearances between 1979 and 1998. He stepped down as chairman in July 2001.

Claude Thesiger Ashton

Born in Calcutta in 1901, Claude was a fine all-round sportsman who made his debut for Essex in 1921 whilst still studying at Cambridge. The following year, he produced one of the best performances of his career when he scored an unbeaten 110 against Middlesex at Leyton and in 1923; he illustrated his talent as a medium-pace bowler when clean bowling six Gloucestershire batsmen amongst figures of 7 for 51.

It was in 1923 that he succeeded his two elder brothers as captain of Cambridge University but their match with Oxford University ended disastrously when they were by an innings and 227 runs, the most overwhelming defeat in the whole series of University matches

His brothers Hubert, Gilbert, and Percy all played first-class cricket and although Claude represented the county over an 18-year period, his appearances were often spasmodic. That was due to his work as a chartered accountant which kept him away from the cricket fields for long periods. At one point in his career, he missed five seasons until returning in 1934 when Essex played Kent at Brentwood where the visitors scored 803 for 4 declared with Bill Ashdown hitting a triple century. Ashton scored 71 in the Essex second innings and later in the week, he recorded his highest first class score making 118 out of 570 against Surrey putting on 287 with Jack O'Connor for the fifth wicket. The fourth hundred of the innings came in 38 minutes in a match that Essex won by an innings and 192 runs. Their stand occupied only two hours and twenty minutes whilst the fourth hundred of the innings came in just 38 minutes.

By the end of the season, Claude had finished top of our batting averages. His final game for the County came at Ilford in 1938 against Lancashire in May when he decided to bring down the curtain on a career that had seen him score 3193 runs in 89 first-class matches for Essex at an average of 23.47 to add to his 97 first-class victims for the county at 30.13.

A fine amateur footballer, he played for Corinthians for whom he played in a number of positions including goalkeeper and centre forward although his preferred position was wing-half.

Claude was killed whilst on active service with the RAF during the Second World War.

Alfred Victor Avery

Born in New Beckton in 1914,

'Sonny' Avery was a solid and consistent right-hand opening batsman whose County career spanned both sides of the Second World War. He made his debut in 1935 and retired in 1954 but between those years; he made 268 first-class appearances for Essex scoring 14,045 runs at an average of 33.60 and struck 25 centuries.

He was initially considered as a slow-left arm bowler and batted at number nine in his first match when playing against Surrey but it was as a batsman that his career developed and he was given few opportunities with the ball. Within four years, was opening the innings and heading the county batting averages. After the war, he forged a useful opening partnership with Dickie Dodds offering a more sedate approach to Dodds' flamboyant style. They posted 270 against Surrey in 1946 which remained a record first wicket county partnership for a number of years.

He enjoyed his best summer in 1948 when he scored 1,890 runs including six centuries with a highest-score of 214 not out at Clacton against Worcestershire and putting on 298 with Dick Horsfall, a record fourth wicket partnership.

'Sonny' scored a century in each innings of the match against Glamorgan at Ebbw Vale in 1949 and he also scored four double centuries with his highest score being achieved against Northamptonshire when he struck 224 during the and posted 294 for the second wicket with Paul Gibb , also a county record at that time. He continued to make significant contributions to the batting and in 1954, he carried his bat through an innings for the third time but then he experienced a loss in form and, hampered by injuries in the second half of the summer, he decided to retire.

He then worked as a coach at the Ilford Indoor School and Forest School before coaching Gloucestershire for two years starting in 1957.'Sonny' was also a fine footballer and played centre-forward for Leyton in the FA Amateur Cup Final in 1936/37.

We will be searching through the alphabet looking at Essex's past players over the winter months. Don't forget you can also find the latest information on the Essex Cricket Facebook and twitter pages.

Charl Willoughby joins Essex

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:13:48 +0000

Essex can announce the signing of South African born left-arm fast-medium pace bowler, Charl Willoughby, on a two year contract.

Willoughby, 36, played for Somerset since 2006 and now joins compatriot Greg Smith at The Ford County Ground as Essex's second signing for the 2012 season. In the 2011 season, Willoughby played 15 matches, taking 47 wickets at an average of 34.65.

Paul Grayson, Head Coach commented, “I’m delighted with the signing of Charl. He is a very experienced bowler and someone we wanted to add to our ranks alongside David Masters and Graham Napier. He is a quality left-arm bowler and we see him also helping Reece Topley and Tymal Mills in their development with his experience and knowledge of the game”.

"He is a big signing for us because when it was announced that he was leaving Somerset there were 4 or 5 other counties who came in to try and sign him. I met him on couple of occasions, talks went well and he wanted to come play for us."

Charl spoke exclusively to www.essexcricket.org.uk, "Essex made a concerted effort to come and meet me. Paul Grayson and myself had a long discussion and we discussed my aims and that of Essex. The plan now is for these to come to fruition".

"I obviously have a lot of experience in the game and Paul Grayson wants a wise old head to help David Masters with the bowling attack. Essex have some promising youngsters coming through the ranks and I can certainly pass on some of my knowledge as a left-armer".

Charl outlined his desire to help Essex succeed and his plans in the build up to the 2012 season, "The Club is hoping to gain promotion to Division I and succeed in one-day cricket; we hope together as a team that we can achieve these goals. I will continue to train during the winter down here in Taunton, we will be moving up to Chelmsford in February at which time I will meet all of my new team mates and prepare for the exciting season ahead".

The 2012 Domestic Fixtures & Essex Membership Packages / Benefits will be announced very soon - keep an eye on www.essexcricket.org.uk and your 'Over & Out!' e-news.

Essex Abroad - First Team Winter Plans

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:35:47 +0000

With the 2011 season now done and dusted, Essex cricketers have already mapped out plans for the next few months ahead of a return to The Ford County Ground in March when pre-season training for the 2012 campaign will commence in earnest.

Here is the winter schedule for the current first team squad:

Maurice Chambers – Maurice is intending to go to Australia at the turn of the year to work with former Australia Test and Essex fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz.

Michael Comber - Michael will be going to Perth, Australia in October to work at the Paul Terry Cricket Academy.

Tom Craddock – Tom is in the UK but anticipating a trip to India in the New Year for a spin coaching programme.

Ryan ten Doeschate – After a busy 2011 campaign, Ryan played in the 2011 Twenty20 Champions League for Kolkata Knight Riders. After the competition, Tendo is taking a holiday before once again returning to the Indian Premier League in the New Year.

Ben Foakes – A heavy winter schedule lies ahead preparing for the England Under-19 tours to South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia.

James Foster - The Essex captain will spend the winter in the UK apart from a few weeks in Australia around Christmas time with his family.

Billy Godleman – After a holiday, Billy will also be going to Perth like Michael Comber in the New Year.

David Masters – After a successful season, David is enjoying a well-deserved rest, England's leading wicket-taker in 2011 will be back working for his father's building firm.

Jaik Mickleburgh -Jaik is hoping to go to Perth, Australia in the New Year

Tymal Mills – Tymal has been picked in the England Development programme where he will be attending the training schedules at Loughborough between time spent back at Essex working with Bowling Coach Chris Silverwood.

Graham Napier – Graham will be playing Twenty20 cricket in New Zealand before returning to the UK .

Mark Pettini – Mark will be going to play in Zimbabwe in the New Year.

Tim Phillips – Tim is hoping to tie up a deal to play in Zimbabwe during the winter.

Owais Shah – Owais is joining up with the Cape Cobras, with whom he represented in the Champions League and is expected to also be joining Ryan ten Doeschate in next year's IPL.

Reece Topley – The Essex youngster faces an extremely busy schedule this winter with the England Under 19's squad being involved in the numerous trips to the sub-continent and Australasia as England prepare for the 2012 ICC U19 World Cup.

Matt Walker – Matt will be staying in the UK organising private coaching work.

Tom Westley - Tom is spending 5 months of the winter playing and practicing in Cape Town.

Adam Wheater - Having been selected for the ECB Performance Squad, his schedule will revolve around their scheduling and training programmes which includes a tour to Sri Lanka.

Alastair Cook & Ravi Bopara - Alastair and Ravi are expected to be involved in England's winter schedules.

November Members' Forum Information

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:50:55 +0000

The November Members' Forum will be taking place on Wednesday 23rd November in the Pavilion. The bar will be open from 6:30pm with the Forum scheduled to start at 7pm.

The specific players, coaching staff and committee members present on the night will be confirmed nearer the date.

Friends Life t20 Focus Group - lets hear your views

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:30:00 +0000

So we can involve Members/supporters in our 2012 planning we are hosting a focus group with a select group of Members/supporters. We would like to hear constructive views on our off-field activities and communications surrounding the 2012 Friends Life t20 campaign.

PLEASE NOTE: This forum will NOT RELATE to cricket matters (November forum takes place on Wednesday 23rd November).

This focus group will take place in the Pavilion from 7pm - 8.30pm on Monday 5th December. If you would like to attend please email danny.macklin@essexcricket.org.uk by 12pm on Monday 28th November.

This is primarily focused on the Friends Life t20 experience. Please specifiy your name, contact details and whether or not you are a Member.

We will select 7 people to be in the Focus Group and will confirm to the attendees by 5pm on Tuesday 29th November. We will serve tea, coffee, cake & biscuits during the focus group.

Lord's Christmas Lunch - one table remaining

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:00:00 +0000

There is only one table remaining for the 2011 Lord's Christmas Lunch which takes place in the Long Room at the 'Home of Cricket' on Wednesday 14th December. Guest speakers include Essex captain, James Foster and former England International, Marcus Trescothick.

The day also includes:

Tour of Lord's
Champagne Reception
Three-course a la carte luncheon in the Long Room
Drink included
Chance to win England Test match tickets plus other prizes

For more information or to book your place in the Long Room, contact Perry Norton 01245 254000 / perry.norton@essexcricket.org.uk or Deborah Thomas 01245 254051 / deborah.thomas@essexcricket.org.uk.

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - final day

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0000

We set off at 7.30am to head to the equator! After another rocky ride on the Kenyan's pot hole roads and witnessing a petrol lorry in the ditch on the side of the road, we made it safely to the Equator where we played cricket and volleyball over the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

We then went to Kisumu Academy to drop off Dan, Brian, Vas and George to deliver coach education to 15 teachers all who gained an ICC level 1 or 2 coaching certificate, whilst the rest of the crew headed to three very different orphanages in Kisumu.

The first orphanage, St Teresa's, was for babies to 6 year olds, 82 children live at the orphanage and 4 of the children tested positive for HIV. It was a great experience to meet the children and play some fun games with them and leave them food and gifts.

We then went on to Agape Children's Home for primary school aged children, they educate the children at the Home, it was shocking to see the dorms and that so many children live in tiny dorms with each other, we spoke to over 30 children in a classroom and left them footballs and cricket equipment, plus food etc.,

We then went on to New Life Orphanage for babies – toddlers, this was the most heart-breaking and touching experience. The orphanages rescue the abandoned babies who have been left on the streets and take them in, there was one baby who was 6 weeks old and she was found on the streets at 1 week old! There were other toddlers who had severe special needs, one was deaf and blind and could not feel! The group were fighting back the tears as we continued playing with the babies and toddlers and giving them as many cuddles as we could!

The Coach Education Course at Kisumu Academy delivered by Dan, Brian, Vas and George went exceptionally well, and we are confident that the teachers will be able to continue the cricket development and ABC HIV/AIDS legacy that CWB has brought to Kenya!

In the afternoon we delivered cricket coaching to over 50 children at Braburn School, the children were very enthusiastic about their cricket, which was great to see!

We then had a lovely lunch on Lake Victoria and spotted a HIPPO swimming in the lake! This was truly amazing! We also saw local Kenyans fishing with

nets in the lake, old hunter style way!

Later back at the Duke of Breeze Hotel there was an almighty thunder storm that sent the electrics up the spout! After a few hours of candles and torches we eventually had our electric back! We have had a very eventful day, one that will never be forgotten! From the Orphanages, to the Hippo, to the Crazy thunder storm! It has been amazing!!

Tracey

David Masters talks about his season of wicket taking

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:27:45 +0000

David Masters reflects on his magnificant personal achievements in the 2011 season where he finished as the highest wicket taker in the country. EssexTV speaks to David exclusively on his success and looks forward to another season in an Essex shirt.

You can now also access further content from EssexTV via the home page and Media Zone.

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - Day 12

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:24:42 +0000

Day 12 - Kisumu Orphanages, Coach Education and Braeburn Kisumu International

We set off at 7.30am to head to the equator!! After another rocky ride on the Kenyan’s pot hole roads and witnessing a petrol lorry in the ditch on the side of the road, we made it safely to the Equator where we played cricket and volleyball over the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

The first orphanage, St Teresa’s, was for babies to 6 year olds, 82 children live at the orphanage and 4 of the children tested positive for HIV. It was a great experience to meet the children and play some fun games with them and leave them food and gifts.

We then went on to Agape Children’s Home for primary school aged children, they educate the children at the Home, it was shocking to see the dorms and that so many children live in tiny dorms with each other, we spoke to over 30 children in a classroom and left them footballs and cricket equipment, plus food etc.,

In the afternoon we delivered cricket coaching to over 50 children at Braburn School, the children were very enthusiastic about their cricket, which was great to see!

We then had a lovely lunch on Lake Victoria and spotted a HIPPO swimming in the lake! This was truly amazing! We also saw local Kenyans fishing with

nets in the lake, old hunter style way!

Tracey

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - Day 11

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:35:55 +0000

Today we set off from The Duke of Breeze Hotel at 9:30 a relatively late start for the team. We headed to Shady Garden Academy, to coach 26 senior students and around 90 primary students. Showing again how adaptable we are we managed to maintain enthusiasm and motivation in the circuit sessions where the maximum number of kids in a group was 6. Even though the name ‘shady’ garden suggested a cool covered playing area it was anything but. The heat beating down on us at around 30 degrees it was very tough to keep energy levels high.

Only 20 minutes into the first hour session the school sent out all the primary kids who instantly jumped into each sessions. This was unexpected as we where anticipating them to come once the senior session had finished. So once again our amazing team of coaches instantly modified the stations into a fifth group where Princess Tracey and Redeye Rob set up a singing and dancing activity. This went from the Official CWB Kenya 2011 chant to songs such as ‘Hokey Cokey’ and ‘Time Warp’

We then started the Primary session where the 90 kids rotated round the circuit, engaging in activities such as running between the wickets, distraction catching, hit the stumps, target bowling and batting gauntlet. The batting gauntlet being where the kids are lined up with a bat, ball and tee and all hit the ball whilst the coached run in front of them trying not to get hit! Extremely good fun, except when you have about 10 little Sachin’s who middle everything right at you! Expecting this activity to be the most injury prone for coaches it was actually Dan on the Hit the Stumps who sustained an injury. A ball pinged in at the yellow plastic stumps and hit the base and rebounded right into Dan’s you know what! But he trooped on even though he looked at me on the station next to him with a green look on his face. Loads of HIV messages where incorporated into the sessions as usual and the use of orange balls and blue bat grips to represent the virus were extremely effective and a great visual aid to portray our message.

We then headed into town for a little bit of souvenir shopping at dinner. Derek a Sports Teacher from a school in Kisumu who joined us again today after enjoying the first day with us, sent the iceman to what the told us a Souvenir Shop. Expecting an actual corner shop or mall store we arrived in a back street full of around 30 straw shelters whose owners eyes lit up with dollar signs as soon as we rolled up. But luckily all the huts had some impressive items on sale. We turned our apprentice heads on and bartered all asking prices down to a minimum acceptable price. The loser of the task was Redeye Rob who purchased a small black elephant model, which when we arrived back at the hotel, its trunk had fell off! After a bit of retail therapy we headed for lunch at a more convenient and cleaner place than yesterday. Scott and me risked another plain pizza hoping it would come with just tomato and cheese unlike yesterdays onion, chicken, pepper and dog hairs! Luckily we were safe and dinner was ate.

We then travelled in the blue mean machine to Jalaram School to set up our circuit for 60 kids and 2 games run by EEEEEEEEE – AAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN (Ian) and Princess Tracey to accompany 23 boys and 30 girls respectively. Another great afternoon session with another bunch of great kids. This school weren’t really aware of the ABC method but by the end of our session we had them rhyming off Abstain, Be Faithful and Be Careful like poetry. The schools are all amazing and unbelievably the kids match them. Seeing all the smiles on their faces is one of the biggest rewards any of the team could have!

After the session had finished we headed back to the hotel to freshen up before Me, Redeye Rob, Desperate Dan, Resident Scott, Aussie Ian, Major Brian, George and Vassanova headed to Aga Khan sports club. We where met by Derek, now christened Delboy, and his Table Tennis coach. With Derek being the Kenyan Number 2 table tennis player and winning the Kenyan Open in 2008 we knew we had a stern test. And a stern test it was. Great fun all around and with myself playing Delboy on a ‘next point win’ basis I came out victorious in the last game of the night. Pulling out the classic Freddie Flintoff celebration I was down on one knee and arms aloft, with some pretty strange glares from the Badminton players and Aerobic workout athletes.

Another outstanding day with inspiring schools and inspiring people.

Cheers
CF

Reece Topley wins NBC Denis Compton Award for Essex

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:03:51 +0000

Reece Topley has been named as the winner of Essex's NBC Denis Compton Award for the 2011 season. Topley, 17, was awarded the acolade during the event at the awards dinner in the Long Room, Lord's on Monday evening. The previous winners of Essex's award are Tom Westley (2008-10), Ravi Bopara (2007) and Alastair Cook (2003-2006).

The award is given to the 'Most Promising Young Player' annually from each of the 18 First Class counties.

2011 County Awards

Derbyshire - Ross Whiteley
Durham - Ben Stokes
Essex - Reece Topley
Glamorgan - James Harris
Gloucestershire - David Payne
Hampshire - Danny Briggs
Kent - Mat Coles
Lancashire - Simon Kerrigan
Leicestershire - Nathan Buck
Middlesex - John Simpson
Northamptonshire - Alex Wakeley
Nottinghamshire - Alex Hales
Somerset - Joss Buttler
Surrey - Tom Maynard
Sussex - Luke Wells
Warwickshire - Chris Woakes
Worcestershire - Alex Kervezee
Yorkshire - Jonny Bairstow

Win an iPad 2 with Essex Auto Group!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Essex Members and supporters can enter the latest competition to win an Apple iPad 2 courtesy of our sponsors, Essex Auto Group. Simply follow the link below to enter the prize draw and you could get your hands on the latest must-have item!

Enter the Prize Draw

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - day 4

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:02:55 +0000

Essex Cricket's Tracey Davies is currently on a life changing trip in Kenya with the 'Cricket Without Boundaries' charity.

Tracey, along with eight other volunteers from around the UK will be delivering AIDS awareness and prevention messages through the use of Cricket to hundreds of children in Kenya, as well as training up teachers and adult volunteers in Cricket so that they can continue the legacy. The team will be leaving equipment, kit and clothing for the Kenya communities to carry on enjoying after their departure.

To sponsor Tracey and donate to this very worthy cause please visit www.justgiving.com/traceyd

Tracey's Blog - Day 4 - Kisulisuli and Langa Langa

'We arrived at Kisulisuli Primary School, a poverty stricken school in Nakuru, Kenya. We delivered various coaching sessions as well as dancing and singing. We also had some great talks with the children about HIV/AIDS, asking them if they know how they catch it, and telling them about how they can get tested and treated, and reinforcing the ABC (abstinence, be faithful to your partner and condom use) message.

The children had not played much cricket before so it was a real treat for them to have coaches come out and show them some new skills and have heaps of fun with them. We coached over 100 children in one morning!

We then went on to Langa Langa secondary school, where we had over 100 children, we had some great ABC AIDS awareness messages put into various cricket drills and skills like protecting your stumps, and that you only have one chance not to be out... and so much more. The children were really getting to grips with the ABC's which are potentially life saving for them. It is amazing how much impact the work is having in such a short time with each group of children.

All the CWB volunteers are doing a fantastic job, and it is amazing how energised we feel to keep going and work hard to give as much as we can to as many as we can out here. Cricket is a universal language and it is making a significant difference to so many lives in Kenya'

For more information on the 'Cricket Without Boundaries' programme visit - www.cricketwithoutboundaries.com

Captain Cookie reflects on the matches in India

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:00:02 +0100

England's ODI captain, Alastair Cook reflects with ecb.co.uk on the latest ODI Series defeats to India. England now face India in a Twenty20 match in Kolkata on Saturday.

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - day 3

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:57:33 +0100

Essex Cricket's Tracey Davies is currently on a life changing trip in Kenya with the 'Cricket Without Boundaries' charity.

Tracey, along with 8 other volunteers from around the UK will be delivering AIDS awareness and preventation messages through the use of Cricket to hundreds of children in Kenya, as well as training up teachers and adult volunteers in Cricket so that can continue the legacy. The team will be leaving equipment, kit and clothing for the Kenya communities to carry on enjoying after their departure.

To sponsor Tracey and donate to this very worthy cause please visit www.justgiving.com/traceyd

Tracey's Blog - Day 3 - Crater Day School and East More Girls School

Our first experience of coaching cricket in schools in Nakuru! We went to our first primary school where over 1000 children came running out on the playground aka dusty area. We coached 6 sets of 100 children every half hour with the rest of the school watching and cheering there school mates and us along. It was an incredible experience, the children are fascinated by us and stroke our skin, pull your hair, love high 5′s and hand shakes. We got in to the various stations of batting, bowling, catching, and dancing/chanting – the children love to sing and dance and this went down a real treat. The children are so poor, with torn clothes and some no shoes! But there smiles are something you cannot describe, there smiles light the whole place up! We delivered some great HIV/aids awareness messages to the children who took them on with surprise distinction.

In the afternoon we moved on to an all girls secondary school! They were absolutely full of joy and excitement for us, they were fantastic at cricket and we were able to deliver some excellent coaching sessions for them with the HIV/AIDS awareness messages being the key part. At the end we had all the girls singing and dancing, and chanting, they love to sing and dance and they loved hearing from us what England was like. It was an amazing experience, the joy is infectious! Memories that will last a lifetime of how much enjoyment we had this day and how much we were able to share messages of HIV/aids awareness to these girls, and show them how talented they were in cricket and in whatever they choose to love!

For more information on the 'Cricket Without Boundaries' programme visit - www.cricketwithoutboundaries.com

Cricket Without Boundaries Kenya Diary - days 1 & 2

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:42:26 +0100

Essex Cricket's Tracey Davies is currently on a life changing trip in Kenya with the 'Cricket Without Boundaries' charity.

To sponsor Tracey and donate to this very worthy cause please visit www.justgiving.com/traceyd

Tracey's Blog - Day 1:

Bright and Humid as the 8 volunteers (no Ian) enter Kenya for the first time, except Vas! Directed to the Taxi bay we waited for our transport unaware of what to expect. We were hoping for something of a relative size just to fit our kitbags in! With numerous tiny minibuses and vehicles passing the nerves where settling in. But luckily in pulled the blue mean machine, which was perfect size for both kit and ourselves. Simon our driver may have struggled to look out his rear window but seeing the driving in our first 10 minutes in Nairobi we didn’t think that was a problem!

Soon we where joined by the Man Utd of East African Cricket, top of the league in their respective championship. The bus had now doubled in capacity not only in people but also in kit! The roof was now in use! All aboard the bus we set off towards Nakuru and The Rift Valley Sports Club, arriving some 5 hours later, due to Vas (the ex local) directing our driver to take a ‘scenic’ route!

Pleased with the accommodation and facilities we un packed and settled down in the clubhouse to watch a very quick Twenty20 game between a team from Nakuru and Nairobi.

Sore bums from bumpy roads and long haul journeys, we deserve a good night sleep.

Day 2:

As the team woke into another hot stuffy day we set our sights to visit a local orphanage. We all boarded the mean machine and arrived at the SCANN Orphanage in Nakuru. This being our first experience of the slums in Africa both shock and excitement kicked in.

We set about doing some coaching for the morning and performed a 4 station circuit with drills for batting, bowling, throwing and catching. Engaging around 75 young orphans we brought them together to play a massive game of 'Heptaganol' Cricket.

After the session we gave out CWB 'Bowling AIDS out of Kenya' t shirts and CWB Wristbands to the participants.

For our first day coaching it was certainly and amazing experience and an eye opener to the world that we live in and the fortune we have.

Off to go watch a 50 over game at the Rift Valley Sorts Club... Could this one last for more than an hour though????

For more information on the 'Cricket Without Boundaries' programme visit - www.cricketwithoutboundaries.com

Osbourne & Wright released by Essex

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0100

Essex can announce that Max Osborne and Chris Wright have been released by the Club.

Osborne, 20, made his way through the Essex academy making two first class appearances for the Club in 2010 against the Bangladeshi’s and Durham in the LV= County Championship. Osborne became a consistent member of the Essex 2nd XI squad making his last appearance v Sussex in June 2011. The right-arm medium-fast bowler took six First Class wickets with an economy rate of 4.19.

Chris Wright played four years for the Club playing 41 First Class matches for Essex, taking 112 wickets. Wright, 26, made his Essex Championship debut v Northamptonshire in April 2009 and has played 36 First Class matches, taking 112 wickets.

Essex Head Coach Paul Grayson said, “I would like to thank both players for their services to the Club. Max was given the opportunity and he did well in the second team but one or two of the younger players have moved ahead of him in the squad. Sometimes you have to just move on and make a decision on a player.

“Chris didn’t play as much as much as he would of wanted last year and we wish him all the best with his future at Warwickshire. He has always worked hard for the team and he is a good professional to work with.”

“Everyone at the Club wishes both players the best success in the future”

Alastair Cook speaks after the latest ODI match against India

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0100

England's ODI captain, Alastair Cook speaks to ecb.co.uk after the recent defeat to India on Sunday in Mumbai.

Australia coming to The Ford County Ground - latest ticket news

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:25:15 +0100

Essex Cricket are pleased to announce that the Club will be hosting Australia at The Ford County Ground on Tuesday 26th June 2012 in a 50 over day-night match.

The game against the world’s number one ODI side comes on the eve of the first of five NatWest ODI's versus England.

When can Members claim their FREE ticket?

There has never been a better time to become a Member of Essex Cricket with the arrival of Australia at The Ford County Ground. Upon joining or renewing Membership in 2012, Members will receive a voucher which will be included in their Membership pack that they can exchange FREE of charge for a match ticket.

How much will a ticket cost for non-Members?

General sale public tickets will be available priced at £30, under 18’s £15 (why not become a Junior Eagle for £12 to receive your FREE ticket!). 2012 Friends Life t20 Season Ticket Holders can purchase a discounted ticket - £25 for adults, £12 for juniors (same price as becoming a 2012 Junior Eagle!)

When can I secure my tickets?

We will soon be announcing details of our ticket packages for the 2012 season. To ensure you are among the first to receive details simply sign up for FREE to the popular 'Over & Out!' e-newsletters. > Sign Me Up >

Before tickets go on public sale (subject to availability) subscribers to the 'Over & Out!' e-newsletters will receive priority - another reward from Essex Cricket.

Can I reserve my seat for the Australia match?

Members and supporters can reserve a seat for the match at the price of an additional £7.

The Members areas for the match include a section of the Tom Pearce lower and upper tiers. Confirmation of the blocks will be communicated soon via www.essexcricket.org.uk. Within the Tom Pearce Upper and Lower stands there will be a combination of reserved and unreserved Members seating available. All unreserved seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

Exclusive Members areas will also be the Tiptree Stand & Pavilion area.

Demand for reserved seating will be very high so secure your seat for the big match so you don’t miss out!

When can I secure my Hospitality place?

There will be significant interest in our popular hospitality packages for the match so don’t miss out on the opportunity to dine your guests in style. Details will soon be announced - keep an eye on www.essexcricket.org.uk for details.

Why not sign up to our business e-newsletter, 'Beyond the Boundary' and you will receive the breaking news from the Club? > Sign Me Up

When will the start time be?

As soon as the timings are known we will update all Members & supporters.

The Club is gearing up for the visit of Australia and the playing staff share the excitement with all our Members and supporters.

Essex Head Coach Paul Grayson said, “It is really exciting news for everyone at the Club as we get to come up against one of, if not the best, One Day sides in the World.

“We have shown we can perform well in the 40-over format of the game and we will certainly be putting out a very strong side against them.

“It will be great for the Members and supporters to have Australia at Chelmsford and well done for the people behind the scenes in making this possible.

“Obviously Alastair Cook performed exceptionally well against Australia in 2005 by getting his double century and this was a pivotal stage in his career. Both Alastair and Ravi showed in this match that they could score runs against the best and it proved a big turning point for both of their careers. This shows to our current group of young players that they can go out and perform and express their talent.”

Danny Macklin, Essex Cricket Commercial Manager, "We are obviously delighted to be hosting Australia at The Ford County Ground in the height of the sporting summer of 2012. We are obviously expecting the interest to be huge from Members, supporters and from businesses across the region. This will be an ideal opportunity for the Essex First XI to test themselves against some of the greatest players in the game."

photos - Getty Images

This is just one of the stories in this week's 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter - sign up today to receive this and the other latest news in and around the Club! Subscribers also have 2012 FL t20 ticket priority - Join Now to Receive Your Essex News

Tim Phillips extends contract at Essex

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:24:36 +0100

Essex’s slow left-arm bowler, Tim Phillips, has signed a one-year extension to his contract that will keep him at The Ford County Ground until the 2012 season. Phillips, 30, has been a key player in Essex’s one-day campaign taking 26 and 17 wickets in the 2011 Friends Life t20 and Clydesdale Bank 40 competitions respectively.

Phillips said, “I’m very excited to have signed the new contract with Essex. Next season is going to be a big year for Essex and I want to be part of it. We had an indifferent season in 2011 but hopefully we can show the Essex crowd what we are capable of and perform to our ability.

“Personally, I had strong campaign in one-day cricket especially in the Twenty20. I will take this into 2012 to help the team improve the consistency and I’m sure we can go further in all formats of the game to improve how we did this season.”

Essex Head Coach Paul Grayson said, “Tim has had a very successful one day season and he now needs to push on with his four day cricket.

“He made a massive contribution to the one day squad which was very good to see and we are delighted he has signed a further one-year extension to his contract”

Gooch & Napier attend Ford of Britain's 'Kick It Out' campaign

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:23:56 +0100

Sports stars and celebrities played a lead role in Ford of Britain's sixth consecutive 'Kick It Out', a week-long initiative focusing on tackling racism in the community.

Around 100 young people from East London schools joined celebrity guests at the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) at Ford Dagenham for a variety of sports activities and workshops.

Graham Gooch, coach of Essex County Cricket Club and the England Test team, and Graham Napier from Essex County Cricket Club were joined by actor and film producer Winston Ellis (Pirates of the Caribbean, Rise of the Foot Soldier) and Oscar-winning writer and producer Mark Straker. Paul Elliot, ex-Chelsea and England football star also attended as well as ex-England and Watford legend, Luther Blissett.

Mitra Janes, diversity and inclusion manager, Ford of Britain, said: "We are delighted to continue our support for Kick It Out. Football is diverse and inclusive and is a great platform for our involvement. Kick It Out's 'One Game, One Community' week of action uses football as a way of promoting social inclusion and encouraging young people to value diversity. Ford’s relationship with Kick It Out is going from strength to strength, providing good support to neighbouring schools during Kick It Out's week of action.”

Lord Herman Ouseley, Kick It Out chairman, said: "Ford has once again put on a fantastically engaging event. We are very proud to be working with Ford, and partners in the Dagenham area, on an initiative that will have a lasting impact on young people. Ford is to be congratulated for an enlightened approach to issues that impact on its local communities."

There were opportunities throughout the day to win various prizes with the most sought after being the chance for 11 students to be ‘centre circle bearers’ of the UEFA Champions League starball banner at the Arsenal-Olympique de Marseille game on November 23rd – a prize which was won by Redden Court School.

England Women claim a crushing 96-run victory over South Africa

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:23:20 +0100

Captain Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor set a record partnership for the second wicket as England women claimed a crushing 96-run victory over South Africa in the second one day international of the series in Potchefstroom today.

Charlotte Edwards and Danielle Wyatt got England off to a solid start after South Africa won the toss and inserted the visitors. Wyatt had reached 37 - her highest one-day score - before she was bowled by Shabnim Ismail in the 20th over.

Edwards continued to control the game, registering her fifth one-day international century as she and Sarah Taylor (77) put on 159 for the second wicket - a new record.

Their stand was finally broken when Taylor was caught at square leg in the 41st over. Two overs later, after a superb innings that included 22 boundaries, Edwards (138) was caught at short fine leg, leaving England on a commanding 263 for three.

With seven overs remaining and seven wickets in hand England continued to push for runs but lost the wickets of Arran Brindle, Lydia Greenway and Jenny Gunn in the process.

Heather Knight and Laura Marsh batted out the overs for England who finished on 315 for six.

England took momentum into the field where Marsh claimed the first wicket to disrupt the South African attack.

Halfway through the 16th over the dangerous Trisha Chetty was caught behind by Taylor off the bowling of Danielle Hazell, leaving South Africa on 84 for two.

As South Africa attempted to rebuild England piled on the pressure and a good spell from Brindle and Knight saw the wickets begin to tumble as the hosts were reduced to 147 for six.

The South Africa tail had an impossible task and crumbled under the pressure with England's spinners wrapping up the win. South Africa were bowled out for 219 with 15 balls remaining.

England women claimed a 96-run victory and are 2-0 up in the three match series.

Charlotte Edwards said: “It was a good all round team performance today. I’m really pleased how we’ve come back with our bowling and our fielding performance.

“It’s always nice to clinch a series and to contribute to that is fantastic. I was really pleased with how I played today, I wanted to get a big score out here.

“Sarah and I have batted a lot together - she’s world class.”

England women play the third ODI against South Africa on Tuesday 25th October.

Match schedule

England Women v South Africa Women

All matches at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom

Tue 25th October 3rd ODI

Thu 27th October 1st T20

Sat 29th October 2nd T20

Sun 30th October 3rd T20

Tymal Mills drafted in to the England Performance Programme

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:22:38 +0100

Essex's Tymal Mills has been brought into the 2011-12 England Performance Programme squad in replacement of the injured Ajmal Shahzad. Mills was previously chosen for the group of potential England Performance Programme Players but now get his chance in the 17-man squad, which includes the likes of Notts' Alex Hales, Yorkshire's Jon Bairstow and Somerset's Jos Buttler.

Tymal Mills said, “I got a call the other day from Paul Grayson informing me that because Ajmal Shahzad needs surgery at the end of this month, I fly to South Africa for a training camp with the other bowlers at the end of November.

He added, “I was in the Essex Academy at the start of the year and really my target was to win a permanent place in the second team and improve my performances to a consistent level.

“But I started off well in pre-season and went with the first team on their pre-season trip to Barbados and did okay. Paul Grayson and Chris Silverwood, who has been a massive influence, kept telling me that if I continually bowled well in the second team then my chance would come for the senior side. I played in the tour match against Sri Lanka and then got a few more first team games later in the season, so it’s been a really exciting year.”

Tymal Mills speaks with www.thecricketer.com on his rise for both Essex and England.

Essex Cricket extend partnership with LifeSkills

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:21:59 +0100

Essex Cricket are delighted to announce we have extended our Partnership with national training provider LifeSkills. The extension will now see LifeSkills open a new facility at the Ford County Ground from the end of this month. It is great news for local businesses as it now offers you the chance to initiate an apprentice programme with a company on your doorstep.

Please see below and attached for full details on the apprenticeship programmes and how to find out more about potentially employing one.

Following on from the great success of our initial apprenticeship programmes in Basildon, Braintree, Clacton, Rotherham and Sheffield, we have now opened our new Chelmsford Cricket Ground training facility.

After a tough first round of interviews and a gruelling week at boot camp, I am very pleased to say we have recruited some really talented young, local people who are just aching to make it big, and star as your next apprentice. We have many more who we are currently interviewing too.

We cater for the 16 – 18 year olds of Chelmsford and surrounding areas, and we are now looking for employers who are in a position to offer a dynamic individual the opportunity to work for them as they are studying for their Apprenticeships in Business Administration and Customer Service.

They will work for employers for 4 days a week for 6-9 months. All we need from employers is you need to employ them for a minimum of 30 hours and pay them a minimum of £2.60 per hour.

The 5th day is spent at our training centre in the Cricket Grounds state of the art training rooms. The 5th day can be included in the 30 hours.

Why Would You Want To Employ an Apprentice?

Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications your organisation needs now and in the future. The mixture of on and off job learning ensures they learn the skills that work best for your business.
Over 130,000 workplace offer apprentice places because they understand the benefits that apprentices bring to their business – increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed and competent work-force.

Improve your bottom line

Apprenticeships deliver real returns to your bottom line, with Apprenticeships helping them to improve productivity and to be more competitive. Training apprentices can also be more cost effective than hiring skilled staff, leading to lower overall training and recruitment costs.

Fill your skills gaps

Apprenticeships deliver skills designed around your business needs providing the skilled workers you need for the future. They also help you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector.

Motivate your workforce

Apprentices tend to be eager, motivated, flexible and loyal to the company that invested in them. Remember, an apprentice is with you because they want to be – they have made an active choice to learn on the job and a commitment to a specific career

If you feel you are able to offer a learner the opportunity to work with your company, or if you would like to know more about the programme please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We offer a unique free trial to ensure the apprentice you decide to recruit is right for your business. We will meet with you to ascertain your needs and ensure we select the right candidate for your business.

We also offer in house training which is provided at no cost to your business, please feel free to get in touch, should you like your current staff force to receive a qualification in your chosen area, e.g. customer service / retail/ business admin/team leadership / telesales, etc.

I am more than happy to meet you and spend time with you to discuss how an apprentice could enhance your workforce. See below on the flyer for more information.

Essex triumphant at the 2011 Business of Cricket Awards

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:20:12 +0100

ECB today announced the winners of the ECB’s annual Business of Cricket Awards (BOCA) which were held at The Cumberland Hotel in London last night.

The awards, which are designed to celebrate Marketing and PR excellence across domestic and international cricket, were attended by representatives of all 18 First Class Counties and MCC together with guests from the wider sports industry.

The biggest winners of the night were Nottinghamshire who collected three awards including The Commercial PR/Team of the Year award which is sponsored by Jaguar –the official car supplier to the England Cricket Team.

In making this award, the judges cited the strength of the club’s overall submissions but also the excellent feedback received from key stakeholders and business partners who had worked with the club over the previous 12 months.

Warwickshire and Essex each collected awards in two separate categories with Derbyshire, Hampshire, Kent and Worcestershire also collecting individual awards.

ECB’s Director of Marketing and Communications Steve Elworthy said: “This has been a tremendous year for cricket in England and Wales on the field and last night’s awards demonstrated that the off-field promotion and marketing of our game continues to set new standards of excellence.

“Our judges were rightly impressed by the breadth and quality of the entries in a variety of different categories and picking winners was no easy task. We congratulate those who did win but also send thanks to the judging panel, headed by the Chairman of Synergy, Karen Earl, and to all the entrants for their hard work and creativity over the past 12 months.”

Essex were shortlisted for six awards on the night and were triumphant in winning two awards, Best New/Lapsed Fan Campaign and Best Friends Life t20 Activation. Essex were also highly commended by the panel of judges for the Best Community Award.

Danny Macklin, Essex's Commercial Manager expressed on the awards, "Everyone is naturally delighted at being awarded these two business of cricket awards and to also be highly commended for our extensive community programme. This Mark of success is testament to the continuous hard work by everyone at Essex cricket. This year we have strived to further raise our standards whilst improving the experience of visiting The Ford County Ground."

ECB Business of Cricket Awards –

Best New/Lapsed Fan Campaign –Essex

Best Improvement in Customer Database and Relationship Building – Hampshire

Best Use of Digital Media - Warwickshire

Best Friends Life t20 Activation – Essex

Best Membership Campaign - Worcestershire

Best Integrated Campaign (International) - Warwickshire

Best Integrated Campaign (Domestic) - Derbyshire

Best Community Programme - Nottinghamshire

Best In Ground Event Package - Kent

Best PR/Media Management For a First Class County team - Nottinghamshire

The Commercial PR/Team of the Year – Nottinghamshire

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Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:19:05 +0100

Ravi Bopara awarded 12 month incremental contract with England

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:17:24 +0100

ECB today announced that three players have been awarded 12-month England increment contracts for the period from October 1 2011- September 30 2012.

England Increment Contracts 2011/12:

Ravi Bopara (Essex)

Jade Dernbach (Surrey)

Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)

National Selector, Geoff Miller, said: “I am delighted that Ravi Bopara, Jade Dernbach and Craig Kieswetter have been awarded increment contacts. This is in recognition of the important role they have played in the England side in recent months and their potential to develop still further as cricketers over the next 12 month period.”

Ryan ten Doeschate speaks to EssexTV to reflect on his 2011 at Essex

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:13:36 +0100

Ryan ten Doeschate reflects on the 2011 season at Essex in an exclusive interview with EssexTV before the Dutchman set off for India to play in the Twenty20 Champions League for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Tymal Mills & Adam Wheater selected for potential England Performance Programme

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:06:55 +0100

ECB today announced details of the 2011/12 England Performance Programme which sees two squads of players identified as having the potential to play key roles for England going forward undertaking training blocks in Loughborough, India, South Africa and Sri Lanka during the winter months.

17 players have been selected on the England Performance Programme (EPP) which consists of a three week training programme at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough in November followed by a training camp in India for batsmen, spin bowlers and wicketkeepers and a training camp in Pochefstroom, South Africa for the fast bowlers.

Players selected for England’s tour of India will have a period of rest on their return at the end of October before joining the EPP.

ECB Performance Director, David Parsons, said: “The England Performance Programme provides an excellent opportunity for those players identified as having considerable talent to train together in an England environment throughout the winter and further develop as cricketers.

“The time spent at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough and in India and South Africa allows our national lead coaches to develop bespoke programmes for each member of the squad and work intensively with the players and to continue to assess their readiness to graduate to the full England side when the opportunity arises.

“This is an exciting group of young cricketers with all but three players selected for the England Performance Programme this winter having represented England Lions or England this year. We recognise the need to develop a pool of players who are all capable of playing key roles in international cricket when the need arises and this programme allows us to continue working with those identified as having the ability to perform at the highest level.

“It has been very pleasing to see the likes of Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter and Jade Dernbach, who have all spent time on the programme in recent years, go on to play important roles for England this year.”

The England Lions squad for the tour of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2012 will be selected in December.

England Performance Programme:

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)

Scott Borthwick (Durham)

Danny Briggs (Hampshire)

Nathan Buck (Leicestershire)

Jos Buttler (Somerset)

Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)

James Harris (Glamorgan)

Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire)

Tom Maynard (Surrey)

Stuart Meaker (Surrey)

Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire)

Joe Root (Yorkshire)

Jason Roy (Surrey)

Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire)

James Taylor (Leicestershire)

James Vince (Hampshire)

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

In addition 13 players have been selected as potential England Performance Programme players and they will undertake a period of training at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough followed by a three week training camp in Colombo, Sri Lanka and a seven week match play element also in Sri Lanka for batsmen and spin bowlers and a training camp in India for the fast bowers.

ECB Performance Director, David Parsons, continued: “This programme allows us to work with a group of players who have shown considerable promise both in age group cricket and in county cricket. Batsmen and spin bowlers will have training blocks in both Loughborough and Sri Lanka as well as a seven week match play opportunity in Sri Lanka giving players a useful opportunity to develop their skills in sub-continent conditions.

The fast bowlers in the group will undertake a conditioning block in Loughborough before a training camp in India. This has been a key stage in the development of a number of young fast bowlers who have gone to represent England Lions and England with Steven Finn, Stuart Meaker, Jade Dernbach and Chris Woakes all benefiting from this programme in recent years.”

Potential England Performance Programme players:

Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)

Moin Ashraf (Yorkshire)

Karl Brown (Lancashire)

Varun Chopra (Warwickshire)

Matthew Coles (Kent)

Matthew Dunn (Surrey)

Tymal Mills (Essex)

Jigar Naik (Leicestershire)

Stephen Parry (Lancashire)

Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex)

Alex Wakely (Northamptonshire)

Luke Wells (Sussex)

Adam Wheater (Essex)

Essex Cricket's Tracey Davies is heading to Kenya for 'Cricket Without Boundaries'

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:06:13 +0100

Head of Cricket Development at Essex Cricket, Tracey Davies, is heading out to Kenya with a team of 8 others this October 2011, with charity ‘Cricket Without Boundaries’ to help develop Cricket in Kenya.

To sponsor Tracey and donate to this very worthy cause please visit www.justgiving.com/traceyd

For more information on the great work of charity ‘Cricket Without Boundaries’ please visit www.cricketwithoutboundaries.com

Essex to host Australia in a 50 over match at The Ford County Ground in 2012

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:04:52 +0100

Essex can announce that they will face Australia in their tour of the UK in 2012. Australia, who are currently ranked as the world’s number one ODI side will play at The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford on Tuesday 26th June in a day/night 50 overs match.

Keep an eye of the Essex Cricket website in the following weeks for news on how to purchase your tickets and hospitality packages. Sign up to the 'Over & Out!' e-newsletter to be among the first to receive the all important ticket news as its released.

ECB today announced the Major Match schedule for next summer which will see England host tours by West Indies, Australia and South Africa and Cardiff’s SWALEC stadium stage the Friends Life t20 Finals day for the first time.

West Indies will kick off next summer’s international programme with a three-match Test Series against England to be staged at Lord’s, Trent Bridge and Edgbaston followed by a three-match NatWest Series and a NatWest International T20.

Australia, currently the world’s number one ranked ODI side, are then scheduled to take on their hosts in a five-match NatWest Series before the five day game resumes with Andrew Strauss’s side taking on South Africa in Test Matches at The Kia Oval, Headingley and Lord’s.

England will round off their summer with a One Day International against Scotland in August followed by a five-match NatWest Series and three NatWest International T20 matches against South Africa.

On the domestic front, Cardiff’s SWALEC Stadium will host the Friends Life t20 Finals day for the first time in the history of the competition with Lord’s again playing host to the final of the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: “With England looking to maintain its position as the number one side in the ICC’s World Test rankings and also preparing to defend the World T20 title in Sri Lanka next autumn, interest in next summer’s international programme will be intense.

“A record number of people attended this season’s international fixtures and with an exciting summer in prospect again in 2012, we would urge spectators to buy tickets early in order to avoid disappointment.”

West Indies to UK 2012
Wed 2 May                    West Indies arrive
Sat 5 - Mon 7 May         3-day match v Sussex                 Hove
Thu 10 - Sun 13 May     4-day match v England Lions     Northampton
Thu 17 - Mon 21 May    1st Test Match                              Lord’s
Fri 25 - Tue 29 May       2nd Test Match                            Trent Bridge
Sat 2 - Sun 3 June         2-day match v Leicestershire   Grace Road
Thu 7 - Mon 11 June    3rd Test Match                               Edgbaston
Wed 13 June                  50-over match v Middlesex        Lord’s
Sat 16 June                  1st NatWest ODI                            Rose Bowl
Tue 19 June                 2nd NatWest ODI (D/N)                  Kia Oval
Fri 22 June                   3rd NatWest ODI                            Headingley Carnegie
Sun 24 June                 NatWest Int. T20                             Trent Bridge
Mon 25 June                 West Indies depart

Australia to UK 2012
Sun 17 June       Australia Team arrives
Thu 21 June 50-over match v Leicestershire                    Grace Road
Sat 23 June      ODI v Ireland   Stormont,                            Belfast
Tue 26 June       50-over match v Essex (D/N)                   Chelmsford
Fri 29 June       1st NatWest ODI                                         Lord's
Sun 1 July        2nd NatWest ODI                                         Kia Oval
Wed 4 July       3rd NatWest ODI (D/N)                               Edgbaston
Sat 7 July         4th NatWest ODI                                          Emirates Durham ICG
Tue 10 July      5th NatWest ODI (D/N)    Old Trafford
Wed 11 July      Australia Team departs

South Africa to UK 2012
Thu 5 or Fri 6 July      South Africa arrive
Mon 9-Tue 10 July     2-day match v Somerset Taunton
Fri 13-Sun 15 July       3-day match v Kent                          Canterbury
Thu 19-Mon 23 July 1st Test Match                                      Kia Oval
Fri 27-Sat 28 July       2-day match v Worcestershire        New Road, Worcester
Thu 2-Mon 6 Aug       2nd Test Match                                  Headingley Carnegie
Fri 10-Sat 11 Aug       2-day match v Derbyshire Derby
Thu 16-Mon 20 Aug   3rd Test Match                                   Lord's
Wed 22 Aug            50-over match v Gloucs.                      Bristol
Fri 24 Aug                 1st NatWest ODI                                 SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff
Tue 28 Aug              2nd NatWest ODI (D/N)                       Rose Bowl
Fri 31 Aug               3rd NatWest ODI (D/N)          Kia Oval
Sun 2 Sept               4th NatWest ODI                                  Lord's
Wed 5 Sept              5th NatWest ODI (D/N)                       Trent Bridge
Sat 8 Sept                1st NatWest Int. T20                            Emirates Durham ICG
Mon 10 Sept             2nd NatWest Int. T20 (F)                    Old Trafford
Wed 12 Sept            3rd NatWest Int. T20 (F)                     Edgbaston
Thu 13 Sept   South Africa Team departs for ICC World T20

Sun August 12 Scotland v England Venue tbc

Major Domestic Finals:

Sat August 25th: Friends Life t20 Finals day at The SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff
Sat Sept 15th: Clydesdale Bank 40 Final at Lord’s

** D/N = day/night match, F = full match played under floodlights.