Essex head to Barbados for pre-season tour on Friday

Essex First XI will be joining up with three other first-class cricket counties for a cricketing tour of Barbados. Whilst there the squad will spend time preparing for the fast-approaching 2010 season.

Keep up-to-date with match reports and fitness updates via www.essexcricket.org.uk.

Paul Grayson will be providing match summaries to the website

Schedule of games:

Essex v Lancashire - Kensington Oval - Wednesday 17th - Thursday 18th March

Essex v Derbyshire - Kensington Oval - Saturday 20th March

T20 Finals Day - Kensington Oval - Sunday 21st March

Essex v Yorkshire - 40-over 3 W's Oval - Monday 22nd March 

The squad will join Yorkshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire on this two-week tour. The tour will see Essex play a mixture of Twenty20 cricket, 40-over cricket and two-day matches against LV= County Championship Division I competitors. Essex leave the UK on Friday 12th March and return on Thursday 25th March.

David East, Essex Cricket Chief Executive outlined the importance of the pre-season tour, "The Club pre season tour is becoming an increasingly important part of our preparation for the new domestic season.  In previous years we have travelled to Cape Town and Dubai, but having seen the excellent facilities in Barbados we are delighted to be going to the Caribbean this year.  Our season in England is starting earlier than ever, so it is crucial that we get as much match practice as possible before our first LV= Championship Match on 9th April".

Upon returning to the UK the First XI get straight into friendly action on Wednesday 31st March with the visit of Worcestershire in a two-day game at the Ford County Ground, Chelmsford. The first competitive game of the season is the four-day LV= County Championship Division I game versus Hampshire, again at the Ford County Ground, Chelmsford. Play begins at 11am on Friday 9th April.