Essex 2nd XI v Durham 2nd XI
Second Eleven Championship
Billericay CC, Monday 12 – Thursday 15 April
Team News:
Essex: Michael Pepper (c), Will Buttleman (wk), Feroze Khushi, Varun Chopra, Josh Rymell, Robin Das, Aron Nijjar, Joe MacGregor, Jack Plom, Darren Ironside, Eshun Kalley. Other players involved: Shane Snater, Matt Quinn, Harry Phillips, Jamal Richards.
Durham: Graham Clark, Soloman Bell, Michael Jones, Sean Dickson (c), Jonathan Bushell, Liam Trevaskis, Paul Coughlin, Alex Thompson, Matt Potts, Tomas Mackintosh (WK), Oliver Gibson. Other players involved: Jack Campbell, Alfie Taylor-Clarke.
Match Details:
Umpires: Mark Newell and Robin Parker
Toss: Durham won and elected to bat first
Result: Match Drawn
Billericay Cricket Club provided the setting as Essex got their Second XI Championship campaign underway with a draw against Durham.
Having taken the opportunity to bat, Matthew Potts led the way for the visitors, hitting an impressive 92 off just 124 balls, while Tom Mackintosh chipped in with 59 as Durham posted a first-innings total of 325 – Matt Quinn, 3/47 and Shane Snater, 3/61, the pick of the Essex attack, while Darren Ironside was also amongst the wickets with 2/81.
Josh Rymell’s 91 went some way to ensuring the hosts a handy advantage. His knock came off 192 deliveries and included 13 fours. Robin Das and Aron Nijjar both passed fifty, while MacGregor’s 46 helped Essex to 391-9 declared.
Mackintosh was again amongst the runs for Durham, this time scoring 60 – Liam Trevaskis top scored with 77, while Graham Clark and Sol Bell down hit half-centuries – Eshun Kalley, Jack Plom and Jamal Richards each taking three wickets.
Set an unlikely target of 233, Essex had reached 35-1 when play was concluded just before 4:40pm. Varun Chopra on 16* – Michael Pepper the man out, lbw to give Potts his fourth victim of the match.
Essex 2nd XI return to action on Monday 19-22 April when Surrey 2nd XI are the visitors to Billericay CC for a behind closed doors Second XI Championship match (11am).
Report courtesy of Brian Jeeves
