Essex Story: Moving Up

[MattyEva]

As an essex boy, I decided to start a career with them, in an aim to put them back to the top of the county championship, as well as keeping them doing well in List-A and T20 competitions. I don't know if it will be of any interest, but here goes nothing.. Any comment/suggestions are very welcome

[MattyEva]

For the first game of the year, Essex travel away to Derbyshire, to open their campaign in the LVCC Div 2, with the ultimate aim of promotion. Manager Paul Grayson selected a team, for the start of a new era of Essex Cricket. Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier were unavailable, due to IPL commitments.



Derbyshire started well, winning the toss, and putting on 401, with Chris Rogers hitting 129. For Essex, David Masters took 4 wickets for 109, and looked impressive, and Danish Kaneria looking at his imperious best, taking 4-47, going at just over 2 runs an over.

When Essex replied, the new opening partnership started to form between John Maunders and Alastair Cook, and looked impressive, adding 62 for the opening stand before Maunders fell to Needham. At stumps on Day 2, Essex were 6/303 with Ten Doeschate on 47*, and Middlebrook on 37*. Although this looks promising, it was not all good as every Essex batter made it into double figures, yet not one has yet managed to reach 50.

Essex ended on 340, with Ten Doeschate being the only batsman to make 50, getting out going for runs at the end, on 64. Derbyshire then declared on 350-6, setting Essex 412 runs to win in 2 and a half sessions.

The game ended in a draw, with Essex closing on 6/332, and it never looked like Essex were going to reach the score, even when Tom Westley brought up a quickfire 50 from just 36 balls.

This game has shown us a lot for the season, and shown that we really need to step up the quality of our bowling if we were to have any chance of promotion.

[MattyEva]

The day after Essex's disappointing draw, they travelled to Northamptonshire, to begin the defence of their Friends Provident Trophy. The team is as follows:



Northamptonshire won the toss and decided to bat first. They put on 259, with David Sales hitting a classy 91, and Niall O'Brien chipping in with a hasty 65*(47). Danish Kaneria was the pick of the bowlers going at just 3.8 runs per over in his 10, and Grant Flower picking up 3 wickets for 4 runs at the end.



The Eagles made the chase seem harder than it really was, only picking up the win with 5 balls to spare. This was mainly due to the innings starting too slowly, especially Alastair Cook, getting out for 17 off 62 balls. However Mark Pettini held the innings together with a nice 81, and Grant Flower and Ryan ten Doeschate played nice cameos before Mark Hardinges and James Middlebrook saw Essex home.

[MattyEva]

For the first game at home of the season, Essex entertain Gloucestershire in the County Championship. For this game, Essex looked to bolster the bowling by bringing in Chris Wright to replace Matt Walker, and Maurice Chambers came in for Tony Palladino.



These changes did not seem to be working however, as at the end of day 1, Gloucestershire were 5/409, with Snell leading the way having hit 94. They ended up getting 475, with Kaneria taking 4, and Masters 3. Essex closed Day 2 on 7/236, after Ryan ten Doeschate salvaged the batting collapse, and was going strong on 106*. ten Doeschate was bowled to end the innings when he was once again hitting out at the end, and he closed with 124 from 205 balls, as Essex closed on 256. This was not enough to get away from the follow on, and they were made to bat again.

Essex did a much better job second time round, closing Day 3 on 4/293, with Alastair Cook showing his class on 132* overnight. Foster (95) and Cook (241) batted through the majority of the day, before both falling in the last few overs, however by that time, the game was already over and essex closed on 6/510. Once again, the bowling let Essex down today, and they really need to find a formula for taking wickets.

[MattyEva]

Essex then travelled to Canterbury to take on Kent, in another LVCC match. Mark Hardinges was brought in for James Middlebrook to add another seam option, as well as adding to the batting.



For the first time this season, the bowling really clicked, and half way through Day 1, Kent were all out for 213, with Kaneria and Masters again the main wicket takers. As Day 1 closed, Essex were 1/81, and looking poised for victory here. Essex were all out for 342 Late on day 2, giving them just under an hour to hopefully make some inroads to the Kent batting lineup.

Kent did better this time, and managed to make it to 312, with Kaneria taking 5 wickets, leaving Essex to chase 184 to win, in just over a day. Essex were bowled out for 165, and it was a very disappointing way to finish the game.

[MattyEva]

Essex moved on from this disheartening loss to their preferred format, and travel to Glamorgan in the Friends Provident trophy. Two changes were made from the previous side, with John Maunders replacing Alastair Cook (international duty) and Graham Napier replacing Chris Wright after returning from the IPL.



Glamorgan won the toss, and duly inserted Essex on what looked like a batting paradise. They ended up making 248, with Maunders (59) and Walker (76) building a platform to build on, and Graham Napier adding quick runs at the end with 26* off 10 balls, and he hit 21 of those runs from the 5 balls he faced in the last over.



Glamorgan were then bowled out for 206, and looked weak throughout the chase. Danish Kaneria continued his fine form this season by taking 5-58 from his 10, an only Cosgrove offered something from Glamorgan hitting 58.

[MattyEva]

Following on from that good win, the Eagles were given another chance to play some good one day cricket, and named an unchanged team for this game when they hosted Derbyshire.



Essex lost the toss once again, and also once again were inserted. They posted a very impressive total of 8/263. While the top order got very few runs, Foster (70) and ten Doeschate (58), and Middlebrook hitting a quick 31 at the end.



Derbyshire made light of the chase, handing Essex their first defeat in limited overs cricket of the year.

[MattyEva]

After a short break, it was back to the 4 day cricket for Essex, as they hosted Northamptonshire. Alastair Cook was with England, so he was replaced by Jason Gallian, and also two changes were made to the bowling line up, Graham Napier replaced Chris Wright, and Jahid Ahmed came in for Maurice Chambers.



The first innings was fairly evenly matched, with Northamptonshire not quite managing to get their 3rd batting bonus point, with Essex dismissing them for 297, with ten Doeschate picking up 4, and Napier and Masters with 3 each.

Essex replied with a solid, if not spectacular innings of 270, with Jason Gallian hitting 79 at the top, and James Foster batting nicely with the lower order, before falling on 79.

Northamptonshire put up a huge total in their second innings, thanks largely to 155 from Niall O'Brien, setting Essex 395 to win in just over a day. Essex made an effort to chase down the score, however wickets fell continuously, until Napier and Hardinges decided to shut up shop, and the match resulted in another draw.

[MattyEva]

Only one change was made from the previous one day team, with Mark Hardinges coming out after struggling with the ball, and being replaced by Tony Palladino.



Essex won the toss and batted, and from then on in, it was the Matthew Walker show. After Maunders fell, Matt Walker came in and instantly dominated the bowling, and continued until he got out in the last over, for 129 from just 102 balls. Only Mark Pettini added any other substantial runs, with 57, but largely due to Walker, there was a very defendable score of 285 on the board.



Lancashire then zoomed to 80 after the first 10 overs, with Horton on 58 from 42 balls, and looking dangerous. Essex needed to do something, and after making a few bowling and field changes, they saw the back of Horton after Palladino trapped him LBW, but not before he added 75 scintillating runs to Lancashire's cause. Ashwell Prince, and Du Plessis continued for Lancashire, and it looked like the game was in their hands. However, Kaneria came on, and turned the game how only he can, getting 4/45 from his 10, assisted by the economical Middlebrook at the end. It was then left to Napier and Masters bowling to the tail at the end, and Essex came out on top, when Graham Napier dismissed Sajid Mahmood when Lancashire needed just 3 more to win. It was a fitting end, to what was a thrilling game from start to finish.

[MattyEva]

Only one change was made from the previous one day team, with Mark Hardinges coming out after struggling with the ball, and being replaced by Tony Palladino.



Essex won the toss and batted, and from then on in, it was the Matthew Walker show. After Maunders fell, Matt Walker came in and instantly dominated the bowling, and continued until he got out in the last over, for 129 from just 102 balls. Only Mark Pettini added any other substantial runs, with 57, but largely due to Walker, there was a very defendable score of 285 on the board.



Lancashire then zoomed to 80 after the first 10 overs, with Horton on 58 from 42 balls, and looking dangerous. Essex needed to do something, and after making a few bowling and field changes, they saw the back of Horton after Palladino trapped him LBW, but not before he added 75 scintillating runs to Lancashire's cause. Ashwell Prince, and Du Plessis continued for Lancashire, and it looked like the game was in their hands. However, Kaneria came on, and turned the game how only he can, getting 4/45 from his 10, assisted by the economical Middlebrook at the end. It was then left to Napier and Masters bowling to the tail at the end, and Essex came out on top, when Graham Napier dismissed Sajid Mahmood when Lancashire needed just 3 more to win. It was a fitting end, to what was a thrilling game from start to finish.

[MattyEva]

After their thrilling victory against Lancashire, Essex named an unchanged team to take on Glamorgan.



Essex won the toss and chose to bad, which appears to be the strtegy they favour in limited overs cricket. However they batted truly terribly, and were bowled out for 147, from just 34.1 overs.



Glamorgan won comfortably by 8 wickets, and I don't feel anything more needs to be said.

[dontask]

well having read all that so far, i dont think i need to point out where the weakness in your team is. hard to see you getting promoted this season, however 2 decent pacemen would make u a good team next year.
the loss of cook and bopara for huge chunks of the season is also a big problem for you. however you still seem to hav plenty of quality without them

[MattyEva]

Oh yeah, bowling is a big weakness. I like Napier, and Masters is consistent, but we really need some pacemen. I dont know if I will be able to keep Kaneria next year either, as he will be playing for Pakistan, but I feel that Tim Phillips/James Middlebrook can step up to the plate there. And I agree there that without Cook and Bopara our batting looks fragile, but ten Doeschate really is a classy player in the batting dept. Also, sorry I havent posted for a while, but now its the weekend again I will be playing hopefully some winning cricket again!

[dontask]

i wouldnt keep kanieria anyway, theres many better spinners on the game that never even get a international call up. until u see who you sign domestically i wouldnt get an overseas player.
with a few good signings you should win division 2 next season if your still in it that is.
i know i will be in there in season 2 cus im leicestershire lol

[mclaren007]

better to take ajantha mendis