The Essex Cricketer Magazine: Spring 2020 Edition

THE ESSEX

CRICKETER

MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE

£4.00 / Free for Members

SPRING 2020 | ISSUE 34

2019 SEASON QUIZ

GROUND IMPROVEMENTS

GETTING TO KNOW MOISES HENRIQUES

TEAM OF THE DECADE

DAN LAWRENCE INTERVIEW

A NEW ERA Platinum Club Partners

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JOHN FARAGHER CHAIRMAN

The impact of coronavirus is being felt right across the UK and I hope that you, your family and your friends remain safe and well.

Under normal circumstances, the Spring Edition of the Essex Cricketer brings a sense of expectation and excitement as we look forward to the new season. This season was going to be somewhat special, Double Champions looking to repeat the success of 2019. In under four weeks, we have all experienced unprecedented change to our lives, and going forward, we face new challenges, on both social and economic fronts.

The majority of staff are now working from home, but contact is of course still possible via phone and/or email. We have a responsibility to our Members, staff and players to ensure that we stay together, and where necessary support and help friends and colleagues who may be struggling with their health, or simply finding it difficult to adapt to a new way of life. Social or self-isolation is something we have never had to endure before, and it will take time to adjust, and we know that for some this will prove particularly difficult. Throughout the coming weeks, we will stay in regular contact with you via the Club’s appropriate media channels.

the new arrangements will be in place, but rest assured when the time comes, we will be ready to resume normal business. We are in regular communication with the ECB, we have committed, loyal and passionate staff at all levels and we remain confident that we will come through this global period of concern. The coming weeks will stretch every one of us, but we will get through it. The one thing about Essex is that we never give up.

CONTENTS

The Members are the backbone of Essex County Cricket Club and long may that continue. I know how much this Club means to you and just how special the last four years have been, it has been an amazing journey. Hopefully we can all come together at some point in the summer and welcome back the Champions in true Essex style.

Best Regards, John Faragher

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John Faragher

5

Derek Bowden

7

Tendo Stands Down

9

Anthony McGrath

11

Tom Westley

13

Simon Harmer

15-16

A Special Year: Double Champions in 1979

17

Triumphant Champions Honoured at House of Lords

19

Dan Lawrence Interview

20-21

Getting To Know Moises Henrique

23

Team of The Decade

25

Ground Improvements

27

Mady Villiers

28-29

One of The Best: Stuart Turner

31-32

The 1998 Benson & Hedges Cup Final

33 Peter Siddle International Retirement

You will already know that this year’s AGM and Committee Elections have been postponed until later in the year, quite when this will be we do not know.

At this moment in time, nobody can accurately predict how long

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2019 Season Quiz

39

Essex Cricket in the Community

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DeVines Player of the Year: Simon Harmer

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Contributors: Derek Bowden, John Faragher, Ashley Neave, Dan Porter, Paul Hiscock, Paul Parkinson, Kelly Castle, ESPNcricinfo.

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DEREK BOWDEN CEO

Welcome to the Spring edition of the The Essex Cricketer, our bi-annual Members’ Magazine.

In stark contrast to the previous draft I had written merely a few weeks ago, I write this revised piece at a time of increased uncertainty for our beloved game. Unquestionably, the challenges facing cricket today are very different to those that the sport was facing even four weeks ago.

In little under 72 hours, our operations have gone from preparing to defend our titles, to ensuring the well-being of our loyal Members, players and staff whilst ensuring the longevity of the Club, maintaining our rich heritage in a new post Covid-19 world, whatever that may look like?

Rest-assured, we are better placed than most to ride the wave of this global pandemic, and whilst we all want to return to the field as soon as physically possible, it will not be at the detriment to the health of our stakeholders.

By receiving this magazine, you have already committed to supporting us during the 2020 season and we are very grateful for your loyalty during these unprecedented times.

There is no doubt about it, County Cricket will face financial upheaval in the coming months, and we are thankful that you have invested in the County game and have bought into the fabric of everything that this Club stands for.

As a Club we have a very good track record of adapting and evolving to achieve success, and although it looks like in 2020 our definition of ‘success’ will have to change, I am confident that all of our Club officials and administrators

will come together to deliver that success, be it starting the season, be it retaining the Championship or be it lining up to compete again in 2021.

Our goals will have to be defined by the advice and recommendations given by the UK Government and will play a significant part in how the ECB responds with plans to move the game forward. We are committed to working with the ECB and are in regular discussion with their representatives, updating them with our position on a number of aspects of the game.

As I write this piece, the ECB have confirmed that there will be no professional cricket until at least the 28th May, the day before the Vitality Blast is due to get under way. Although it is hoped the Vitality Blast will start on-time, we have to be realistic that there may come a point where this will not be possible, however, all Clubs will do their best to protect as many forms of the game and revenue generation.

Cricket is not just a sport for many of us, but a way of life.

The game has brought so much joy and happiness to so many people for so long and the current climate highlights just how fantastic our success has been in recent years.

Over the coming days, weeks and possibly months, I hope you will cherish those wonderful memories in preparation for when Tom Westley or Simon Harmer lead us onto the field of play once again. It will be a momentous occasion for sure and one we look forward to...

Best Wishes, Derek Bowden

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TENDO STANDS DOWN After four seasons, 58 first-class games, 33 victories, 17 draws and 8 losses, coinciding with one County Championship Division Two title and two County Championship Division One titles, Ryan ten Doeschate has decided to stand down as Club Captain.

The 39-old first took on the role prior to the 2016 season and immediately led the Club back to Division One after claiming the Division Two title at the first attempt.

The side then went unbeaten throughout their first season back in the top-tier of English cricket, winning 10 of 14 games and securing a first Championship title in 25 years.

After a third-place finish in 2018, Essex once again tasted success the following year, with ten Doeschate skippering the Club to an eighth Championship title following a ‘winner takes all’ match with Somerset at Taunton.

On his decision to step down, ten Doeschate said: “It’s been the biggest privilege to captain this Club the last four years and now is the right time for someone new to take charge.

“I’ve had unquestionable support from all the people behind the scenes who make the Club work, and would specifically like to mention the members of the Cricket Advisory Group.

“I’d like to thank all our Members and supporters who have followed the team over the last four years. I hope we’ve provided much entertainment and that you’ve shared in our pride of representing the Club.

Essex Head Coach Anthony McGrath added: “Ryan has been a phenomenal Club Captain and as Head Coach, I couldn’t have asked for any more from him.

“His commitment and dedication to the Club is second to none, and if you look at the position Essex were in before he took over and compare it to where they are now, a lot of that rise is down to Ryan.

“Now is the right time for someone else to take the reins and lead the team. It’s important to remember that Ryan isn’t stepping away from Essex, he’s still very much part of this Club and I’m sure he will continue to have a positive presence both on and off the field.”

Former Essex Captain Keith Fletcher said: “I’ve known Tendo for nearly 20 years now, I first saw him when Essex toured South Africa for pre-season and Graham Gooch saw his potential and brought him back to Chelmsford with us.

“Throughout his career, he’s always shown the hunger and desire to make it right to the top. His ability to turn a four-day game in a single session with his fast runs is second to none, whilst in one-day cricket, he is known all around the world for his ability to win games on his own.

“He’s been a fantastic Captain and a great ambassador for Essex Cricket. I hope he continues to play for years to come and I look forward to seeing him in action in 2020.”

“Lastly, I’d like to pay tribute to an incredible bunch of staff and players who have given everything to the team over the last four years and to whom I will always be indebted to for allowing me to live out my cricket dream, thank you.

“I can’t wait to join the troops, focus on my batting, and to give Tom [Westley] all of my support as the new Club Captain in continuing to try to get the best for our great Club.”

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ANTHONY MCGRATH HEAD COACH

Firstly, I’d like to start by wishing you and your families well at these uncertain times. COVID-19 has had a vast impact on everyday life and we don’t know how long this is going to go on for, but I do hope once this is all over, we can bring a smile back to your faces with some cricket down at Chelmsford.

I think most of us have finally settled down after what was a truly stunning 2019 campaign. Becoming the first team to win a Championship and Blast double in the same season was some effort, but that’s in the past now and we have to look to the future.

This will be my third year in charge at Essex and I feel like we’re still making big strides in the right direction both on and off the pitch.

Our red-ball cricket has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, and we all know what we’re capable of in the longer format of the game. We have an exceptionally talented squad and all the lads in the dressing room are striving for more silverware. When the end of the season comes around, we should be right at the top of the Division One table fighting to defend our title if we play to the level we know we can.

For a few years we felt that we had sold ourselves short with our white-ball cricket, so I’m so pleased we were able to rectify that last season. For 2020, the aim is exactly the same, compete well and put ourselves in a position to win a trophy. We moved early compared to a lot of other sides in order to secure the players we felt were right going forward, and I’m really pleased with the additions we’ve made.

Adam Zampa will once again be at Chelmsford for the Blast and for the last couple of seasons he’s shown everybody why he’s regarded as one of the best leg-spinners on the planet. Cameron Delport will also be back with the Eagles, and we saw on plenty of occasions last year what he’s capable of with the bat.

A new face at the Club for the Blast will be Moises Henriques, an addition I’m really pleased about. I’ve followed his career closely and I think he’s someone that can help us up our game to that next level, so I’m really pleased we got him over the line.

We have a new Club Captain in Tom Westley. At the end of the year, I spoke to Ryan [ten Doeschate] a few times and he decided it was time to step down and let somebody else lead the team. Tendo has been a magnificent leader and his impact on this Club during his four years as Club Captain was huge, he deserves every piece of praise he gets. I’m really pleased he signed a one-year extension at the end of last season, because his presence both in the dressing room and on the field is colossal.

I’m also very happy and pleased for Tom [Westley]. He’s been Vice-Captain for a number of years and deserves his chance to lead the side. He joins an esteemed list of past players such as Keith Fletcher, Graham Gooch and Nasser Hussain who have gone right the way from the Essex Academy to Club Captain, so it’s an exciting time for him.

Simon Harmer has extended his contract with the Club, which is a really good piece of business. He’s a vital cog in the Essex machine and I think his accolades last year speak for themselves. As well as being a leader on the pitch he’s hugely influential in the dressing room, and he’ll be there to help Tom if needed in what will be a testing first year as Club Captain.

This Club has a togetherness about it that you can feel the moment you step foot in the ground. Essex are one of the best supported teams in England, with fans travelling all over the country to cheer us on. For the players out there competing and representing the County, that support is what so often makes the difference and helps us get over the line, and ultimately win trophies.

I look forward to seeing you around The Cloudfm County Ground in 2020 and once again, thank you for your loyal support.

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TOM WESTLEY CLUB CAPTAIN

I hope in these unprecedented times that everybody reading this is following the advice of the UK Government and keeping themselves and their families safe. At a time like this, you realise how often you take things for granted, and just like all of you I hope we’re back playing cricket sooner rather than later. I can also assure you, when we do get past this, and we will get past this, there will be a celebration at Chelmsford for that first match back as Champions, and I can’t wait to see all of you there.

I want to thank everyone for all the messages of congratulations since being made Club Captain. It is a huge honour and a privilege for me to take on this role, and something I’m very much looking forward to.

I think it’s also right that we thank Ryan ten Doeschate for his excellent leadership over the last four years. Without him, we wouldn’t be where we are as a Club. A lot of our rise is down to him, and if I can go on to be half the Captain he’s been, Essex will still be in a great place.

Last season was both emotional and relentless. To reclaim the Championship as well as tasting T20 success for the first time was amazing, and something we want to deliver again.

Despite all the uncertainties as I write this, we have all had a good period of much-needed rest, both physically and mentally, and we’re feeling good about the 2020 season.

All the players need to continue to improve and work on their game. We’ve seen that other Clubs have recruited strongly and we know that as defending Champions, those sides are going to come at us hard this year.

batsman and played a big role in our success in T20 cricket last year.

A new face in the dressing room for the Blast will be Moises Henriques. He’s brings a wealth of experience to the team, having played cricket at the highest level all around the world for the past decade. As well as his talents on the field, he has a reputation for being a great leader, and you can never have too many leaders in a dressing room. I’m really looking forward to seeing Moises in an Eagles shirt.

Having been at the Club from a very young age, I say with plenty of pride and confidence that Essex fans are some of the best in the country. They can swing games in our favour, which we’ve seen on plenty of occasions over recent years, so it’s really pleasing to hear that Memberships are on the up and that ticket sales are progressing steadily.

The culture that everyone at the Club has helped to create over recent years has been so important to our success.

The relationship between the players, staff, Members and fans is unique, and we’re all fighting for the same cause. We all feel the highs of winning and lows of losing, and as Club Captain, I’ll do my very best to ensure that we carry on that relationship and carry on competing as one unit.

I’m very proud of how far this team has come, and I’m delighted that I’ve got to play a small part in it. We’re far from done though, this is just the start of a golden era and fingers crossed we have another fantastic season and bring more silverware to The Cloudfm County Ground.

We want to challenge on all fronts in 2020. We’ve now proved that we can do it, so it’s now about doing it consistently. There’s been a lot of talk this year about the Royal London Cup being downgraded due to the introduction of The Hundred, but that’s not the case for us as players at all. I can assure you that we will be going all in to win the 50-over competition and bring another trophy back to Chelmsford.

We’ve recruited well and I’m pleased that we’ll be seeing a lot of familiar faces at Chelmsford in 2020.

Peter Siddle is back for another season, and everybody at the Club is delighted he’s returning. His presence both on the field and in the dressing room can’t be overlooked, he’s been there and done it all. He’s always got time for the younger players and wants them to be the best they can be, whilst he’s always there for the older and more experienced players to lean on if needed. He’s been an excellent addition and long may it continue.

Adam Zampa will be back and we’ve seen over the last few seasons how dangerous he is with the ball, so I’m delighted to be playing on his side rather than against him. Cameron Delport will also be here, and I’ve witnessed from the other end how destructive he can be. He’s a truly stunning

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SIMON HARMER T20 CAPTAIN

To my Essex Cricket family, I hope that you are all keeping well and staying safe during these scary and unparalleled times. The coronavirus has temporarily changed normal life as we know it. As I write this, the team were due to be in Sri Lanka competing against MCC in the Champion County Match, but some things are really more important than cricket.

Once we get through this, I hope we’ll look back at this period as a time when we helped one another and showed solidarity.

From a cricket perspective, I want to start off by recognising and thanking Ryan ten Doeschate for all his efforts as Club Captain over the last four years. He’s been an amazing leader, a wonderful teammate and a great friend, and I’m really pleased he’s not stepping away from cricket as he still has so much to give. Tendo is one of the main reasons that the Club is in such a strong position, and on behalf of myself, the other players in the dressing room, the playing staff and all the Members and fans, I want to thank him for leading Essex right back to the top of English cricket.

I’d also like to wish Tom Westley the very best of luck in his new role as Club Captain.

Tom is a very good friend of mine and I know just how much this means to him, he’s been at the Club from a very young age and I know he’s going to do everything he possibly can to carry on the success we’ve experienced.

Good luck Tommy!

Last season was one we’ll never forget, but we need to put those memories behind us and focus on the future and the upcoming campaign. Despite all the issues going on in the world at the moment, the players and coaching staff have had a good rest and we are now ready to face the challenges that the 2020 season will bring.

From a T20 perspective our goal for this year is quite simple, to defend our title. We had a tricky start last time around with a few washed out games which made it hard to gather any momentum, but once things clicked for us there was no looking back. We now know the level we can perform to and what we can achieve when we all come together, so the challenge is to do it regularly.

Adam Zampa and Cameron Delport will both be back in Eagles’ shirts in 2020 which I’m really pleased about.

They’re both fantastic cricketers and produced matchwinning contributions on a number of occasions last season, but they’ve also both fully bought into the ethos of the Club. They understand the relationship we have with the fans and how we are all one unit, and that’s essential for players coming to Chelmsford.

Moises Henriques has signed up for the 2020 campaign which I know Anthony McGrath is particularly pleased about.

Moises has excelled in global T20 cricket and has a winning mentality, which goes a long way. He’s a leader too and I’m looking forward to working closely with him later this year.

We have a dressing room that is full of players that want to improve and be the best they can be, and we want to continue to win trophies like over the last few years. We’ve tasted success and we want more of it, like I’ve said on a couple of occasions, we always hear Members and fans talking about the golden era of Gooch, Fletcher, Acfield and East, and hopefully in 25 years from now they’ll be talking about the golden era of ten Doeschate, Cook, Westley, Porter and Harmer.

I’m so proud of everyone in this team and I hope we can continue to make you all proud to be an Essex Member or supporter. I look forward to speaking to you around The Cloudfm County Ground in 2020 and as always, thank you for your support.

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A SPECIAL YEAR

DOUBLE CHAMPIONS IN 1979

Essex had to wait for more than a century before lifting their first piece of silverware, but when that landmark occasion finally arrived, two titles were won in the same season.

The Club were founded in 1876 and were awarded first-class status in 1894. Essex competed in the County Championship for the first time in 1895 and amazingly, it was not until that unforgettable summer of 1979 that the keys to unlock the trophy cabinet were needed.

Essex lifted the Championship after winning 13 of their 21 matches and were a stunning 77 points clear of their closest-pursuers, Worcestershire. Just a couple of months before that, Essex had also won the Benson & Hedges Cup for the first time.

The man that steered the Club into their previously uncharted successful territory was Keith Fletcher, with Fletcher stating: “Our success was built on great talent and tremendous teamwork. Everyone played a significant role and I was proud to have been at the helm.

“I always wanted to prove we had the best team Essex had ever seen and the only way to do that was by winning the title that had eluded our grasp for so long. But I never imagined we would do it so easily.”

Essex legend John Lever bristles at suggestions that the Club received a big helping hand from the weather when they claimed their maiden Championship, saying: “Some folk complained we were lucky to play when other games were being rained off.

“I disagree. On a couple of occasions, we might have been fortunate but at the end of the day no-one can argue with the fact that we recorded 13 victories, five of them by an innings, and our nearest rivals Worcestershire managed only seven wins.

“Because of England duties, we were without Graham Gooch for long periods, but we overcame his absence with Kenny McEwan, Mike Denness, Keith Fletcher and Brian Hardie all topping the 1,000 runs mark.”

Although he is too modest to admit it, left-arm seamer Lever was a pivotal figure in that historic Essex success.

He took 106 wickets in the 1979 season, 99 of them in the Championship that included five or more in an innings five times.

In matches at Chelmsford and Edgbaston, he picked up 13 wickets against Leicestershire and Warwickshire in successive outings. And during the month of June, he reaped a harvest of 51 wickets.

In an attempt to deflect praise, he insisted: “The climatic conditions helped me. It was one of those months that was perfect for my type of bowling. The conditions seemed to be in my favour every time I ran up to bowl, with the ball swinging nicely in the humid atmosphere.”

New ball pal Norbert Phillip and medium paceman Stuart Turner, with 70 and 57 victims respectively, also played a massive part as did spinners Ray East and David Acfield with just over 80 wickets between them.

Lever added: “A major reason for our success was that the batsmen scored so heavily we never had worries about defending totals, and we seemed to catch everything that came our way.”

The title was to come after 103 years of striving and was clinched at Northampton towards the end of August. After Turner for once had upstaged Lever by taking five wickets in each innings, Essex were left a victory target of 229, and it was one they reached with ease, losing just three wickets.

Hardie and Denness put together a century opening stand before the latter was bowled for 51. McEwan (11) and Fletcher (39) were the other wickets to fall but Hardie went on to see his side home with an unbeaten 103.

A little later came the news that nearest pursuers Worcestershire had failed to beat Derbyshire leaving Essex as champions with four matches still to be played.

A few weeks before they lifted the Championship crown, Fletcher had captained the side to the first major honour in their history as they won the Benson & Hedges Cup at Lord’s beating Surrey by 35 runs.

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Fletcher recalls: “The atmosphere was electric, and the staggering thing was that 90 per cent of the crowd appeared to be supporting us. I must admit I was a little nervous as we tossed up, but I also had the feeling it was going to be our day. The air was split with a tremendous roar every time we struck a boundary and took a wicket.”

And so it proved as Gooch demonstrated his immense class and power with a brilliant century that pointed the way to a total of 290-6 from 55 overs.

Denness and Gooch combined for 48 for the first wicket before the gifted McEwan arrived on the scene to share in one of the most thrilling partnerships witnessed in a limited-overs final at Lord’s.

By lunch, the pair had carried the total to 166 without further loss at nearly a run-a-ball before McEwan’s majestic knock of 72, containing 10 boundaries, was ended shortly afterwards when he was caught behind by Jack Richards.

Fletcher struck a brisk 34 before being bowled by Roger Knight before Gooch was fifth out, bowled by Hugh Wilson, for 120 with the total on 273. He walked off to a standing ovation having smashed 3 sixes and 11 fours.

It was the first century recorded in a Benson & Hedges Cup Final and predictably won him the Man of the Match Award.

With Surrey requiring 100 from the final eight overs with seven wickets in hand. Howarth hooked Lever to fine leg where Denness put down the catch.

Lever recollects: “Mike came across and said ‘Sorry, I should have caught it’ but I told him not to worry and asked him how he thought things were going.

“His response was ‘everything is okay and we are in firm control,’ which had a reassuring effect on me and the other lads who heard him. Like Fletch, he was a calming influence and not given to panic.”

A few deliveries later Howarth’s fine knock ended for 74 when Fletcher held on to a skier at mid-wicket.

Hardie relates: “I couldn’t look as the skipper got underneath it and turned my back, but a few seconds later I heard a tremendous roar and knew he had held it.”

Essex went on to strengthen their grip and victory arrived in the 52nd over when Wilson was bowled by Lever. He finished with 2 for 33 from 9.4 overs, Phillip with 3 for 42 from 10, East 2 for 40, Keith Pont 2 for 67 and Turner 1 for 47.

Gooch insists that the game ranks as the number one match in the Club’s history, saying: “It was our first ever trophy. We had been runners-up a couple of times in the John Player League, but the first B&H Final was a special day.

Lever added: “I remember Fletch throwing his arms around me when the last Surrey wicket went down and then it was time to celebrate. I had arranged for the players and their partners to have dinner at the Victoria Sporting Club, win or lose, and we went off to celebrate.”

“Not only for the players who had been there a long time, such as Keith Fletcher, Ray East, Stuart Turner, David Acfield, John Lever, all those guys, but all the Members and supporters who had shown faith for so many years.

For Fletcher, still actively involved with his beloved County in an advisory role, the victory remains his proudest moment and greatest thrill in an Essex sweater.

“The thing to remember as a player is that it’s not about how many runs you score or how many wickets you take, but the number of games in which your performance influences the outcome for your side. That innings I played at Lord’s helped get us over the line.”

To their credit, Surrey made a valiant effort to mount a serious challenge. Although they lost Alan Butcher and Monte Lynch before the 50 was raised, Knight and Geoff Howarth were to revive them with a stand of 91. That was

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broken by a quite brilliant catch by wicket-keeper Neil Smith diving a long way to his left to get rid of Knight for 52.

That glorious season was to point the way to a remarkable run of titles over the next three decades. Essex carried off the Championship again in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1991 and 1992.

They were NatWest/Provident Trophy winners in 1985, 1997 and 2008, Sunday League winners in 1981, 1984 and 1985 and came away with Pro 40 National League (Division One) honours in 2005 and 2006.

And with the double triumph in 2019 in the Championship and Vitality Blast, many believe that another golden age for the County is well and truly underway.

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TRIUMPHANT CHAMPIONS HONOURED AT HOUSE OF LORDS

Essex joined the Lord’s Taverners at the House of Lords in early March for the official presentation of the County Championship trophy.

Essex claimed their second Division One title in three seasons last year, after a dramatic title-decider against Somerset at Taunton having lost only one match all year in red-ball cricket.

Tom Westley, the newly named Club Captain of Essex said: “It’s was a privilege to be at the House of Lords with the team and the Championship trophy. It was an amazing year for everyone connected with the Club and it was a nice way to celebrate the hard work and commitment from the players, coaching staff and everyone behind the scenes.

“I think it was also the perfect opportunity to reflect on the amazing work Ryan ten Doeschate did during his captaincy. A lot of the rise that the Club has seen in red-ball cricket has been down to him, and his record as skipper speaks for itself. Without him, we wouldn’t have enjoyed the success we have over the last four years.”

“2019 was a long and tough campaign, so the trip was a nice way to look back on our achievements and triumphs, but it was also a reminder for everyone about what we’re fighting for again in 2020.”

This was the 46th year that the County Champions have enjoyed a reception with the Lord’s Taverners since the trophy was introduced for the first time by the charity’s Patron and Twelfth Man, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh in 1973 He recognised that until that time, the Champions had never received a physical trophy so decided to introduce one.

This is the eighth time that Essex have received the trophy, and hopefully Tom Westley’s side will be back at The House of Lords in 2021.

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DAN LAWRENCE

CHANGING TECHNIQUE, SHINING WITH ENGLAND LIONS & IMPRESSING MO BABAT After a remarkable run of form in an England shirt on the Lions’ tour to Australia, it seems as though a senior England call up isn’t far away for Essex’s Dan Lawrence. Scores of 50 not out, 35 and 41 were accompanied by six wickets with his ever-improving off-spin in the white-ball leg of the tour, before his 190 against Cricket Australia XI was followed up with 125 against Australia A under the MCG floodlights.

That success has not come through natural talent alone.

After missing out on the Lions squads last year, he travelled to Cape Town, where he spent several weeks “doing boring drill stuff” and “hitting loads and loads and loads of balls”.

Dan will be the first to admit that the results weren’t mindblowing, but after a solid summer across all formats, an innings against Warwickshire during Essex’s Championship charge proved the spark for a technical change which he credits with his superb winter form.

Lawrence explains: “I’ve cut down on my trigger a lot. I was getting that wrong in the summer quite a lot. I was getting out in silly ways. Standing a bit more still, and the game is feeling a little bit easier.

Mo Bobat, the ECB’s Performance Director added: “He’s been a player of potential in our minds for some time. I remember talking to him in Mumbai when he came across for the spin camp. Both myself and Ed [Smith, the national selector] spoke to him about the fact that there were a lot of people that rate the quality of his cricket. I think that we wanted to see him score the volume of runs that, for want of a better phrase, his talent deserved.

“To be fair to him, he’s gone out and done exactly that this trip. He couldn’t have done much more in terms of volume of runs. Before I left I congratulated him on that and said that his challenge was doing exactly that this summer, which I hope he does, and if he does that he’s not going to be far off.

“The thing he’s hopefully done is prove to himself and others that he can score the volume of runs that he has scored and impact games the way he has, the way actually many of us believe that he was capable of.”

“It was something that I decided to do myself. I had a knock against Warwickshire at the end of last year and I was a bit like… I was finding it pretty hard to carry on triggering.

So I just thought ‘sod it, I might as well change it up’ and it’s been feeling amazing so far.”

Footage from last summer demonstrates the difference, which is simple but clear. Rather than stepping across towards the off side moments before delivery, Lawrence now stands still, focused on the bowler alone rather than his own movements.

“It’s just something that I’ve been tinkering with myself really, just trying to find the best possible way to carry on with it. It’s not perfect, but it’s certainly a damn sight better than what it was. I’m pretty happy with where I am.”

As strong as his performances were in the early part of the tour, the standard of attack that the Lions faced was relatively low. That meant impressing against Australia A, with Test cap Jackson Bird and new teammate Moises Henriques in the ranks, became increasingly important.

Despite striding out with the Lions 55-3, Dan made hay on a good batting surface, adding 219 in partnership with Dom Sibley and smashing 17 boundaries in his 210-ball 125.

“Confidence was high, but that was a game I really wanted to do particularly well in. You don’t get many chances to play at the MCG, so it was nice to get a bit of time in the middle there, and thankfully score some runs.”

Lawrence’s development has been tracked by England from a young age. He impressed at the Bunbury Festival in 2012 and graduated through the national age-group ranks including a strong showing at the U19 World Cup in 2016. He has now been in and out of the Lions set-up for nearly three years, and was one of a select group of players to travel to Mumbai on a spin camp at the end of last year.

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GETTING TO KNOW

MOISES HENRIQUES

Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques has joined Essex Eagles for this year’s Vitality Blast campaign, but how much do you know about our new signing?

Moises was born in Funchal, the same part of Madeira that footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is from, and he and his family moved to Australia when he was just one.

He graduated from Endeavour Sports High School in 2004 and was the recipient of the first Rexona Australian Youth Cricket Scholarship, an initiative backed by former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting.

Later that year Henriques was selected for the Australian U19 squad for the 2004 U19 Cricket World Cup, where he took 11 wickets at 19.27 and averaged 19 with the bat.

In early 2006 Henriques made his List A debut for New South Wales against Victoria, and in doing so became the youngest ever List A debutant for the Club.

He was named Captain of the Australia U19 team for the 2006 U19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka, where he was one of the standout players of the tournament. He averaged 27.50 with the bat and finishing at the competition’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 16 wickets at 10.52.

Later that year he made his first-class debut for New South Wales against South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. A week later he really burst onto the scene by taking 5/17 against Queensland, and by doing so he became the youngest-ever New South Wales cricketer to take a 5-wicket haul in a firstclass innings. New South Wales went on to win the Sheffield Shield the following season, which was Henriques’ maiden first-class title in professional cricket.

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In early 2009 he tasted his first T20 success, with his New South Wales Blue team defeating Victorian Bushrangers in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash Final at Sydney. Off the back of his performances, he was signed by Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders for $300,000, and averaged 19 with the bat in his first IPL campaign.

After consistent and strong performances, Henriques made his full international debut in 2009, in a T20 match against New Zealand in Sydney, but he was run out for just 1. Later that year Henriques was called up for Australia’s tour of India and scored 12 runs on his ODI debut at Delhi, however he got injured later on in the tour and had to return to Australia.

In 2010 he was traded by Kolkata Knight Riders to Delhi Daredevils in exchange for Manoj Tiwary and in late 2012, he recorded his maiden first-class century, scoring 161 not out from 229 balls for New South Wales against Tasmania at Bankstown.

He experienced further T20 success in 2012, as his Sydney Sixers beat Perth Scorchers by 7 wickets to claim the very first rebranded Big Bash League title. Henriques was named Man of the Match for his performance, which saw him score 70 runs from 41 balls, and he was announced as the Club’s new Captain for the following season.

In 2013, the all-rounder was selected for Australia’s Test squad for the first time for their tour of India. On Test debut, he made his maiden half-century with 68 runs in the first innings and backed it up with 81 not out in the second. This also made him just the second person from Portugal to play a Test match, following in the footsteps of South Africa’s Portuguese-born Dick Westcott.

In 2013 he returned to the Indian Premier League but with Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was a successful tournament for the all-rounder, as he averaged 41.25 with the bat and took 7 wickets at 26.42.

He enjoyed more red-ball success with New South Wales in 2014, with the side reclaiming the Sheffield Shield title for the first time since 2008. The side followed this up by securing Marsh One-Day Cup titles in both 2015 and 2016.

His performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the previous IPL campaign saw Henriques move to Sunrisers Hyderabad where he’d stay for four IPL campaigns. Over this period, he scored a total of 755 runs at an average of 27.96, with his highest score of 74 not out from 46 balls coming against Delhi Daredevils in 2015. He also took 28 wickets at 32.75 apiece during his stint with Sunrisers and was part of the side that claimed the IPL title in 2016.

In the following years, Henriques was in and out of the Australia T20, ODI and Test squads, but recorded his best T20I score against India in 2017, scoring 62 not out from 46 balls.

In January 2020, Henriques skippered Sydney Sixers to the Big Bash title after claiming a 19-run victory over Melbourne Stars.

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TEAM OF THE DECADE Over the Christmas and New Year period, fans and supporters of Essex Cricket had the chance to vote for their red-ball Team of the Decade.

With the results and players now confirmed, we take a closer look at the Essex XI…

ALASTAIR COOK: One of the greatest batsmen of all time. Chef scored 14,700 first-class runs this decade and with 91% of the supporter’s votes, he was always going to open the batting.

NICK BROWNE: Browne made his first-class debut for Essex in 2013 and has opened the batting ever since. The 28-yearold has amassed 5,516 first-class runs at an average of 40.26 in this time, and has played a vital role in Essex getting promoted from Division Two and winning two Championships.

TOM WESTLEY: Westley was ever-present in the Essex red-ball team this decade and scored 8,969 first-class runs in the process.

His form was rewarded with an England Test call-up in 2017, and he made his debut at The Oval, scoring 25 runs in the first innings and 59 in the second as England beat South Africa by 239 runs. Like Browne, he’s played an important role in Essex’s recent success.

DAN LAWRENCE: Lawrence burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced 17-yearold in 2015, scoring 161 against Surrey at The Oval. His rise in red-ball cricket has coincided with Essex’s success and he’s already won promotion from Division Two and two Championship titles at just 22 years of age. In his short career so far, he’s already scored 3,567 first-class runs and is surely a future England player.

RAVI BOPARA: An Essex legend. Bopara made his first-class debut for the Club back in 2002 and has seen it all. He scored 7,079 first-class runs this decade and like so many players voted into this team, he played an influential role as Essex rose to the top of red-ball cricket. It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that Ravi received 77% of the votes for the number 5 position.

RYAN TEN DOESCHATE (C): ten Doeschate is the longest-serving player in the current Essex side, having made his first-class debut for the Club back in 2003. Over the years he’s risen the ranks and was made Club Captain in 2016. Under his guidance, Essex have gained promotion from Division Two and won two Championships, with ten Doeschate contributing plenty of runs. He scored 6,393 first-class runs in the decade and with 99% of the votes for this position, he is the Team of the Decade captain.

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JAMES FOSTER (WK):

DAVID MASTERS:

After making his first-class debut for the Club back in 2000 against Glamorgan, Foster retired from cricket at the end of the 2018 season, having only ever represented Essex and England. Over the decade he scored 6,419 first-class runs and took 404 catches, and like so many of this XI, he was crucial to Essex’s rise in four-day cricket.

Many consider him Essex’s greatest ever wicket-keeper, along with Brian Taylor, and England’s loss behind the stumps was most definitely Essex’s gain.

Masters joined the Club in 2008 after spells with Kent and Leicestershire and was an instant hit with the crowd at Chelmsford. Known as Hoddy by the fans, he played for Essex up until he retired in 2016, and over his nine seasons with the Club he took 436 first-class wickets at an average of 21.62. His retirement coincided with Napier’s, with both bowing out with promotion to Division One, and paving the way for current stars Jamie Porter, Sam Cook and Aaron Beard.

SIMON HARMER:

JAMIE PORTER:

Despite only joining the Club in 2017, Harmer is already regarded as one of the best spinners Essex has ever had. He’s taken 217 first-class wickets at an average of 20.20 over his three seasons in Chelmsford and has won numerous personal awards with Essex winning two Championship titles. In white-ball cricket, he captained the Eagles to a maiden T20 title in 2019, and he received 97% of the fans votes to be the allocated spinner in this team.

Porter made his first-class debut for the Club against Kent in 2014 and has been a constant threat to batsmen up and down the country ever since. His real breakthrough came in 2015, as he took 56 first-class wickets in his first full Essex season. He was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2018, and his total of 310 first-class wickets at an average of 24.04 means he has been a vital cog in Essex’s Division Two and Championship triumphs. Unsurprisingly, Jamie received 75% of the votes to complete the Team of the Decade.

GRAHAM NAPIER: A local and a fan favourite at Chelmsford. Napier made his Essex debut back in 1997 against Cambridge University and went on to represent the Club for 20 years, eventually retiring in 2016. In his final season, he took 69 wickets and helped Essex gain promotion from Division Two, and over the decade he took 248 first-class wickets and scored 2,456 runs. Napier will always be a hero to the Chelmsford faithful.

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GROUND IMPROVEMENTS Parts of The Cloudfm County Ground have been redeveloped over the close season.

Firstly, the River Gate entrance has undergone five months of work to make entering and exiting the ground a more straightforward and easy process. The new entrance also has full wheelchair access within both the stadium and upon approach. Lights have also been installed along the underpass to provide improved entry and egress to the ground, particularly on night matches.

As well as addressing the River Gate entrance, new toilet facilities have been installed in County Corner.

Most notably, four new LED floodlights have been installed at The Cloudfm County Ground, with work beginning in November and concluding in the Spring.

Each pylon weighs 6 tonnes and is 40 metres high and 1.8 metres deep into the ground.

Stadium Operations Director Graham Childs said: “These new LED floodlights use state of the art technology and are a lot more efficient than the conventional floodlights. They last a lot longer, they light up immediately and they use less electricity meaning they’re much more cost-effective.

“Musco Lighting have devised a new system which will allow the floodlight masts to be lit up in various colours.

This is the first time that this technology has been used on any floodlight on the circuit.”

Lastly, two SIS grass hybrid wickets have been installed on the square. These pitches are designed to help ease the pressure on the pitches by improving wear and maintaining quality for longer.

The SIS grass hybrid system is a new innovation within cricket, but has been used on both rugby and football pitches for several years.

Synthetic fibres are stitched into the square along the full length of the pitch. These fibres then urge the roots from the grass above to grow down their length, helping to bind the soil, fibres and roots together to ensure that the pitches can be used for longer.

Head Groundsman Stuart Kerrison said: “This is a really interesting and exciting development in cricket, and I’m pleased that we decided to install some hybrid pitches here at Chelmsford.

“The new system encourages natural growth to increase the quality of the pitches through a synthetic fibre reinforcement of the loam within the square.”

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MADY VILLIERS 18 MONTHS TO REMEMBER With major structural changes to the Women’s game on the horizon for the forthcoming season, and an emphasis moving away from the County scene with the introduction of regional hubs, the route to international recognition has arguably been made harder.

One Essex star who has timed her emergence to absolute perfection is off-spinner, Mady Villiers. The 21-year-old from Havering has featured for Essex at County level since she was 15 and although her focus was not initially as a spin-queen extraordinaire, Villiers has developed her skill to earn international honours.

“To be able to represent your Country is a massive achievement and I am really proud to be able to say that I have done it in what seems such a short space of time.

“It hasn’t come without hardships, that’s for sure, but I am just making the most of every moment, and it is something that gives me a purpose and it gives me something to get better at.”

Mady first started to turn heads when she was selected to play for Surrey Stars in the 2018 edition of the Kia Super League. It was the same year that the Stars were to reach the Final in Hove and an influential bowling performance from Villiers of 3 for 22 would contribute to the Stars lifting gold on the South Coast. Arguably it was this performance that rubber stamped her call-up to the England Women Academy in November of the same year.

Villiers said at the time: “I think I’m still in a bit of shock, purely because of how crazy the last few months have been in terms of my cricket since the Kia Super League. I attended a few camps at Loughborough with the women before they headed off to the World Cup, but I honestly didn’t expect to be included in the Academy this year.”

Only 8 months later and Villiers had made the transition from Academy to First Team squad as she received her first call-up to play a part in the Women’s Ashes T20 series. Although Mady didn’t make her debut until the final match when the urn was already heading back to the Southern Hemisphere, her performance and attitude around the squad had been noticed, and debut bowling figures of 2 for 20 from four overs in Bristol contributed to her selection in the winter tour party to Malaysia to play Pakistan.

Figures of 2 for 21 from four overs in the 2nd T20 and opening the bowling in the 3rd T20 confirmed that Villiers would subsequently be selected for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia in what would be Lisa Keightley’s first tournament as the new Head Coach.

“To be in the T20 squad is something that I am buzzing for, not just the cricket side as well, but the other aspects that come with it, travelling and seeing some amazing places that I wouldn’t be able to see if I didn’t play cricket.

“To come back from that as World Champions would be a dream. We don’t like to look too far ahead, and get ahead of ourselves, we like to take every game as it comes, but with something as a big as that, you can’t not look into the future with the what ifs, it would be a dream really.”

Unfortunately for Mady and the rest of the England team, their dreams of scooping another T20 world title were washed away thanks to wet weather and an untimely abandonment in the Semi-Final, resulting in rivals South Africa reaching the tournament showcase.

Despite all her recent success, Villiers is still aware of her roots and credits her affection for the game to the pathway that the County structure had to offer.

“I fell in love with cricket when I was in year 7 and year 8 and I started playing Club cricket for Bentley and I played there for three or four years.

“I got into Essex when I was 15 and I started playing with 21-year-olds which was a little bit scary but I loved cricket and I just wanted to play, and I wanted to play at a good level. For me, that was when I really started to fall in love with the game.”

Villiers, will continue to appear for Essex during this summer’s reduced number of County Women’s fixtures but will also appear for Trent Rockets in the inaugural Women’s Hundred. An opportunity that will allow her to return to The Cloudfm County Ground when the Midlands based side are scheduled to play London Spirit in Chelmsford on Tuesday 11 August.

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ONE OF THE BEST STUART TURNER

Stuart Turner was one of the best all-rounders to never play a one-day international.

and claimed 2 wickets. Kent slumped from 62-1 to 128 all out and Essex proceeded to win by 9 wickets.

The arrival of one-day cricket arguably secured a place for Stuart in the Essex side and the limited-overs format saw him blossom into one of the outstanding performers in the country. If ever a player thrived in the heat of one-day cricket, it was Stuart Turner. The Essex all-rounder was a key figure in the County lifting John Player League titles in 1981, 1984 and 1985.

His bowling was to prove a decisive factor in the Essex successes of the late 70’s and early 80’s whilst he often provided much-needed runs to transform his side’s faltering innings’.

His exploits gained him widespread acknowledgement and in 1986, during the final year of the John Player sponsored Sunday League, Turner was presented with a commemorative plaque by the Association of Cricket Statisticians in recognition of his 300 wickets in the competition. Turner retired at the end of that season and Les Hatton, who wrote a meticulous statistical record of the League, named Turner as The Cricketer of the John Player League.

Hatton wrote: “The choice of Stuart Turner as the outstanding player in the 18 seasons of the John Player League is based on his all-round contribution to his County over many years, rather than his achievements in a few specific matches.

“Turner is the only player to achieve the double of more than 3,000 runs and over 300 wickets in his JPL career, his final totals being 3,165 runs and 303 wickets. He played in 255 Sunday League matches for his County.

“In addition to his batting and bowling, he is an excellent fielder and has held 82 catches. Also, a fast scoring batsman, he has proved extremely versatile over the years batting in every position from no.1 (he opened the Essex batting on 35 occasions) to no.10. His fast bowling has also been utilised to the full.”

Truly, Stuart Turner was an invaluable all-rounder in the Essex sides contributing many defining performances. Playing at Chelmsford in a Benson & Hedges match against Hampshire in 1982, and bowling his brisk medium-pace, he sent down his allotted 11 overs for just 12 runs as the opposition were dismissed for 130. Essex then found themselves 14-6 but Turner stepped forward to hit an unbeaten 55 in poor light and pouring rain, leading Essex to victory by 1 wicket with 9 balls to spare.

Then a year later, playing in the semi-final of the same competition at Canterbury, his 11 frugal overs cost 15 runs

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For example, there was an occasion in a John Player’s County League (early name of the JPL) match against Nottinghamshire at Chelmsford when Essex were in dire straits at 67-6. Turner joined Brian Edmeades and scored 48 to help the side reach 185-9. Notts were then dismissed for 148 and although he failed to take a wicket, Turner conceded just 27 runs in his 8 overs and also ran out one of the visiting batsmen with a direct hit.

Turner recalls the landmark occasions on his way to his 300 JPL victims. “My 100th wicket was that of Sussex’s Paul Parker at Chelmsford, caught by Ray East.

“Clive Radley provided me with my 200th against Middlesex at Lord’s with the help of Brian Hardie, while my 300th victim came at Edgbaston when Alan Lilley took the catch to dismiss Alvin Kallicharran.”

Not that he should be considered as merely a one-day exponent of his art. Stuart served Essex with distinction for two decades and in 1974, he was named the outstanding all-rounder in England.

Yet his pathway to success was not a bed of roses. After his first season in 1965, he turned up for a pre-season work-out the following year only to be told he was not wanted because he had been released a few months earlier.

He said: “It was my worst sporting moment. I just couldn’t believe it. No-one had told me or sent me a letter informing me that I was no longer wanted at the end of the 1965 season. I was heartbroken and was convinced that my career as a professional career was at an end.

“Having recently married, I returned home worried about the future. Fortunately, I found office work with the Ford Motor Company in Dagenham. It was boring but at least it enabled me to earn money to pay the bills.”

The big turning point came when he received a letter from Doug Insole a couple of years later inviting him to return, and he said: “It was the best news I’d ever had, and I couldn’t get my resignation into Ford quickly enough.”

The rest is history. Turner grasped his second chance by becoming a fixture in the County Championship side and the limited-overs format of the game.

He had to wait until he was 27 years of age before being awarded his County cap. However, with the advent of the one-day game, Turner thrived and that was to enrich his talents across all formats, although he does admit to frustration that his talents in the longer form of the game were not as readily appreciated.

“I always feel a bit niggled when people used to say, ‘Stuart Turner the one-day cricketer’ because I played 361 first-class matches and took over 800 wickets and scored nearly 10,000 runs. I certainly wasn’t a one-trick pony. But I did love the one-day game and it was good to me.”

He does have two major regrets though, saying: “It’s a great shame Brian Taylor didn’t lift the JPL trophy when he was skipper. We came close on a few occasions under him and if ever a player deserved to hold the trophy aloft it was him.

“He did so much for Essex Cricket, and I owe him a great debt.

We were labelled ‘Tonker’s Tigers’ under him and that spoke volumes for the way he made us go about our business a cavalier and professional approach that made his teams great entertainers and pointed the way for successes that were to follow.

“My other regret is that I was never selected for England at one-day level. I look back and think that I was one of the best all-rounders who never played a one-day international. I thought that I was very unlucky.

“In all honesty, when I looked at some of the blokes who got picked, they weren’t fit to lace my boots as all-rounders.

That though was probably as a result of the Test squad and one-day squad being the same group of 15 players. If I had been able to pull on an England sweater just once, I would have been so happy. It would have made my father so proud. I did come close a few times and was often talked about in the papers but that was as far as it got - paper talk.”

One who shares the view that Turner was very unlucky to miss out on international recognition is Keith Fletcher, with Fletcher adding: “He was certainly better than many who got the nod from England’s selectors.

“He was a fierce competitor with both bat and ball as well as a top-class fielder and he would not have let his country down.”

The satisfaction though of being an influential performer in the Essex successes during his era afforded Turner muchvalued consolation.

He reflected: “I will always savour the camaraderie that helped weld us into a great team. Don’t forget we won every domestic honour in the space of a few years under Keith Fletcher, who was such a great leader and tactician.

“In addition to having depth and quality in our batting and bowling, we were a magnificent fielding side and I’m convinced that the side I was lucky enough to be part of would have swept aside teams playing today.

“I had a long career and I was very fortunate to have been playing in that era and I think that my team-mates would all say the same thing - that we played at the best time.”

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1998 BENSON & HEDGES CUP FINAL Essex won the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1979, but then had to wait 19 years before repeating that success. The Club claimed victory by 192 runs in what was the last ever Benson & Hedges Cup Final, which also proved to be the biggest winning margin in any Lord’s Final.

Having finished runners-up in the qualifying group, Essex beat Middlesex and then Yorkshire in the knockout stages to take their place in the Final.

The weather forecast ahead of the game was uninspiring, but the match got underway on time and it was no surprise when Leicestershire captain Chris Lewis put Essex into bat after winning the toss. However, his bowlers failed to make the best of the conditions that offered swing assistance.

Essex openers Paul Prichard and Stuart Law carried their partnership to 40 in 10 overs before Australian Law was caught for an untypically subdued 6. His downfall though paved the way for Nasser Hussain to join skipper Prichard and the duo ensured their side retained the initiative with a power-batting stand worth 134 in 25 overs.

Prichard, who had missed all the matches leading up to the Final due to a stress fracture to his left leg, was just 8 runs short of a fairy-tale century when he was caught, but Hussain carried on the good work.

Ronnie Irani offered good support contributing a quickfire 32 in a partnership of 60 before Hussain, mingling reverse sweeps

amongst a number of cuts and drives, reached 88 before he was dismissed. The Essex innings finally closed on 268-7 with Southend-born paceman Alan Mullally picking up 3-36.

Before the Leicestershire reply could commence, the rain that had been threatening all day finally arrived, forcing the match into Sunday play.

The rain continued on Sunday morning and the prospects of a resumption became increasingly unlikely. But then, dramatically, in mid-afternoon the weather improved, and the clouds rolled away to allow play to start shortly before 3:30pm.

New ball bowlers Mark Ilott and Ashley Cowan proved the masters of the unfurling situation. The duo restricted the Foxes openers to just 6 runs in as many overs before Cowan removed both batsmen with the assistance of slip catches by Stuart Law. Then Ilott claimed the first of his 4 wickets when he hit off stump to send Phil Simmons back to the Pavilion just as the total had moved into double figures.

Ilott and Cowan were proving virtually unplayable causing the Leicestershire innings to slip further into the mire and a woeful 31- 6. Irani and Law then complemented the defining efforts of the Ilott and Cowan double-act claiming a couple of wickets apiece to end an innings that spanned less than 28 overs.

For Prichard, it proved a highly rewarding return to cup action as he collected both the trophy and the Man of the Match Award for his sparkling innings of 92 from 113 balls.

ESSEX INNINGS

LEICESTERSHIRE INNINGS

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Paul Prichard: The stylish top-order batsman played for the County for 17 years, making 328 first-class appearances and was Captain between 1995 and 1998 before injury forced him to retire. He then took on a number of commercial roles in the game and is currently Head Coach with Dorset.

Stuart Law: Proved to be a brilliant Overseas recruit during his 6 years with Essex, scoring 12,587 first-class and List A runs following his debut in 1996. Later joined Lancashire and Derbyshire and then moved into coaching to lead Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies. He’s now Head Coach at Middlesex.

Nasser Hussain: Spent 17 years with Essex and captained the County in 1999. He made 96 Test appearances and skippered England on 45 occasions. On retirement from playing, he transferred into television where he has forged a successful career as a popular and leading member of the Sky Sports commentary team.

Ronnie Irani: Moved down to Essex in 1994 from his native Lancashire and the influential all-rounder eventually became Captain of his adopted County. Won 3 Test caps and 31 One-Day caps before knee problems forced him to retire in 2007. He currently combines operating a business producing orthotic insoles with the role of Chairman of the Cricket Advisory Group at Essex.

Danny Law: Enjoyed a 10-year first-class career starting at Sussex before linking up with Essex in 1997. The all-rounder played in all forms of the game for the County but then moved to Durham in 2001, and currently lives in Australia and works for a leading Waste Management company.

Paul Grayson: Joined Essex from Yorkshire in 1995. The all-rounder won 2 ODI caps and retired in 2005, and he subsequently became Essex Head Coach from 2007 until 2015.

He’s currently a Batting Coach at Yorkshire.

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Robert Rollins: Tipped by many for high honours after representing England Under-19’s, injuries prevented the gifted wicket-keeper from attaining his full potential. Played for Essex from 1993 to 1999 before retiring through injury. Robert is currently a Manager at a Children’s Centre in North London and runs a coaching business.

Stephen Peters: A key member of the England Under-19’s World Cup success and scored a century in the 1998 Final. Played for Essex for between 1996 and 2001 before moving onto Worcestershire and then Northamptonshire. Upon retirement, he joined an Insurance & Risk management company.

Ashley Cowan: A chronic knee problem cruelly brought the paceman’s 12-year career to an end in 2006, whereupon he went to work in the city. One of the most popular and entertaining of cricketers around the circuit, his own website cites: “With either bat or ball in hand, one thing was certain about Ashley Cowan the cricketer - he didn’t die wondering.”

Mark Ilott: The Watford-born left-arm seamer made 5 England Test appearances and represented Essex from 1988 until 2002.

In 1995, he returned career-best figures of 9-19, including a hat-trick of LBWs against Northants and match figures of 14-105.

He’s currently a PE Teacher and Master in charge of football and cricket at St. Alban’s School.

Peter Such: Had played for Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire before joining Essex in 1990. The off-spinner went on to win 11 England Test caps and made 189 first-class appearances for Essex until retiring in 2001. In November 2019, he left the ECB after ten years as National Lead Spin Bowling Coach.

PETER SIDDLE

INTERNATIONAL RETIREMENT

Essex bowler Peter Siddle announced his retirement from international cricket in December, ending a 67-Test career.

One of the national side’s hardest toilers over the past decade, Siddle made his Test debut in 2008 and his 221 bowler wicketsPeter put him 13thannounced in the all-time list for Essex Siddle his wicket retirement from Australia. cricket in December, ending a 67-Test career. international Siddle is also the last Australian bowler to take a Test One of the national side’s hardest toilers over the past decade, hat-trick, famously achieving the feat on his birthday Siddle made his Test debut in 2008 and his 221 wickets put him during the 2010-11 Ashes at The Gabba, notably 13th in the all-time wicket list for Australia. dismissing his now Essex teammate Alastair Cook.

Siddle is also athe last to takeseries a Testinhat-trick, He played role in Australian last year’s bowler drawn Ashes famously achieving the feat on his birthday during the 2010-11 England, taking seven wickets in three Tests.

Ashes at The Gabba, notably dismissing his now Essex Australia Coach Justin Langer described Siddle as a teammate Alastair Cook. true team man and said: “He is an unbelievable bloke an extremely good cricketer.

Heand played a role in last year’s drawn Ashes series in England, taking seven wickets in three Tests.

“He is everything of what a team player is. He has given his heartJustin and soul to the Australia team as and the team Australia Coach Langer described Siddle a true game of cricket. man and said: “He is an unbelievable bloke and an extremely “We’ll always be thankful to him for what he’s given good cricketer. the national team and he’s going out when he’s still “He is everything of what a team player is. He has given his playing well, which in a perfect world, is something heart and soul to the Australia team and the game of cricket. every athlete wants to do.”

“We’ll always thankful to him for whatechoed he’s given the Essex Headbe Coach Anthony McGrath Langer’s national and he’s going playing wordsteam and added: “Sids is aout topwhen man,he’s he’sstill as good as well, which a perfect is something every athlete wants to theyincome, and world, he really has given his all to Australia. do.”

“I don’t think anyone can question his commitment andHead desireCoach to represent his country.echoed He’s been Essex Anthony McGrath Langer’s words immense for them throughout hisasentire and and added: “Sids is a top man, he’s goodcareer as they come, and gohas down as an legend. he will really given hisAustralian all to Australia.

“His dedication to the is unbelievable.

At Essex, “I don’t think anyone cangame question his commitment and he trains how he plays and is always putting the desire to represent his country. He’s been immense for them team first.his It’sentire greatcareer for theand other having throughout willbowlers go down as an Sids Australian around and being able to pick his brain, and we’re legend. really looking forward to welcoming him back to “His dedicationintoApril.” the game is unbelievable. At Essex, he trains Chelmsford how he plays and is always putting the team first. It’s great for the other bowlers having Sids around and being able to pick his brain, and we’re really looking forward to welcoming him back to Chelmsford in April.”

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2019 SEASON QUIZ 1) In the first game of the season against Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl, three Essex players kept wicket over the duration of the match. Which three players were they?

15) Cameron Delport showed some explosive batting when scoring 129 runs against Surrey in his first T20 match at Chelmsford, but how many balls did he face?

27) Back in the Championship, how many centuries were scored between Warwickshire and Essex players in the draw at Edgbaston?

2) Peter Siddle made his first appearance of the season against Surrey at The KIA Oval.

How many wickets did he take in the match?

16) Cameron Delport and Dan Lawrence combined for 186 runs in total in that match, but how many sixes did they hit between them? 19, 20, 21 or 22?

28) In the final game of the season at Chelmsford, Essex beat Surrey by an innings and 40 runs. How many times did they record victories by an innings in the 2019 season?

3) Which two players made their Essex debuts in the same match against Surrey?

4) Essex Eagles beat Glamorgan comfortably at Sophia Gardens to kickstart the Royal London One-Day Cup campaign, but which three players posted half-centuries?

5) Peter Siddle wowed the crowd at The Cloudfm County Ground when he ran someone out by kicking the ball on to the stumps, but who was he running out?

6) Carrying on with the Royal London One-Day Cup, which two players both scored exactly 89 runs as Essex beat Hampshire by 111 runs at Chelmsford?

7) Essex secured their first red-ball win of the season against Nottinghamshire at Chelmsford, but which player top scored in the match with 67 runs?

8) In the following game against Kent, Essex won by 113 runs, but how many wickets did Simon Harmer take in the second innings? 6, 7 or 8?

9) Alastair Cook was run out for 125 in the same match, how many times had he previously been run out in his Essex red-ball career?

10) Which player scored a career high 37* as Essex and Yorkshire played out a draw in the Championship at Emerald Headingly?

11) Essex beat Hampshire by an innings and 8 runs at Chelmsford in the Championship in June, but how many runs did they score to achieve this? 204, 214, 224 or 234?

12) Which Hampshire player suffered a pair for the first time in his illustrious first-class cricket career?

13) Which player took career-best figures of 4 for 23 against Somerset in the Championship?

14) Essex posted their highest Championship score of the season against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, with both Nick Browne and Ravi Bopara scoring centuries, but how many runs did they score? 519, 524, 529, 534?

17) Which Eagles bowler was the only player in the match against Surrey to bowl a maiden? A bonus point will be given for remembering who faced him?

18) Cameron Delport scored a quickfire 56 against Gloucestershire at The Bristol County Ground, but what did he land the ball on top of when striking one maximum?

The Pavilion roof, an ice cream van, the scorers’ box or the Sky Sports pod?

19) Can you complete the line-up from that game: Tom Westley, Cameron Delport, Adam Wheater, XXX, Ryan ten Doeschate, XXX, XXX, Simon Harmer, Mohammad Amir, Adam Zampa, XXX? 20) E ssex had one Championship game in the middle of their T20 campaign when they faced Kent at The Spitfire Ground. Which player was making their final career red-ball appearance?

29) Which two bowlers combined for all 10 wickets in the first innings against Surrey?

30) B ack at Edgbaston for Finals Day, Simon Harmer recorded the best ever bowling figures by a bowler on Finals Day itself.

What were those figures?

31) Can you complete the line-up from the Final against Worcestershire Rapids: XXX, Cameron Delport, Adam Wheater, Dan Lawrence, Ryan ten Doeschate, Ravi Bopara, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer, XXX, Aaron Beard, XXX? 32) Which Worcestershire Rapids bowler did Simon Harmer score the winning runs off?

BONUS QUESTIONS: 33) How many balls did Simon Harmer bowl in first-class cricket in 2019? 3507, 3607, 3707 or 3807?

21) In a crazy second innings, Kent were bowled out for just 40. How many balls did they face in total? 103, 106, 109 or 112?

34) Who hit more sixes in the Championship season out of Nick Browne and Alastair Cook?

22) Which two players top scored for Essex in the match, with 30 apiece?

35) Robbie White was loaned to Essex in the early stages of the season from which Club?

23) Back in the Vitality Blast, which player claimed the wickets of Aaron Finch, Mark Stoneman, Sam Curran and Jordan Clark as the Eagles beat Surrey by 19 runs at The KIA Oval?

24) The Eagles had to beat Kent Spitfires and Hampshire had to suffer defeat in the final round of T20 games in order for Simon Harmer’s side to progress to the knockout rounds. Which team beat Hampshire to make that happen?

36) Varun Chopra scored 3 centuries in the Royal London One-Day Cup, which teams did they come against?

37) Which combination of bowlers bowled the most first-class maidens in 2019? Peter Siddle & Jamie Porter or Aaron Beard & Simon Harmer?

38) How many games did Essex win across all formats in the 2019 season?

25) The Quarter-Final against Lancashire Lightning was moved to which ground due to the 2019 Ashes?

39) Essex recorded a victory in the Championship inside two days in 2019, but who were the opponents?

26) In the Quarter-Final, which two players combined for 60 runs from 30 balls to see the Eagles over the line?

40) Which player was awarded the Essex DeVines Player of the Month award for September?

BONUS QUESTIONS: 33) 3707. 34) Nick Browne with 2. 35) Middlesex. 36) Glamorgan, Middlesex & Gloucestershire. 37) Siddle and Porter had 195, Harmer and Beard had 203. 38) 19 (2 in the Royal London One-Day Cup, 9 in the County Championship, 8 in the Vitality Blast). 39) Hampshire. 40) Kyle Abbott.

ANSWERS: 1) Adam Wheater, Dan Lawrence & Will Buttleman. 2) 7. 3) Rishi Patel & Robbie White. 4) Varun Chopra, Tom Westley & Dan Lawrence. 5) Dawid Malan.

6) Ravi Bopara & Ryan ten Doeschate. 7) Nick Browne. 8) 8. 9) 0. 10) Sam Cook. 11) 214. 12) Ajinkya Rahane. 13) Aaron Beard. 14) 519. 15) 49 balls. 16) 20. 17) Adam Zampa & Rikki Clarke. 18) Ice cream van. 19) Dan Lawrence, Paul Walter, Shane Snater, Matt Quinn. 20) Mohammad Amir. 21) 109. 22) Adam Wheater & Simon Harmer. 23) Jamie Porter. 24) Glamorgan. 25) Emirates Riverside. 26) Ryan ten Doeschate & Ravi Bopara. 27) 2. 28) 3. 29) Jamie Porter & Sam Cook. 30) 7 for 35.

31) Tom Westley, Aron Nijjar, Sam Cook. 32) Wayne Parnell.

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ESSEX CRICKET

IN THE COMMUNITY

ONE HIT TO ANOTHER PROGRAMME

ESSEX ABILITY TEAMS

On 19 February, residents in Barking and Dagenham completed the One Hit To Another Programme at Beacontree Leisure Centre.

The Essex Ability teams are training hard in preparation for a summer of cricket. There are three teams playing in 2020, a Super 9’s team, the D40 Development side and the D40 team, with the D40 team looking to regain the title they won in 2019.

The five attendees took part in the 6-week programme twice a week led by Lead Community Coach Kanan Thiyarajah. The participants learned about running safe, fun and inclusive cricket sessions for beginners.

As part of the course our County Welfare Officer Phil Knappett ran a Safe Coaching Practice workshop and the British Red Cross ran an Introduction to First Aid workshop.

The Mayor of Barking & Dagenham Council Cllr. Peter Chand provided certificates to all the attendees. The group have been invited to The Cloudfm County Ground in the near future to receive their certificates and enjoy watching the County Champions live.

This year will see hearing impaired players joining the County team and each team will be playing a minimum of 6 games over the summer against other sides. In total, Essex will have nearly 40 players representing the teams.

WALKING CRICKET The Walking Cricket Programme is continuing to grow.

On top of the current session running in Chelmsford, programmes have recently started at the Leyton Urban Hub and also at the Stansted Mountfitchet Romeera Leisure Centre.

Walking Cricket gives the opportunity for people to play a format of the game that may be seen as more accessible than other current formats.

As the name suggests the game is played at walking place and its aim is to deliver cricketing skills to players who may not have played for a while, or for new players. The format provides an exciting way to keep active and fit.

WHEELCHAIR CRICKET TAPE BALL CRICKET AT LEYTON Over Xmas Day and Boxing Day, the Leyton Urban Hub hosted Tape Ball Cricket on a pilot programme from 6pm to 11pm. Over the two evenings, there were 90 attendees with multiple cricket games played amongst the diverse East London Cricket loving community, with Apex Team winning the tournament.

There are currently two wheelchair cricket sessions running in Essex, one at the Brentwood Centre and one at the University of East London.

Essex Cricket are working with the UK Wheelchair Cricket Association to help grow and develop wheelchair cricket in the UK. This format of cricket is played indoors and it has been designed to be a fast and exciting game and allows people of all ages and both sexes to take part.

The game involves the basic principles and skills of traditional cricket, but with a twist. This also provides an opportunity for wheelchair players to adopt and play a format specifically designed for them.

39

Congratulations Essex Cricket Double Champions 2019

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SIMON HARMER

DEVINES PLAYER OF THE YEAR

With over 100 wickets across all formats for Essex last season, it didn’t surprise many when Simon Harmer was announced as the DeVines Player of the Year at the Club’s End of Season Gala Dinner.

The 31-year-old was in tantalising form all year round, and picked up the individual DeVines Player of the Month award on two occasions (May and June). The other winners were Varun Chopra, for his Royal London One-Day Cup performances in April, Nick Browne, for his batting in July, Sam Cook, for his unbelievable spell of bowling against Kent in August, and Kyle Abbott, for his wickets and display for Hampshire against title rivals Somerset.

On collecting the DeVines Player of the Year award, Harmer said: “It’s been a great season and I’m really pleased we managed to bring two trophies back to Chelmsford.

“On top of team awards it’s an honour to pick up the DeVines Player of the Year award, as voted for by the fans.

Getting chosen by the people who watch you week in week out really means a lot to me so I’m very thankful for this award.

“Hopefully 2020 will be another successful year and we’ll be celebrating winning more trophies together.”

The DeVines Player of the Season voting takes place at the conclusion of the cricket campaign just days before the Club’s End of Season Gala Dinner, which Clive and Alison Purdy of DeVines announcing the winner on the night itself.

Make sure to look out for the voting polls on our social media channels and website throughout the year to ensure you have your say on who claims the awards.

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