The Essex CCC Thread

[canveyshrimper]

After a draw in the first Championship game of the summer against Derbyshire, Essex face Northants Kolpakshire) Steelbacks today in their defence of the FPT Trophy. Both Napier & Bopara are absent at the IPL, Cook injured and Danish still awaiting his visa.

Interesting to see Matt the Shrimp in the Essex side. A very good interview with James Foster pre match with Nasser Hussain.

Kolpakshire already 1 down in the first over after winning the toss and electing to bat.

 

[BrettieAngell]

68-4 now, thought they might get away a bit but we've done well to get a few wickets before that happened.

 

[Bluesmanager]

95-4.

Off 19 overs. Am I the only one who's thinking that's more than a little cack?

 

[BrettieAngell]

We need to 282 to win, tough!

 

[canveyshrimper]

We need to 282 to win, tough!

Fairly comfortable win in the end excellent 75 from Chopra and a very impressive 69 from MtS. ;)

 

[BrettieAngell]

Fairly comfortable win in the end excellent 75 from Chopra and a very impressive 69 from MtS. ;)

yeah well played Essex!

 

[Bluesmanager]

TBH, from what I could see on the Sky Score Centre, the only issue was going to be overs - nearly ran out today.

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

I thought it was pretty comfortable yesterday; we always had plenty of batting in reserve (Foster, ten Doeschate and the potentially explosive - if only for a short period - Middlesbrook and Wright didn't get to bat) and we delayed the batting powerplay until very late on, which gave Northants a distorted view of the equation going into the final ten overs.

Early on, I was very impressed with Pettini's captaincy, delaying the bowling powerplay for an over to introduce Middlebrook early on, then taking it straight away and getting another couple of wickets. I think he's really growing into the role, particularly in one-day cricket, although he could have used the spinners a little more yesterday later on in the innings, when Wright and Chambers briefly returned for expensive one-off overs.

Batting-wise, after a shaky start (Gallian, Pettini and Chopra all exhibited fairly wafty drives inside the opening ten overs), everyone contributed and made what could've been a testing target very easy to chase down. Chopra's starting to show his potential now after a slightly disappointing 2008 with a fifty in the Championship match in addition to his 76 yesterday, with his next step probably to try and step up the pace of an innings as he moves from 30 to 70.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Gloucestershire 44-4, much better start from Essexshire today. Lets hope they keep it up.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Gloucs 68-4 at lunch.

Essex unchanged from last week's game against Northants.

Another 3 catches for Fozzie, making it 10 out of the 20 FC wickets we've taken so far this season.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Gloucs now 105-5, wicket for Masters (3-16 off 16 overs), another catch for Fozzie.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Gloucs now 128-6, RtD with the wicket, and again another catch for Fozzie.

Gloucs now on target for 350 I reckon.......

 

[The General]

RtD gets the big wicket of Marshall (64) via an lbw!

 

[number11]

A good 5fer for RtD. They are 155 all out.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Gloucs all out for 155, RtD wrapping up the tail to finish with 5-62 from 18 overs.

Essex 2-0 in reply.

Good work boys.

Edit - Beat me to it Number11 :)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Essex finish the day 60/3, 95 in arrears.

 

[Grayson]

Great performance with the ball, but our batting again this year could be horrific. The wickets suggest a swinging day in Bristol. Saying that, our best 3 batsmen are to come (ok, my preferred 3) so hopefully we can get to 300.

 

[The General]

We are now 100-4. Mickelburgh and Pettini in...

 

[number11]

We are now 100-4. Mickelburgh and Pettini in...

117 for 7!!!! Oh dear!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Ten Doeschate holes out for 42

175-8