Essex CCC

[EliotNes]

Not Essex related but I'm off to watch Bexley CC again today , last week they managed to lose by 1 wicket when the Bickley last pair scored 27 , no doubt Bexley will throw it away again today

Well what happened Ron, don't keep us in suspenders.

Lost by 40 runs , that's 3 losses in 5 games , poor season me thinks

Never mind, there is always the next game.

[cymruO]

Well done Essex! Incredible how we got a game - it's only just stopped raining here in Wales. Once again a superb power play set us up for Middx to need 80 odd in 6 overs. Noticed Pepper kept wicket - Rossington damaged his finger during his innings. Not sure when we'll see him again; is this Khushi's chance?

[Top of the JES]

Never rated Rossington so if Pepper keeps and Kushi comes back happy days.

Another dominent win against Middlesex great performance again.

[BIGRON]

Easy win for England tonight , I still don't think they'll qualify though

[Adz]

Well done Essex! Incredible how we got a game - it's only just stopped raining here in Wales. Once again a superb power play set us up for Middx to need 80 odd in 6 overs. Noticed Pepper kept wicket - Rossington damaged his finger during his innings. Not sure when we'll see him again; is this Khushi's chance?

I don't think duckworth lewis works in the 20/20. It doesn't take into account any time to play in and then accelerate over such a short amount of overs.

[cymruO]

What an awful performance! Another collapse when all set to get over 200 runs, then an abysmal bowling performance and some fielding that left a lot to be desired. Long way to go and top four finish will do. We are such a better side than tonight.

[Top of the JES]

I find it really hard to watch Rossington.

He's been with Essex two and a half years and still looks totally unfit, it's unprofessional in this day and age to be carrying so much weight, he looks heavier now than when he joined and he's keeping good young talent like Kushi out of the team.

Watching him waddle up and down the pitch tonight was plain embarrassing as was his captaincy.

[EliotNes]

32 runs from one Daniel Sams over.

[BIGRON]

Rain at the world cup , England will be out if the games abandoned

[Top of the JES]

A really good performance to clip the hawks wings, bowled well and batted sensibly (for a change).

[cymruO]

In US at the moment, staying with my son. Awful watching England but a great watch and result from Essex. Great performance and tight bowling from Harmer. Watching today!

[Top of the JES]

Sun stops play at Canterbury, never seen that before.

[Top of the JES]

Another win for Essex by 5 wickets another big score for Michael Pepper.

Could be moving closer to a Salt and Pepper opening partnership for England,

[cymruO]

Great win but Walter throws his wicket away yet again, as does Rossington. What about Pepper!!! Hope some of the England old guard are watching.

[Top of the JES]

Great win but Walter throws his wicket away yet again, as does Rossington. What about Pepper!!! Hope some of the England old guard are watching.

Walter is batting too high IMHO. Rossington should be playing club cricket simple as, Overweight and not made any effort to get fit in his two and a half seasons to date, he's not fit enough to bat more than half an hour as he can't run its embarrassing. Where's Kushi?

[EliotNes]

Sun stops play at Canterbury, never seen that before.

I have, but I can't remember where or when in the last 5-10 years. It was a Sky Sports televised match.

Now back to the County Championship. Looking forward to the next two days in the sun at Chelmsford, including a Life Members Lunch on Monday, before Mrs NES and I disappear to the Isle of Man to help an old business partner celebrate a "Special" birthday. Let's hope our bowlers turn up and the new guy, Ethan Bosch, is not a dud and gets a good few wickets.

Esssexxx, Esssexxx

[Horient]

Great win but Walter throws his wicket away yet again, as does Rossington. What about Pepper!!! Hope some of the England old guard are watching.

Walter is batting too high IMHO. Rossington should be playing club cricket simple as, Overweight and not made any effort to get fit in his two and a half seasons to date, he's not fit enough to bat more than half an hour as he can't run its embarrassing. Where's Kushi?

Rumour has it Kushi was asked to bat in a more conservative fashion in the CC but has failed to heed those orders and when asked to tone it down and build an innings, he responded that he won’t get any Twenty20 contracts batting like that. His dad is his agent and he’s been pushing him to take the Twenty20 route and ignore orders. Apparent didn’t go down well with the powers that be and this is apparently the reason for his disappearance.

[Top of the JES]

Great win but Walter throws his wicket away yet again, as does Rossington. What about Pepper!!! Hope some of the England old guard are watching.

Walter is batting too high IMHO. Rossington should be playing club cricket simple as, Overweight and not made any effort to get fit in his two and a half seasons to date, he's not fit enough to bat more than half an hour as he can't run its embarrassing. Where's Kushi?

Rumour has it Kushi was asked to bat in a more conservative fashion in the CC but has failed to heed those orders and when asked to tone it down and build an innings, he responded that he won’t get any Twenty20 contracts batting like that. His dad is his agent and he’s been pushing him to take the Twenty20 route and ignore orders. Apparent didn’t go down well with the powers that be and this is apparently the reason for his disappearance.

Cheers Horient, that would explain a lot.

[EliotNes]

It's going to be difficult to get much out of this match. It was a bit attrionnal at the end of the day. The best to ask for is we get to 450 and are asked to follow-on; get a lead of 150 with 2 sessions to go and Harmer does his magic. Oh well, one can dream.

I didn't understand why Westley didn't give the new guy Bosch a bowl this morning, especially when Robinson and Ackerman were hitting Harmer and Critchley for regular 4's and 6s. 18 runs off of Critchely's first over.

Westley did not like the lbw decision against him and as I was then standing at the bowlers end, I have sympathy for him as the ball seemed to turn a lot.

John Stephenson didn't come and give his usual pep-talk to the Life Members Lunch, rumour had it that he was assessing the ECB's "official" response to the Kushi-batgate saga. Watch this space.

At least it was a good lunch, good company on the table and a nice day sitting in the sun.

[cymruO]

On one of the season's best batting wickets so far our top 4 should be ashamed of themselves. Westley's a passenger and Browne's so inconsistent. Elgar and Cox should still be there. Instead the middle order has to score over 400 runs just to avoid the follow on.

[EliotNes]

I've seen Elgar dismissed 6-7 times this season. He always hangs around at the crease, looking at the sky, then trudges off as if he is saying to himself "why did I do that". Well, I'm the spectator and I can't understand the shot he had decided to take that got him out. There is a bit of me thinks that, at his age and with what he has done in his career, he hasn't got the dedication and concentration anymore. I hope he proves me wrong in the 2nd innings and gets a speedy double ton.

[BIGRON]

Don't look like they will avoid the follow on

[Currywurst and Chips]

Why didn’t Durham enforce the follow-on?

[EliotNes]

Why didn’t Durham enforce the follow-on?

Knackered bowlers and recently it appears the "norm" is to bat again to get a huge total for the opposition to score in the 4th innings and leave oneself enough time to bowl them out. Then again, Surrey did enforce the follow-on today against Worcs.

Essex have got to bat all day tomorrow to 1) draw or 2) win; anything less and it's a defeat and just 3 or 4 bonus points.

[cymruO]

In USA at the moment and on the beach so only seen highlights. Essex less Browne already must bat more cautiously. A win would be great but a draw out of this wouldn't be too bad. Next week to come!