The only way is Essex

posted by John Winn

Monday morning saw me make an early start at York station where East Coast rescued me after the cancellation of the 8:20 Grand Central train and shortly before noon I walked into the Essex County Ground at Chelmsford. Here I was reunited with three friends from my time spent in Sussex, one of whom I had not seen since a day at Grace Road five years ago.

I had last visited the Chelmsford ground, the Essex HQ since 1967, in 1996 when on a very hot Saturday Notts were  the visitors but it did not seem to have changed too much. £17 the poorer I found my friends in a members only area: another ground that seems  fairly relaxed about stewarding. There was a decent crowd inside supplemented by some treble voices on the far side who appeared to be enjoying a respite from rote learning and cheered every Essex boundary with shrill vim.

Visitors Glamorgan had been bowled out for 244 by stumps on Sunday and Essex had lost two wickets in the early stages of their reply. This paired New Zealander Ryder with Smith (G) and they took the score to over 100 before Ryder was rather unexpectedly bowled by Hogan which tilted the game towards Glamorgan with Smith and Foakes following in close order. Recovery came about first through Pettini and Foster and then the Essex skipper persuaded the tail to hang about while the score rose to 261 for 9 and he was dismissed for an intelligent 86. Two weeks ago at New Road I saw Foster keep wicket magically and here he was drawing the other string to his bow but I don't expect him to feature when 'new look' England announce their squad for the first test tomorrow. Were we playing Australia in a one off match for the ashes then he would be my choice behind the sticks and to bat at seven. Who would be yours?

Even with Foster gone Essex were not quite finished, for Thomas Moore, surely a man for all seasons, struck 17 off 13 balls before Wagg stopped the tail wagging further by bowling him. This left the game neat and tidy again for their was no time for Glamorgan to bat and when they began their second innings yesterday they had a deficit of 36 when early on Monday afternoon a lead had looked more likely. By the time Messrs O'Shaugnessy and Sharp had lifted the bails I was heading back to King's Cross where the 8:00 East Coast train provided a smooth return to York. Another must see match in the bag and the full complement of Essex matches against the other 17 counties.

Only 63 overs were possible yesterday at Chelmsford but of the ten Glamorgan batsmen who came to the crease none could muster 50 and if the weather allows, Essex could pick up their second win of the season today as their visitors lead is only 152 with eight down.

If Jason Gillespie does smug then he will be hard put to conceal it this morning for by starting their game at Northampton on Saturday Yorkshire
have avoided the risk of the rain which threatens to spoil some interesting finishes today, none more so than at The Riverside where I spent yesterday in the company of the usual suspects. Poor bowling by Durham in the afternoon allowed Middlesex's last five wickets  to more than double the score and given the poor forecast for that area there seems little alternative to a draw, leaving the champions still winless after seven matches. As I type it is a miserable morning in the Lower Ure Valley and, having done over a thousand miles in the last week it is an ideal day for catching up with a few domestic duties.