This seasons comp

[LeedsExile]

The deals mentioned above had all been agreed pre covid. The "agreement" was supposed to be about signing new players in the circumstances suggested by Ilford Eagle.

[Slogger]

It would be a tad incongruous for the club to make a signing when they say that refunding membership fees isn't possible due to financial constraints. I suppose it hasn't stopped Yorkshire with Bess, but with 20% cuts from the ECB in the offing I suspect for now we go with what we've got and re-double efforts to produce young players through the academy. Like the late 1960s we might end up with a tight group of local players as the core of the team and a small staff?

[bwildered]

Eagles batting needs to step up to the plate. Cannot keep relying on the bowlers getting them out of trouble. At present more dodgy than the buffering online incurring while trying to watch. We will be happy when everything gets into sync.

[essexfan548]

Indeed, trying to slog every ball for 6 is not working ...

[nat]

"the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result"

[IlfordEagle]

The best way quite often is to keep the score moving even by just getting 1s & 2s, keep the fielders on their toes etc, in due course they will make mistakes & boundaries will come. This is something Essex don't appear to have learnt over the years, in the early years Andy Flower was adept at doing this but as others have said we seem to want to hit every ball for 6 which , of course, you can't.
We now need a miracle to qualify, we really need to win 5/6 out of 6, we did it last year from a poor position but I don't think history will repeat itself, Essex please prove me wrong!!

[nat]

At least agent Bopara is fulfilling his mission.

[bwildered]

Masterclass of batters not hitting gaps but finding fielders.Too many top order batters not getting in and also out to soft dismissals .

[IlfordEagle]

Whatever else happens in this year's competition our need for a batsman (or maybe even 2) becomes more critical by the match - nobody has passed 50 so far, nobody dominates an innings & we cannot get a big enough score to defend adequately putting extra pressure on our bowlers who cannot always dig us out of trouble. It says it all that Tendo at 40 is arguably still our best batsman but he cannot go on for forever.
Additionally in red ball cricket a similar situation exists & also when Ally calls it a day which may well be at the end of next season the problem arises as to how to replace him either by someone experienced similar to Amla or an experienced player or two released by other Counties (who I have no idea!!).

[honkytonk]

Whatever else happens in this year's competition our need for a batsman (or maybe even 2) becomes more critical by the match - nobody has passed 50 so far, nobody dominates an innings & we cannot get a big enough score to defend adequately putting extra pressure on our bowlers who cannot always dig us out of trouble. It says it all that Tendo at 40 is arguably still our best batsman but he cannot go on for forever.
Additionally in red ball cricket a similar situation exists & also when Ally calls it a day which may well be at the end of next season the problem arises as to how to replace him either by someone experienced similar to Amla or an experienced player or two released by other Counties (who I have no idea!!).

Been saying this for a while. We need batters

[ytsejam1]

Whatever else happens in this year's competition our need for a batsman (or maybe even 2) becomes more critical by the match - nobody has passed 50 so far, nobody dominates an innings & we cannot get a big enough score to defend adequately putting extra pressure on our bowlers who cannot always dig us out of trouble. It says it all that Tendo at 40 is arguably still our best batsman but he cannot go on for forever.
Additionally in red ball cricket a similar situation exists & also when Ally calls it a day which may well be at the end of next season the problem arises as to how to replace him either by someone experienced similar to Amla or an experienced player or two released by other Counties (who I have no idea!!).

Been saying this for a while. We need batters

Ain't a lot of us?!!!

We could quite easily be going into a (hopefully) full 2021 Country season with a top 6 of:-
Browne, ? , Westley, ?, Kushi, ?   If Cook (possibly), Lawrence (quite likely) and Tendo (very likely) are no longer available!
That's two career 30 average batsmen and a kid!!......
Heaven help us if Harmer is then back playing International cricket and not available full time too!!

[Slogger]

Sir Alastair has stated he will play next year.

[ytsejam1]

Sir Alastair has stated he will play next year.

That’s some good news at least then!!....

[SirChef26]

Siddle's already locked down for next year as well so no prospect of an overseas bat next year.

In regards to T20, I notice Ed Pollock is out of contract at Warwickshire, who have offered an extension. He'd be an ideal T20 opening bat to either replace or complement Delport depending on his status next year. A Buckinghamshire lad would surely be tempted by us? I'm sick of watching Chopra and Westley wasting valuable powerplay balls.

[ytsejam1]

Isn't there a well known saying?..... "never change a winning side".....I think somewhere this has been lost in translation for Essex!!