Some interesting Wisden stats since 1963

[IlfordEagle]

In today's Daily Mail there is an article about Bob Willis & at the side is a League table drawn up by Wisden  showing County ratings since 1 day cricket began in 1963, allocating points for CC, 1 Day Leagues (JP,B&H Groups etc), Limited overs, T20 etc.
Essex have come out of it really well ranking overall 3rd in that time behind Lancs 1st & Warwicks 2nd with Kent 4th, unsurprisingly Derby finished bottom. We were 2nd in CC figures (Middlesex 1st), ist in 1day Leagues (Kent 2nd, Lancs 3rd), mid table with the other categories.
Overall Yorks were the team of the 60s, Kent the 70s (totally dominated more than any County in any other decade), Middlesex in the 80s - just edging out us, Lancs & Warwicks equally in the 90s, 2000s Sussex, 2010s Somerset - largely due to their incredible consistency. Lancs were the most consistent 1 day team with the most titles from Warwicks then Essex & Kent jointly.
What this does show is how well Essex have done over the years consistently over achieving & punching above our weight which most of us know anyway - we have much to be proud of especially when some wealthier & supposedly more affluent Counties have finished much lower than us (Surrey 5th, Middx 6th, Yorks 9th). If you have the time (lots of us have at the moment) it's well worth a look!!

[SirChef26]

We've won the most major domestic trophies of all 18 counties over the past 40 years (19). The beauty of domestic cricket compared to football, you can't buy trophies as easily in this sport.

[LeedsExile]

And we don't get any near the credit we receive. 4 England Test captains as well.

[Andy]

I'm surprised that K@nt were as dominant in the 70s. In my memory the county game was very competitive with no single county dominating as Sorry and Yarrkshire in the 50s and 60s.

Indeed we gave the national team the best batsman of the past 40 years.

[essexfan548]

Indeed we gave the national team the best batsman of the past 40 years.

Make that batsmen - Gooch as well as Chef

[nat]

I'm surprised that K@nt were as dominant in the 70s. In my memory the county game was very competitive with no single county dominating as Sorry and Yarrkshire in the 50s and 60s.

Indeed we gave the national team the best batsman of the past 40 years.

John Stephenson

[essexfan548]

I'm surprised that K@nt were as dominant in the 70s. In my memory the county game was very competitive with no single county dominating as Sorry and Yarrkshire in the 50s and 60s.

Indeed we gave the national team the best batsman of the past 40 years.

John Stephenson

I enjoyed watching him bat - I think I saw his score his first century at Canterbury

[Andy]

Indeed we gave the national team the best batsman of the past 40 years.

Make that batsmen - Gooch as well as Chef

Nah, Gooch was better than Chef - as much as I admire the latter I couldn’t see him dismantling the Windies at their peak, destroy the Indian spinners or even cause Shane Warne problems.

[Slogger]

Agree with Andy on Gooch. If he had managed a dominant Ashes series (like Cook in 2010/11) he would be regarded as one of the top handful of English bats ever. At county level he could dismantle attacks or grind it out. Not many players can do that. I know some think he went on too long but his 1996 stats, at 43, are astonishing.

[essexfan548]

Indeed we gave the national team the best batsman of the past 40 years.

Make that batsmen - Gooch as well as Chef

Nah, Gooch was better than Chef - as much as I admire the latter I couldn’t see him dismantling the Windies at their peak, destroy the Indian spinners or even cause Shane Warne problems.

Andy there was no hierarchy in my post - just a comment that we've produced two great batsmen.

[Andy]

Agree with Andy on Gooch. If he had managed a dominant Ashes series (like Cook in 2010/11) he would be regarded as one of the top handful of English bats ever. At county level he could dismantle attacks or grind it out. Not many players can do that. I know some think he went on too long but his 1996 stats, at 43, are astonishing.

Considering GG played a shedload of games for the club alongside holding together the England batting order. Chef made his runs against generally weaker attacks.