2021 Team

[Perov]

Buttleman has just turned 21 and with more experience will become a good keeper. He is better than Pepper, (who seems a decent fielder) and will soon be better than Adam Wheater, who has started to look sloppy of late.
I would give Buttleman the chance to keep in the 50 over competition and see how he goes.

[dazedpenguin]

Glamorgan won the toss and will bat first. Essex unchanged.

(and Peter Such is the match referee).

[dazedpenguin]

And a great win with 7 overs left. Glamorgan were shockingly poor, but this was a confident performance and great bowling from Nijjar, Harmer, Cook and Plom.

Sussex and Hampshire will be a lot trickier and I'd be surprised if Essex qualify for the next round. But they're playing with renewed confidence, so it's not as unlikely as it seemed.

[bwildered]

 A comprehensive a win has possible. Exceptional in the field, which backed up the bowling. A team performance in the top draw.
A special mention on Nijjar, might be helped by the hybrid wicket , but another decent bowling stint.

[nat]

Another win so well done team. That's 5 wins, which is a couple more than I thought we'd get in the whole competition.

Not wishing to rain on their parade...but ...
...
the standard of the competition this year seems to be poor. Many big name players missing.

[bwildered]

Another win so well done team. That's 5 wins, which is a couple more than I thought we'd get in the whole competition.

Not wishing to rain on their parade...but ...
...
the standard of the competition this year seems to be poor. Many big name players missing.

 With the 16.4 now on the horizon, a migration of one day specialist and test players from the counties to be reporting to there new franchise squads. Yes, the circus is about to hit the streets and screens.
However,  like last night it is a opportunity for some fringe players to now show their own skills and claim progress for first team places in all formats.
 Question is, do punters want to spend there own hard earned on  watching semi second Xl cricket still under the county badge while youngers hone skills at another level ?

[golden duck]

Agree about the weakened teams... Sussex were superb at Chelmsford but with England call ups for a handful of their squad they're not the same proposition. It is something the ECB should be looking at across all formats (especially first class cricket.)
Having said that, this is an Essex forum and we are doing just fine. Real potential from at least 3 less experienced players in Nijjar, Buttleman and Pepper.
With the last 3 matches against a still weakened Sussex, a season over Hants and a poor Middlesex, qualification is possible. Whatever happens it has been a positive T20 campaign and it feels like we have started a process to improve.
We should be aiming to build on this and the 50 over competition has to be a possible trophy opportunity. With other counties impacted far more by the 16.4, we should in with a chance.

[Reddevil]

Apart from the obvious good news of the win, the best  news  from the margin of victory is the significant reduction is the run rate deficit which as we all know can be the difference between qualifying and non qualifying.

Fully take the point about weakened teams, due to call ups etc., and now we are seeing every team beat opponents, when not anticipated.

All making for quite a finale.

As I was a predictor of the ignominy of bottom two finish,(still possible), there is no greater joy than for me to eat another generous portion of humble pie.

Whatever we say about our lads, as a team, they continue to keep on giving, good a d bad.

The flame is burning brighter.

[afinetickletoleg]

If nothing else this season has given some younger players some good experience.

[dazedpenguin]

Sussex won the toss and chose to field. Two changes- Khushi in for Buttleman and Westley replaces Lawrence.

[honkytonk]

Why are we bowling Plom again??

[paulcm]

Why indeed If I remember rightly, his 0-39 off 3,was very similar to his last “performance “.Walter was given just 1 over,which went for 4 runs. Why not play Snater—not particularly economical but at least he’d get a few wickets.

[Reddevil]

Sounds as if our team selection and bowling choices were awry tonight.

At 67-4, I briefly enjoyed hopes of a surprise win, but who should spoil the party but none other than Ravi, who appears to have played the crucial innings.

How much are we missing him?

Batting yet again failed to deliver after an ok start before the rather predictable nose dive began.

Having seen Hampshire demolish, an admittedly under  strength  Somerset  side tonight, I am rather fearful of their encounter with us next week.

Their bowling is performing well as a unit and we will have to bat well to make a match of it.

[dazedpenguin]

Missing Lawrence's batting (and bowling) tonight and Neesham has underperformed.

Are Essex out of it now? I'm guessing that's it.

[dazedpenguin]

Why indeed If I remember rightly, his 0-39 off 3,was very similar to his last “performance “.Walter was given just 1 over,which went for 4 runs. Why not play Snater—not particularly economical but at least he’d get a few wickets.

In Plom's last 2 games before this one he got 3/31 against Somerset and 2/16 against Glamorgan. Snater and Porter have both been expensive when they've played. Would Beard or Allison have been a better option? It seems Cook is the only seamer to have figured out T20.