yep 2025 seems about right. I'd stake my reputation on it.
I'm in a glass half full frame of mind today and it leads me to think that 2025 is a bit pessimistic. I think we might drag out a slow death until 2030.
The only thing that could save New Writtle Street from turning into a housing development of one and two bed flats would be if the ECB decided to use us as ground operator for women's cricket. Small playing area and small capacity being suitable for stand alone women's fixtures.
I'd go 2030 as well at the absolute latest, although 2025 wouldn't surprise me. As for women's cricket, I guess that's a possibility, although when considering the crowds they've been getting for the 16.4, I suspect the England Women's team will transition to playing regularly at test match grounds, whilst the domestic teams play at the outgrounds of the test match counties e.g Lancashire Women at Liverpool, Chester etc.
The sad thing is that this was so avoidable from an Essex perspective, but we've been let down by the numerous people in charge. We've got the fanbase, we've got the catchment area, but we don't have the ground and despite years and years of talk the County Ground remains an old relic and ultimately our ticket to the wilderness. Worst thing is, the people in charge of Essex will stand by and let it happen. Just like they did with the Hundred, they are too frightened of the ECB.
Just my opinion, but I truly believe the only chance Essex have of survival as a full time county playing top level domestic cricket is for the members to swallow their pride and the club to go down the Hampshire route and sell either a minor or a majority stake in the club to a rich benefactor either in the UK or abroad, who has the money and commitment to either radically redevelop Chelmsford to bring it to international standard (unlikely considering the lack of space), or sell it and build a new ground somewhere else in the county. As I said, we've got both the support, the academy infrastructure, the history of international player production and the catchment area (Essex, East Anglia, East London) to continue being allowed to play top level domestic cricket. We just need a ground with facilities fit enough to be given the green light and that won't happen in our current position as a members club. We'll never find the money without taking out a huge loan that we could never pay back.
We simply cannot go on like this, we are sleepwalking into oblivion and I say it because I care! I have no interest or intention in following or supporting a part-time cricket club whose job it is to play feeder to the test match counties.
