Essex duo .

[bwildered]

 Now out the bazball era, Jordan Cox and recalled Sam Cook selected in the test squad for the two forthcoming test matches against Pakistan later in the month .
 Also recalled is ex Essex man Dan Lawrence .

[dazedpenguin]

And the duo of Noah Thain and Luc Benkenstein are in the county select XI for the tour game against Pakistan at Beckenham starting tomorrow.

Professional County Club XI: Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire), Luc Benkenstein (Essex), Caleb Falconer (Middlesex), Matt Fisher (Surrey), Emilio Gay (Durham), Nathan Gilchrist (Warwickshire), Tom Haines (Sussex, captain), Josh Hull (Leicestershire), Manny Lumdsen (Hampshire), James Rew (Somerset), James Sales (Northamptonshire), Charlie Tear (Sussex), Noah Thain (Essex), Saif Zaib (Northamptonshire)

[Caughtright]

Huge congratulations to Noah and Luc on their selections for the PCC squad agaist Pakistan, both well deserved; also to Noah on being our player of the month.

[Essexfan8899]

Delighted and well deserved for Noah and Benky.

Hope they both get a game and make an impact.

Great red ball practice ahead of the Cidermen game next week!

[Perov]

Not sure Benky will play at Somerset.

[vim]

Great red ball practice.

The Pakistan team have spent a month together at a training camp, before leaving.

[Caughtright]

On the BBC cricket pages this game has been downgraded from "first class" to "minor multi-day match".

[nat]

On the BBC cricket pages this game has been downgraded from "first class" to "minor multi-day match".

That'll be because they'll mix and match who bats/bowls from the whole squad of players. A complete nonsense.

[JasonP]

On the BBC cricket pages this game has been downgraded from "first class" to "minor multi-day match".

That'll be because they'll mix and match who bats/bowls from the whole squad of players. A complete nonsense.

It's for the benefit of the Pakistan team, if they're happy with it then fine.  They should just play it behind closed doors.  The scores are meaningless.

[Essexfan8899]

Oh dear........

Not a great outing for our boys today!!!!

 

[Valentines Park]

Oh dear........

Not a great outing for our boys today!!!!

 

It doesn't count so who cares.

[dazedpenguin]

It doesn't count so who cares.

I'm sure Thain and Benkenstein won't be concerned about its lack of first class status, it's an opportunity to impress against good quality opposition. Let's hope they do better second innings.

[essexfan548]

They can't do worse than Emilio Gay has ....