Essex CCC 2019

[Ex-Member1]

Come on rain I say.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Interesting to see how Tendo decides to play the toss. Lots of rain predicted on first day and fair amount due to come down on day two. I would opt to bowl first as it's likely only 50 overs or so would get bowled over first two days (maybe less) so come day three Somerset would still have to bat in their first innings with 20 Essex wickets still to get. So much time out of the game they would have to push hard taking risks they wouldn't normally do.
They have to win - we only need not to lose. To get up to the required 400-450 (looking only to bat once in game) the game would be close to tea on day three without Essex facing a ball. If they bowl us out twice from there then good luck to them.

Surely it depends on the pitch?

Somerset have been doctoring their pitches for a couple of years now. Will be interesting to see whether it's a raging turner for Leach and Bess that will only deterioate or a very fresh green top for Gregory and Craig Overton. They'll likely have been preparing both for a few weeks now with an eye on making a late decision.

The one thing we can guarantee is that it'll be a poor pitch.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Very true. The worse the weather forecast gets the worse the pitch they prepare will be. Got to try and get a result in 2-3 days.

Only issue is what is good for them, is also ideal for Porter, Cook and Harmer.

 

[tia]

If the BBC Forecast for Taunton is proved right there is no chance of anything but a draw

 

[Ricky Otto]

If the BBC Forecast for Taunton is proved right there is no chance of anything but a draw

Skybet's odds of 1/4 on us to win the championship would suggest that a lot of rain is likely

 

[cerbera45]

The one thing we can guarantee is that it'll be a poor pitch.

I remember some year's ago Essex CCC being deducted points for the Southchurch Park wicket,

 

[Southminster Shrimper]

So it's T20 finals day tomorrow What do we think of our chances? Weather looks good.

 

[Blueronron]

Derbyshire must be happy with the draw same as we were
Like to think players have confidence to get through the final and I think v Notts who are a power house in this format
Playing the one player I detest in the game Samit Patel Who normally tonks us either bat or ball or both
So finals with a lost to Notts hope I’m wrong

 

[Ricky Otto]

So it's T20 finals day tomorrow What do we think of our chances? Weather looks good.

We got the favourable Semi final draw so I would hope we make the final. Not sure if Siddle will play? We are certainly weaker without Amir. I'd say beaten finalists but in t20 a performance could win it for you. If Delport swings from the off and stays in for 7 or 8 overs you stand a chance against anyone.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Just heard no Zampa tomorrow, not sure why? I change my prediction to losing semi finalists

 

[Ex-Member1]

I'm going for a win, the mood is buoyant. COYE

 

[Ricky Otto]

No squad announced yet but am being told there will be no Zampa as the Aussie season starts tomorrow and he has not been allowed to play. No Amir as Pakistan won't release him, apparently the same for Wasim at Notts. Walter is a serious injury doubt as well.

That is a significantly weakened side

 

[Southminster Shrimper]

Crikey, that is not good. Interesting to see what team we do put out tomorrow.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Crikey, that is not good. Interesting to see what team we do put out tomorrow.

The squad has been announced and it's not good

 

[Blueronron]

Has to be bad Shane Snater in there!!

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Skybet's odds of 1/4 on us to win the championship would suggest that a lot of rain is likely

Or we’re the better side.
We’ve lost one fc game all season.

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Surely it depends on the pitch?

Somerset have been doctoring their pitches for a couple of years now. Will be interesting to see whether it's a raging turner for Leach and Bess that will only deterioate or a very fresh green top for Gregory and Craig Overton. They'll likely have been preparing both for a few weeks now with an eye on making a late decision.

The one thing we can guarantee is that it'll be a poor pitch.

They still have to take 20 Essex wickets to win and they can’t do that when we’re not batting.
Bowling first takes more time out the game which is already likely to be vastly reduced.

 

[The Big Dady]

Essex Squad

 

[Ricky Otto]

Or we’re the better side.
We’ve lost one fc game all season.

Yep that will definitely play a part too bet365 aren't even offering odds on the draw though, think that speaks volumes

 

[The Big Dady]

Preview

Essex Eagles will be appearing in Vitality Blast Finals Day for the first time since 2013 when they meet Derbyshire on Saturday at Edgbaston.

That match is the second semi-final to be played and the victors will meet the winners of the opening game between Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire.

The Eagles will be hoping that they can reach the decider for the first time in their history. All four previous trips to Finals Day have seen Essex eliminated at the semi-final stage but this time around Head Coach Anthony McGrath is hoping that the Eagles can write a new chapter in the county’s history.

“We are all excited about Finals Day, we’ve not been there for a while and it’s something we are all looking forward to,” he said.

“All four teams are there on merit and all of them will be thinking they have a chance of winning the competition and it’s going to be their year. And they should do because it’s Finals Day, and anything can happen.

“All we can do is to draw on what we’ve done in this competition, play how we we’ve been playing and hopefully, that will be enough.”

With a new captain Simon Harmer at the helm, the Eagles made it through to the quarter-finals with an unbeaten 7-match run in the second-half of the competition before a thrilling success over Lancashire in the quarter-final when Essex prevailed with 4 balls to spare.

“I was always confident that we would turn things around and once we got that run going, everything came together nicely,” McGrath stated. “It’s great for all the lads and particularly for Simon who took over the captaincy at the start of this season.

“He is his own man and he made some tough decisions but everyone backed him, not only coaching staff but players as well, and we are delighted for him that his endeavours have come to fruition. Hopefully, we can take the form we showed in the latter group stages and the quarter-final into Finals Day.

“Neither Adam Zampa nor Mohammad Amir are available which is disappointing because they have been an integral part of getting us through the group stages but it has given other members of the squad the opportunity to come in, put their hand up and show what they can do.”

However, the Eagles do have hard-hitting opening batsman Cameron Delport in their line-up. “He’s been superb for us,” McGrath acknowledged. “We wanted to be a bit more dynamic up front because strike rate is really important in this competition.

“He is not going to come off all the time but when he gets in, he is destructive. If he has a good five or six overs, he can score any amount of runs. He has got our innings off to a flying start a number of times and we are hoping he can repeat that not once but twice on Saturday.”

Squad travelling to Finals Day;

Simon Harmer (11) (Captain)
Aaron Beard (14)
Ravi Bopara (25)
Sam Cook (16)
Cameron Delport (89)
Dan Lawrence (28)
Aron Nijjar (24)
Jamie Porter (44)
Shane Snater (29)
Ryan ten Doeschate (27)
Paul Walter (22)
Tom Westley (21)
Adam Wheater (31) (Wicket-keeper)

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