Essex looking on track after gaining Division One promotion

As Essex’s players and staff picked up the Second Division trophy at Canterbury yesterday, attention was diverted to the drama unfolding at Lord’s where Middlesex brilliantly won their first Championship for 23 years.Essex supporters have been waiting even longer, their last title coming a year earlier in 1992, but good times may be here again.

That 1992 Championship was Essex’s sixth in 13 years, a period of dominance of which few counties can boast, but since then a sprinkling of one-day titles and two promotions to Division One in 2002 and 2009, both followed by swift relegations, have been slim pickings for a county that has seemingly had the talent to do far better.

Essex set the pace early, topping the table in April and staying there pretty much for the rest of the season.The promotion of only one county from Division Two this season to cater for the restructuring of the Championship that will see the number of games reduced to 14 next year meant that the pressure was even greater.A wrong turn at a crucial moment would prove costly.

And there were crucial moments.In April, Alastair Cook, who scored averaged 91 in his seven matches, batted out the final day for a crucial draw against Sussex.In late August, 19 year-old Dan Lawrence arrived at the crease against Leicestershire, second in the table at the time,at 60 for four and was last man out at 423 after making a brilliant hundred.

Too often in the recent past Essex let those moments get the better of them, inconsistency dogging them at vital times.Not this year.Eighteen Championship hundreds, including three doubles, compared to eleven last season and four bowlers with more than forty wickets compared to just two last year provide evidence of a team more consistent and disciplined and, perhaps, hungrier.

It is also ironic that the new toss rules were brought in largely because of the green pitches that Essex often produced last season and the success, and at times unplayable nature, of the decidedly medium paced Jesse Ryder.Yet the change was seemingly of more benefit to them than others, allowing their batsmen the platform to score heavily and the bowlers the luxury of big totals to bowl at.Success has been earned on good pitches with good cricket.

Chris Silverwood, who replaced Paul Grayson as Head Coach last season, has certainly had an impact too, particularly with some excellent recruitment, but Grayson’s work with Tom Westley, Nick Browne, Jamie Porter and Lawrence should not been discounted either.He gave them their debuts and helped nurture them.It is partly his success.

Silverwood has not made wholesale changes, proof that the talent, although unfulfilled, was there all along, but has tweaked and hardened attitudes with a bit of Yorkshire no-nonsense.His first major decision, making Ryan ten Doeschatecaptain,was hugely vindicated.

Captaincy can weigh heavily on some, but in ten Doeschate’s case it has elevated his game to new levels.Forfeiting an IPL contract to focus on the role, he scored a thousand Championship runs and led the side with equilibrium and strength.

Other experienced players have played their parts too, none more so that the bowling pair of David Masters and Graham Napier who shared 103 Championship wickets between them.Neither will be back next season as retirement beckons and Silverwood’s priority over the winter will be in replacing them both.

The nucleus of the squad is sound and of a good age though.Essex hope Westley, Browne, Lawrence and Porterwill form the backbone of the club for the next decade.Promotion should help keep other counties from poaching their best talent, a theme of recent seasons, and will be important for those four individually too.All have realistic England aspirations and whilst performances at Division One level are not everything - just look at Ben Duckett’s rise - the selectors certainly look more favourably on them.

Looking ahead, Silverwood, who some believe is favourite for the vacant Head Coach role at Yorkshire, has already started recruiting well.Varun Chopra will provide plenty of runs and Division One experience at the top of the order and wicket-keeper Adam Wheater will be James Foster’s long-term replacement.There is also talk that James Vince is a target.

The seam bowling attack will need reinforcements although Matt Dixon showed enough when not injured to prove he has some ability and 18 year-old Aaron Beard has plenty of potential.Ryder will not return next season and rumour has it that Mohammad Amir could replace him as overseas player.
Essex have bowled precious little spin this summer in Championship cricket but will likely have to do far more on Division One pitches, particularly at places such as Taunton, so a frontline spinner is also needed.Ashar Zaidi has done an excellent job in one-day cricket but a more attacking bowler is required for the four-day game.

Tim Hardwicke has been watching Essex for 25 years and was at Canterbury on Friday to be part of the celebrations: “There was a real togetherness.I reckon there were a couple of hundred supporters there yesterday, all the old stewards as well.James Foster gave his top to a chap called Ted who has been there years, must be in his 80s.We were welcomed into the dressing room last week after the celebrations.”

Essex have always had a strong rapport with their vociferous supporters and the celebrations last week at Chelmsford when they sealed the title and yesterday at Canterbury proved as much.Those who say nobody cares about the Championship should have witnessed both players and supporters mixing after yesterday’s game, talking, posing for photos, having a beer together.

Essex are never likely to be able to match the big counties financially, particularly those who play at Test match grounds, but there is a spirit at Chelmsford that is special and an ambition to improve and compete.Yet where would the county fit in the proposed new City T20 competition?The answer is it wouldn’t.Supporters are right to worry for the future.

The ECB’s disregard – or should that be disdain? – for clubs such as Essex is obvious but don’t they do exactly what counties should? They have a rich history of producing good players through their youth system; England’s two greatest Test run scorers and a host of England captains and players, with more likely to follow, have come from the county; and it is relatively sound financially.It does its job, for its community, for the game and for the national team.

Whilst the future for county cricket is uncertain then, on the pitch Essex look well placed to kick-on, despite continued failings in one-day cricket. Their first target will be Division One survival but with some good recruitment in the bowling department there is plenty of scope, and ambition, to do better. The good times are indeed back at Chelmsford.

© Cricket World 2016