Browsing: Essex

Charlie Allison kept his head during an otherwise nervy hour and a quarter as Essex claimed a seven-wicket victory over Somerset to round off the County Championship season.

Allison, one of Essex’s stand-out performers during a largely disappointing season, finished the game with a second six off Jake Ball over long-on.

He was 32 not out from 34 balls as Essex reached their target of 95 from just 18.4 overs.

Lewis Gregory had given Somerset some hope by removing Dean Elgar and Tom Westley inside the first six overs before taking the catch in the deep to end Paul Walter’s tone-setting innings.

Walter, a first-innings centurion, had amassed 30 from 31 balls when he departed with 39 still required.

The Somerset captain was fired up in the face of desperate odds against and caused jitters in the Essex ranks as he repeatedly beat the outside edge of the bat.

He bowled through unchanged and was rewarded with figures of 2-43 from his nine overs.

For two-and-a-half days it looked like the game would peter out into a tame draw but that was before Jamie Porter initiated a Somerset collapse of monumental proportions amid the gloom of a day-three afternoon and early evening.

Essex had subsided themselves earlier in the day from an overnight 295-2 to 438 all out and a nominal lead of five runs.

But in 34 overs, they rolled Somerset over for 99 with Porter taking 4-18, falling just one wicket short of another 50-wicket haul for the season.

However, with all of day four available to knock off the runs, a modicum of tension was introduced in only the second over.

Having put on 277 for the first wicket in the first innings, the opening partnership lasted just seven balls as Elgar departed for a golden duck, rapped conclusively on his front pad by Gregory.

Tom Westley withstood the rest of a torrid over and got off the mark with a characteristic drive through midwicket for four off Craig Overton. He followed that with an emphatic pull through midwicket off Gregory for a second boundary before he, too, fell to the same bowler.

After putting on a 28 with Walter, Westley nibbled at one outside off-stump and wicketkeeper James Rew dived in front of first slip to claim the catch.

Walter had been busy turning twos into threes to the extent that Essex reached 50 from just nine overs when 20-year-old Allison walked down the pitch and smashed Overton through extra over for four.

Overton had been relatively expensive, his five overs costing 25, but his replacement Jake Ball struck with his first ball when Walter went for a big heave and paid the price.

Allison, though, made sure the target came down quickly and deposited Ball for six to take Essex within two runs of the target and then repeated the act to complete the victory.

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Jamie Porter ripped through some fragile batting with four wickets to help skittle Somerset for 99 and put Essex on course for only their second home County Championship victory of the season.

Ably supported by debutant seamer Charlie Bennett, and latterly spinner Simon Harmer, Porter took his season’s tally to 49 wickets with figures of 4-18 from a dozen overs. It left Essex requiring 95 to win before bad light ended play on day three 17 overs early.

At one stage, when Dean Elgar and Paul Walter were putting on 277 for the first wicket the day before, it had looked as if Essex would gain a sizeable first-innings advantage. In reality, that lead turned out to be just five runs as they lost all 10 wickets for an additional 161 runs inside 45 overs. But that was before Somerset went in for a second time.

Much of the damage in Essex’s first-innings 438 was down to some naggingly accurate bowling from Craig Overton, who passed 500 first-class career wickets while posting figures of 6-88. What had been a docile, one-paced wicket suddenly turned into a seamer’s dream and Overton capitalised with his second six-wicket haul of the season.

Essex’s seamers were also quickly among the wickets in Somerset’s second innings. Porter beat Archie Vaughan for pace and then Bennett had Tom Lammonby lbw to one that stayed low.

James Rew appeared to be repairing the initial damage, harvesting four boundaries in his run-a-ball 19, until he skied a leading edge to midwicket off Bennett. Then in the next over, Tom Kohler-Cadmore may have lost the ball in the gathering gloom as Doug Bracewell bent back his off-stump. The floodlights came on soon after.

Josh Thomas had been immune to the carnage around him, hitting seven fours in his 39 from 65 balls, but he became Porter’s 550th first-class wicket for Essex when one kept low and trapped him lbw. In the same over, Kasey Aldridge tickled one through to substitute wicketkeeper Simon Fernandes.

With Somerset disappearing down a rabbit hole at 89-6, Essex announced free admission for all spectators on the final day. Overton then made a swift exit, playing all around one from Porter. And it became worse when Jack Leach set off for a run, pushing Porter into the covers, but could not recover his ground before Charlie Allison’s throw enabled Fernandes to whip off the bails.

Lewis Goldsworthy dug in for 58 balls, but he was undone by a spectacular delivery from Simon Harmer that pitched well outside off-stump and turned square to bowl him. And Jake Ball followed to one from the spinner that went straight on and disturbed his stumps. Somerset all out inside 34 overs.

Under dirty grey clouds in the morning, things had looked brighter for Somerset when Overton claimed a second wicket in 10 balls, separated by overnight rest and recuperation. He dug in a short delivery and Tom Westley hooked obligingly to deep square leg.

Elgar lasted just another half-an-hour. He added just seven runs to his day-two total before he was lbw for 118 playing all around the second ball of an Aldridge spell.

Overton, returning for another spell with the second new-ball already four overs old, struck with his 13th delivery, slanting one in at pace and flattening Allison’s middle stump.

Lewis Gregory had looked the most lively of the Somerset attack, beating the bat on a number of occasions, and finally received some reward, Matt Critchley lbw playing down the wrong line.

On the stroke of lunch, Michael Pepper became Overton’s fifth victim when he was lbw trying to force the ball through midwicket.

Gregory lasted eight deliveries in the afternoon session before pulling up injured and briefly leaving the pitch. He, therefore, missed Overton’s sixth wicket when Bracewell looked to swing lustily to leg but ended up dollying a catch to wide mid-off.

Bennett produced some aggressive hitting with five fours in a 26-ball 22 before he gave a tame return catch to Leach. Porter smashed his first ball straight for six to take Essex into the lead but perished when he skied Leach into the covers.

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Jamie Porter ripped through some fragile batting with four wickets to help skittle Somerset for 99 and put Essex on course for only their second home County Championship victory of the season.

Ably supported by debutant seamer Charlie Bennett, and latterly spinner Simon Harmer, Porter took his season’s tally to 49 wickets with figures of 4-18 from a dozen overs. It left Essex requiring 95 to win before bad light ended play on day three 17 overs early.

At one stage, when Dean Elgar and Paul Walter were putting on 277 for the first wicket the day before, it had looked as if Essex would gain a sizeable first-innings advantage. In reality, that lead turned out to be just five runs as they lost all 10 wickets for an additional 161 runs inside 45 overs. But that was before Somerset went in for a second time.

Much of the damage in Essex’s first-innings 438 was down to some naggingly accurate bowling from Craig Overton, who passed 500 first-class career wickets while posting figures of 6-88. What had been a docile, one-paced wicket suddenly turned into a seamer’s dream and Overton capitalised with his second six-wicket haul of the season.

Essex’s seamers were also quickly among the wickets in Somerset’s second innings. Porter beat Archie Vaughan for pace and then Bennett had Tom Lammonby lbw to one that stayed low.

James Rew appeared to be repairing the initial damage, harvesting four boundaries in his run-a-ball 19, until he skied a leading edge to midwicket off Bennett. Then in the next over, Tom Kohler-Cadmore may have lost the ball in the gathering gloom as Doug Bracewell bent back his off-stump. The floodlights came on soon after.

Josh Thomas had been immune to the carnage around him, hitting seven fours in his 39 from 65 balls, but he became Porter’s 550th first-class wicket for Essex when one kept low and trapped him lbw. In the same over, Kasey Aldridge tickled one through to substitute wicketkeeper Simon Fernandes.

With Somerset disappearing down a rabbit hole at 89-6, Essex announced free admission for all spectators on the final day. Overton then made a swift exit, playing all around one from Porter. And it became worse when Jack Leach set off for a run, pushing Porter into the covers, but could not recover his ground before Charlie Allison’s throw enabled Fernandes to whip off the bails.

Lewis Goldsworthy dug in for 58 balls, but he was undone by a spectacular delivery from Simon Harmer that pitched well outside off-stump and turned square to bowl him. And Jake Ball followed to one from the spinner that went straight on and disturbed his stumps. Somerset all out inside 34 overs.

Under dirty grey clouds in the morning, things had looked brighter for Somerset when Overton claimed a second wicket in 10 balls, separated by overnight rest and recuperation. He dug in a short delivery and Tom Westley hooked obligingly to deep square leg.

Elgar lasted just another half-an-hour. He added just seven runs to his day-two total before he was lbw for 118 playing all around the second ball of an Aldridge spell.

Overton, returning for another spell with the second new-ball already four overs old, struck with his 13th delivery, slanting one in at pace and flattening Allison’s middle stump.

Lewis Gregory had looked the most lively of the Somerset attack, beating the bat on a number of occasions, and finally received some reward, Matt Critchley lbw playing down the wrong line.

On the stroke of lunch, Michael Pepper became Overton’s fifth victim when he was lbw trying to force the ball through midwicket.

Gregory lasted eight deliveries in the afternoon session before pulling up injured and briefly leaving the pitch. He, therefore, missed Overton’s sixth wicket when Bracewell looked to swing lustily to leg but ended up dollying a catch to wide mid-off.

Bennett produced some aggressive hitting with five fours in a 26-ball 22 before he gave a tame return catch to Leach. Porter smashed his first ball straight for six to take Essex into the lead but perished when he skied Leach into the covers.

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Cook believes a reduction in the number of matches would create “wiggle room” for players to have more of a break between them.

He said: “The way the schedule is at the minute, it just isn’t compatible with a high level of performance. We’re not talking about cutting five or 10 games….if you actually look at the number of days you’re going to lose, it’s very minimal.

“You are probably going to get better cricket, a better calibre of overseas players, better pitches, if there is that reduction in cricket.”

He added: “The schedule for this summer, and the last few summers, is wrong and could be that much better.”

Cook has not been selected for England’s Ashes tour to Australia, having taken just one wicket at a cost of 119 runs in his sole Test appearance against Zimbabwe.

But he remains determined to fight his way back into the selectors’ plans, having been one of the most prolific wicket-taking seamers in the English domestic game for several seasons.

“Like any other environment you go into, whether it’s a franchise environment, whether it’s an England environment, you learn and take on information, you work with new people and the exciting thing with that is bringing it back to Essex and hopefully putting in a really strong season next year,” he said.

“For me, it’s pretty clear where my role in that (England) set-up would lie. Obviously I want to break in again and solidify a place.

“Being exposed to the coaches and the way they play their cricket was really eye-opening and makes you want to be a part of it, and feel differently about how we play the game at a county level.

“For me it’s been an incredibly valuable experience and you want to get better and keep improving and get back in there.”

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Essex virtually secured their County Championship Division One status as their match with Warwickshire ended in a rain-ruined draw at…

In their final home match of the season, Warwickshire chose to bowl and were unlucky not to take more than…

Foundry Chambers

Mr Mohindru had been in post at Essex County Cricket Club since 2023

The chairman of Essex County Cricket Club has resigned after he was found to have lied about studying at the University of Oxford.

Criminal lawyer Anu Mohindru was disbarred by the Barristers’ Tribunal Service when it determined he fabricated his CV while applying for a senior job.

During the five-day hearing, he denied “knowingly” providing false information.

The Chelmsford-based cricket club thanked him for his “leadership and significant contribution” while in post, saying he stood down on Sunday.

“The board has decided that Jason Gallian will act as interim chair, whilst Vicky Ford will assume the position of interim deputy chair,” it said in a statement.

Mr Mohindru was immediately suspended after the tribunal, pending any appeal, and ordered to pay £55,000 in costs.

Victoria Polley/BBC

Essex County Cricket Club said Mr Mohindru told the board he would be standing down on Sunday

The allegation against him dated back to between late 2012 and early 2013, when he applied for a role at 23 Essex Street Chambers.

He was found by the Bar Standards Board to have “deliberately exaggerated his academic achievements and qualifications in an attempt to improve his tenancy prospects”.

One allegation suggested Mr Mohindru lied during a job interview about studying biomedical science at the University of Oxford, but the company found no record of a student with his name.

This was followed up with a CV in which he claimed to have studied medicine at the university from 1993 to 1994.

Mr Mohindru was also ordered to pay costs of £54,780 to the Bar Standards Board.

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A stoic rearguard action from Durham eighth-wicket pair of Ben Raine and Matthew Potts, coupled with an untimely heavy thunderstorm,…

Dean Elgar, batting for more than five-and-a-half hours for a well-paced first century of the season, and Matt Critchley, smashing…

Ben McKinney played with textbook orthodoxy and mature assurance in helping Durham to frustrate Essex for much of a sun-kissed…