No task is too challenging - An Essex story

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Essex has appointed a new manager, Kiran to try and get the first-class team up to their best. The squad have a lot of potential but need to perform to get the results. The new manager quickly realised the batting line up was not quite what it should be and made a few signings to beef up that area. Keeper Garry Park was signed in the transfer market on a one year deal and may be required to play as a batsman throughout the season. A youth player with an average of over 50 named Phil Bowles was also signed on a one year deal. He could play a big part if he has potential. Kiran then turned his attention to marquee overseas signings and Fawad Alam stood out and so Kiran signed him as a reserve for a reasonable price. Even though Kiran doesn't play the 20 over tournament he realised that a lot of revenue is generated from it and with a pretty bare transfer market, he snapped up Lendl Simmons. First up a match against Cambridge.

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University Match: Cambridge UCCE - Cambridge

I won't elaborate too much on this but what a fantastic win this was. I made a few notes though

- Essex really needs a lot of work
- Phil Bowles probably won't cut it yet
- Ben Foakes is not ready yet, with bat or gloves
- Westley looks like a fantastic player
- Cook will be the backbone of the team while here.
- The bowling is pretty average
- Topley looks a fine bowler
- Mills is a better batsman than bowler
- How I managed to chase 211 in 33 overs is beyond me

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CCD2 - Derbyshire - Chelmsford

We played Derbyshire for our first match of the season. The team was as follows:

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After they won the toss and batted first. Napier broke through twice with one being Chanderpaul to leave them reeling at 2-7, Bopara added to the misery taking a wicket to leave them 3-39. After that the tides changed as Madsen and Durston combined for a 348 run stand in over 100 overs, the bowlers toiled for over a day before finally Panesar trapped Durston in front. This sparked a mini batting collapse from Derbyshire before the tail combined with Madsen to keep piling on the misery, most of them chipped in and Madsen fell agonisingly short of a double century as they finished on 525. The pitch was flat and we took just as much advantage as they did, Cook and Westley hit the ball very well and were going strong until disaster struck as a Footit bouncer struck Westley and had him taken off the field. Scans later showed he had a fracture and would be out for 5 weeks. Cook fell soon and Bopara and Napier came and went but Ryder and Mickleburugh combined for a stand in excess of a hundred. Ryder reached his century but once they fell a ridiculous collapse of 6-14 left Essex all out, 199 runs behind. Fighting to save the match a batsman down, Cook and Ryder were at it again before Ryder fell for 31, Cook and Bopara then combined very nicely before Cook fell. Bopara kept going though and scored a well made hundred, Mickleburugh and Pettini combined for an unbeaten 80 run stand before Cook declared, sensing he could bowl out Derbyshire in 20 overs if they tried to go for the target. They didn't though and the match petered out into a draw.

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Batting Award: Alistair Cook, scored well in both innings and provided able support to Ryder and Bopara
Bowling Award: Tempted to give none but, Ravi Bopara bowled well in the first innings getting 3 wickets and got the crucial wicket of Chanderpaul in the second when he looked like he might chase the game down for Derbyshire.
Championship State: We get 9 valuable points which is a lot considering how badly we played and Derbyshire get 11. Next up Surrey in south London/.

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CCD2 – Surrey – South London
We made a few changes, one forced, as Westley was out for 4 weeks we brought in Garry Park to bat 8, Mickleburugh was promoted to opener while Pettini shot up to 6, Sajid Mahmood also came in for Tymal Mills, who failed to make an impact on the game not picking up a wicket in 20 overs in the first innings.
We batted first and although we lost the openers early, Ryder and Bopara played really well, putting on nearly 100 runs. Unfortunately, both failed to capitalise on starts and yet another collapse occurred and while Foster did his best to counteract this, he was left stranded on 49 while Essex capitulated for 249. Surrey set out to make us look very bad and they did a fine job of it. After a 70 run opening stand, both the openers fell quickly and we thought we were back in the game. However, Davies and Solanki put on 157 to really make our batting effort look horrendous! Topley bowled a peach to get rid of Solanki and Wilson fell soon after but Davies combined with Roy for a 93 run stand. For a while it looked like we might concede a lead in excess of 200 but after Davies fell, Surrey had a collapse of their own with all the bowlers chipping in to finish them off.
The lead was still sizeable but we had enough faith in our batting not to play out the draw. Cook and Mickleburugh combined for a sizeable opening stand with Cook doing the bulk of the scoring before Mickleburugh fell for 47. Cook and Ryder pushed on though both scoring centuries in reasonable time. At 1-280 we had a declaration on our mind and we upped the scoring rate. We ended up declaring at 412-6. We had 50 overs to bowl them out but we couldn’t quite achieve it and so came another draw.
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Batting award: Jesse Ryder: Start in the first innings hundred in the second
Bowling Award: Purely on the basis of wickets taken, Graham Napier but the bowling has to improve substantially.
Championship State: With 17 points we are seventh and an improvement is required.

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CCD2 – Gloucs – Chelmsford
Two changes as Mahmood was relatively ineffective, he is replaced by Tom Craddock and Garry Park is replaced by Greg Smith. We won the toss and batted first and a lot of our batsmen made starts but none really managed to convert it, with the exception of Mark Pettini who came in when Norwell had his tail up and was bowling really well and saw him out before combining with the tail to be unbeaten on 88 and we score 357.
Napier, as he has done all season made a few early breakthroughs with the new ball and Topley got one as well to leave Gloucs reeling at 49-3 before Klinger, Marshall, Housego and Gidman really to the game away from us especially Gidman scoring an unbeaten century, Cockbain also scored a decent 40 and everyone in the tail pitched in to leave Gloucs with an imposing 122 run lead.
We looked to be in major trouble but we had belief in our batting as this had happened in every game before and we managed to get out of it. Yet again we got out of it although it didn’t look that way after Gidman got our two stars, Cook and Ryder out quickly but Mickleburugh and Bopara put on 240 in decent time before Bopara was clean bowled by Miles. With a declaration in sight, Mickleburugh and Napier pushed on scoring at a decent rate. Even though Mickleburugh was run out, Napier and Foster kept going before we declared with Napier on 70*.
There was a sense of déjà-vu in this match as we had been in the same situation in the past two games and we had 40 overs to bowl Gloucs out. Finally, we did it as they crumbled to a mere 84 all out with Topley taking 4 wickets.
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Batting Award: Jaik Mickleburugh , great batting under pressure
Bowling Award: Reece Topley, brilliant match winning spell
Championship State: Jump up to 4th. Next up, a home game vs Leics.

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CCD2 – Leics – Chelmsford
Couple of changes again as that final batting slot continues to change, with Smith out and Bowles in, Napier is out for four weeks so Mills comes back in. After we won the toss and sent Leics in on a seaming pitch, they had starts throughout their innings but no-one really kicked on and so they folded for 279.
A 110 opening stand gave us a lot of hope but we lost it all as our, now infamous, batting collapse happened again with Wyatt taking 6 to leave us 14 runs behind. Then a 180 run stand between Smith and Eckersley batted us out of the game essentially and although Ryder got Smith the runs kept coming until they surprisingly declared. We tried to go for the runs but after we lost a few wickets we decided we couldn’t and settled for a tame draw.
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Batting Award: Ravi Bopara – consistent throughout both innings
Bowling Award: Reece Topley – 4 in the first innings but still the bowling is not good enough, I even gave them a seamers pitch.
Championship State: We slip to 5th. Next up we play table toppers Worcs in their backyard.

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CCD2 – Worcs – Worcester
We changed the final batting spot again with Smith back and Bowles out. Unfortunately Cook was selected by England so Foakes came in and Foster opened and Masters came back from injury to replace Mills. After winning the toss and batting on a flat pitch, Foster showed why he should be opening with a well made 50 before a mix up saw him going back to the pavilion, one more wicket fell before Ryder and Bopara put on 302 to put Essex way in front. Bopara was very close to a double but just missed out. After they fell Smith and Pettini both got starts but then Shantry and Ajmal ripped through the lower middle order and tail for another predictable collapse, still, 490 was not a bad score.
Topley and Masters got a few quick wickets but Ali and Fell threatened to take the game away before Masters got Ali on the stroke off tea. Topley returned and got the edge through to Foster before Fell combined with New for a century stand and Fell brought up a brilliant century. Masters returned though and got New before knocking out Fell’s stumps. The tail then capitulated to Topley and they finished 214 behind with Topley and Masters taking 9 wickets with the other being a run out.
Captain Bopara had no doubts enforcing the follow on and Oliver went after the bowling before falling but Mitchell and Ali showed lots of class hitting a 224 run stand before Mitchell went, striking distance from a hundred. Ali didn’t have the same trouble notching up his 14th hundred. He got to 150 before Worcs collapsed to Topley and Masters yet again leaving Essex a target of 157 in less than a session.
After talking with the various management they decided to go for the target playing pretty much like a 20-20 match as they only had 25 overs. Everyone got starts in the top order but they all got out at the wrong time, especially Ryder’s unfortunate run-out. After Ajmal took 2 in an over, the equation was down to 14 from 3 with 3 wickets in hand, after Bopara knocked 10 of Shantry it was 4 from 2 but Craddock fell to Ajmal and Panesar blocked out the over to give him a maiden. With 4 required from the final over the Choudhry bowled it was all down to Bopara, after calmly blocking out the first two balls he smashed the third ball for 4 to give Essex the win.

Batting Award: Ravi Bopara – brilliant century in the first innings but even more important in the second with his valuable runs holding the chase together
Bowling Award: Splitting hairs but Reece Topley gets it again for his 9 wickets, Masters also bowled well but absolutely nothing from the rest means that big changes are required for the bowling.
Championship state: 3rd just above Surrey, 14 points off Hampshire but they have played an extra game. Worcs are still top. Next up Surrey at home.

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CCD2 – Surrey – Chelmsford
With Bopara playing for England and Topley out with bruising, we needed Westley back but the day he was fit to play again he got a broken finger! So, Garry Park comes in for Bopara and Mills for Topley. After winning the toss and batting first. Foster and Ryder put on a 180 run stand before a major collapse left them with a below par score on a batting wicket with only Masters and extras, being the other to get into double figures. To add insult to injury Craddock got a fracture leaving us without a bowler.
Pietersen scored a trademark hundred combining well with Harinath to give Surrey the advantage, Masters and Panesar bowled quite well and stepped up with Craddock out. Smith had to bowl his overs and bowled decently getting the other G Smith, but this one captained SA.
Our second innings was almost identical to our first with Foster and Ryder putting on 180, this time Ryder scored the century and only Masters and extras got into double figures. Surrey only needed 122 to win and achieved it comfortably.

Batting Award: Ryder/Foster – Can’t split it, both batted well in an otherwise dismal display
Bowling Award: David Masters – has looked good coming back from injury.
Championship State: 4th but next up is 8th ranked Glamorgan at home

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CCD2 – Glamorgan – Chelmsford
We made a few changes with Park and Foakes out and Bowles, who had a good 2nd performance and ten Doeschate, who has returned from the IPL, Craddock also goes out as does Mills for Topley and Mahmood. We have had some luck with the tosses and captain Foster won the toss and batted but we were in trouble losing 3 wickets early, but Pettini and Ryder both reached their half-centuries to lift us out of trouble. After that the wickets tumbled and only a quickfire 35 from Mahmood lower down the order saved us from an embarrassing total. Still, 245 was below par.
Topley and Masters ripped through the top order before Lancefield and Cooke staged some sort of a fightback, adding 76 together before Lancefield was sent back by Mahmood. Panesar got rid of Cooke and then Topley and Mahmood knocked over the tail, leaving Glamorgan with a small deficit.
Our top 3 all got starts with only Ryder going on to 60. After a small collapse, Bowles and Mahmood steadied the ship with a 50 run stand before Mahmood went and Essex folded for only 254 with defeat looking like a looming conclusion.
The bowlers were determined not to let this happen though and Topley struck thrice to leave Glamorgan reeling at 11-3. Allenby and Cooke tried to resurrect proceedings with a century stand but after Topley bowled Allenby and Masters got Cooke, Glamorgan collapsed to finish 108 runs short.

Batting Award: Jesse Ryder – saved the team in both innings
Bowling Award: Reece Topley gets it for his contribution in the second innings getting the top 4 and stamping Essex’s authority on the game.
Championship State: We move into 2nd, one point ahead of Sussex, Worcs still are strong at the top. Next up Kent in Canterbury, they look to be weak.

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If anyone has any suggestions that they think would make the story more interesting, please be sure to let me know.

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CCD2 – Kent – Canterbury
We make a lot of changes as Cook and Bopara are back from England so they come in for Smith and Bowles, who played well just not enough to knock out these two. Jesse Ryder has been called up to New Zealand so Fawad Alam comes in to open the batting while Foster and Mickleburugh slide down. Napier is also back and comes in for an out of form Panesar.
After being sent in on a bouncy wicket, Claydon and Davies put the balls in the right place to leave Essex reeling at 140-6 but Foster and Pettini put on a decent stand before Foster fell for 99. Pettini combined well with the tail to add valuable runs to the total.
Stevens and Billings really took the game away from us both scoring centuries and all the bowlers chipped in with a few wickets but no-one really made a devastating contribution. Cook made 40 but didn’t really kick on but Alam and Bopara combined for an 150 run stand to put Essex back in the game, unfortunately then came the inevitable collapse and Kent only needed 116 to win.
We made a fight of it, we really did, Topley even broke Geraint Jones’s arm but it was quite enough so we only got 4 points and suffered a terrible loss to a team we should’ve beaten. It was really a one wicket win through as Jones’s incident doesn’t count as a wicket.

Batting Award: Fawad Alam – a well compiled century
Bowling Award: Reece Topley – did his best to win an unwinnable position
Championship State: Still 2nd but Surrey have a game to play. Next Hampshire in South Hampton.

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CCD2 – Hampshire – South Hampton
A couple of changes as Smith comes in for Cook and Panesar for Mahmood. After winning the toss and batting, it looked to be a disaster as 5 of the top 6 went for 14. The lower order staged a very good comeback but the total was still way below par.
After a good opening stand, Hampshire collapsed as well to be in trouble before Ervine and Wheater put on 240 to give them a very decent score of 425, the wickets were shared quite evenly. The top 6 went down again but Mickleburugh stayed and almost saved the match with a fighting hundred combined with Pettini to leave Hampshire 102 from 20 overs. Both sides were in it but unfortunately, Hampshire had no problems with the chase winning comfortably.

Batting Award: Jaik Mickleburugh – a fighting knock in the second innings that almost saved the team.
Bowling Award: Reece Topley – tempted not to give any but he got the most wickets.
Championship State: Slip to 5th playing Gloucs at home next.

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CCD2 – Gloucs – Chelmsford
Having bowled them out for 84 last time, we knew we had a chance, especially with a full strength line up. Cook returned as did Westley but since Alam was playing, Westley had to bat 4. We won the toss and bowled on a seamers pitch. No-one really got going in their innings and it was only a matter of time before they were all out, short of 200. All the bowlers chipped in with wickets.
We didn’t fare much better with only Westley scoring over 50, a decent return on his comeback but we still managed to grab a crucial 50 run lead. Topley bowled a brilliant spell to bowl out Gloucs for 148. We had all the time in the world and got to the target with ease, getting a much needed win.

Batting Award: Tom Westley, after being injured for over half of the season, he made up for it with a crucial knock in the first innings.
Bowling Award: Reece Topley – good in the first innings, brilliant in the second, he is turning into a revelation for me. He has grabbed 53 wickets this season already.
Championship State: Still 5th but the top 3 are moving apart from the rest a bit. Next up we play 3rd ranked Derbyshire in Derby in a match that will be crucial to our chance of promotion.

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CCD2 – Derbyshire – Derby
Derbyshire won the toss and batted and they didn’t bat so well, only Godleman really batted well scoring a well made 80, Madsen didn’t hit the ball as well as last time scoring a duck. Topley bowled really well getting all the big wickets, (well I suppose Napier got Madsen), but all the bowlers chipped in and Derbyshire folded for 217.
In response, Mickleburugh and Ryder combined well for century stand before Ryder fell but Mickleburugh stayed and brought up his century around a collapsing middle order. The lower order restored the balance of power and we ended up with a lead in excess of a hundred.
Topley got Godleman early but Borrington and Chanderpaul combined for a 100 run stand before Topley got Borrington, Napier got Chanderpaul soon after and Madsen fell to a very good ball from ten Doeschate.
Needing 130 to win, Essex nearly made a mess of it with Palladino taking 3 but Pettini and ten Doeschate ensured no upset would occur, handing us a 5 wicket win.

Batting Award: Jaik Mickleburugh – a great century
Bowling Award: Reece Topley – How much more can he do, I seriously hope his form doesn’t dip suddenly.
Championship State: Move up to 4th, ahead of Derbyshire but we have played an extra game. Next, table toppers Hampshire at home.

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CCD2 – Hampshire – Chelmsford
Two youth players have come onto the scene, Jack Moore and Dan Cowe, for the moment Cowe will have to wait his turn and Moore comes in for Smith. Hampshire won the toss and batted first and it really seemed like Adams was batting on a different wicket to the rest as he scored runs with ease while the rest capitulated around him. Panesar took 4 wickets.
Mickleburugh and Ryder combined yet again for a great partnership to put Hampshire under real pressure and contributions were made all the way down the order with Moore scoring a half century. The second innings for Hampshire was great for them as everyone fired and our bowlers couldn’t get wickets and they declared and we decided to play it safe and bat out the draw.

Batting Award: Jaik Mickleburugh- another great century
Bowling Award: Monty Panesar – bowled quite well
Championship State: 4th still but Derbyshire still have 2 games to play on us. Next up Glamorgan in Cardiff. They look to be a strong team even though they are at the bottom of division 2.
P.S. I hope everyone is enjoying this story but I seem to be getting no feedback which worries me. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.