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Match Preview: Essex v Hampshire Men, Rothesay County Championship
Match Preview: Essex v Hampshire Men, Rothesay County Championship
Hampshire Men return to County Championship action with a trip to Chelmsford to face Essex
Essex v Hampshire Men
Rothesay County Championship
Sunday 22nd-Wednesday 25th May (11am start)
The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford
Hampshire Men return to County Championship action with a trip to Chelmsford as they take on Essex.
The Rose and Crown currently sit in seventh position in Division One after a defeat to Sussex in their previous fixture.
Essex meanwhile are one spot below in eighth, with one win from their seven matches, and drew against Surrey last time out with the Browncaps holding out with three wickets in hand, trailing by over 100 runs.
Hampshire Squad
Hampshire have named a 13-player squad for their County Championship match against Essex.
Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma comes into the squad and is set to make his debut for the club.
Full Hampshire squad
Ben Brown Captain† (10)
Fletcha Middleton (19)
Kyle Abbott (87)
Felix Organ (3)
Scott Currie (44)
Ali Orr (27)
Liam Dawson (8)
Tom Prest (24)
James Fuller (26)
John Turner (6)
Nick Gubbins (31)
Tilak Varma (72)
Eddie Jack (91)
Essex
Captain: Tom Westley
Director of cricket: Chris Silverwood
2024 finish: Fourth
2025 highest run-scorer: Paul Walter (495)
2025 highest wicket-taker: Jamie Porter (30)
Key winter moves: Essex plans were thrown into disarray when Indian Shardul Thaker pulled out of his intended seven-match arrangement at late notice when called up as an IPL replacement. Unless Essex can unearth another available overseas bowler to ease the burden on the pace attack, returning director of cricket Chris Silverwood will have to revive his Midas touch of yore and bring out the best from the existing squad.
What we’re looking forward to seeing: By his own extraordinary standards, Simon Harmer had a distinctly below-par campaign in 2024. For the first time in eight seasons at Chelmsford he failed to add to his tally of 35 five-fers and ten 10-wicket hauls achieved in Essex colours. He still took 45 Championship wickets with his off-spin, but at an uncharacteristically high cost and strike-rate. We’re looking forward to seeing a revitalised Harmy.
Player to watch: Jordan Cox’s summer was dogged by injury, yet he still topped the Essex averages with 918 runs at 65.57. It earned him a call to arms from England and he was all set to make his Test debut in New Zealand in the autumn before suffering another setback. Another flying start this time around would keep him firmly on the selectors’ radar – and bolster Essex’s middle-order.
Final thought: It may be seven-and-a-half years since Silverwood left Essex for England, but there could be as many as half-a-dozen familiar names in the first XI he selects on April 4. Promising opener Charlie Allison was 12 back in 2017, but such has been his rapid rise that his should be a name on Silverwood's team sheet for the next decade and more.
Head-to-Head
Hampshire Men’s record in County Championship matches v Essex
Played
Won
Lost
Drawn
Abandoned
151
39
54
58
2
Last five meetings:
August 22-25 2024 | Utilita Bowl | Match drawn
September 19-22 2023 | Chelmsford | Hampshire won by three wickets
July 25-27 2023 | Utilita Bowl | Essex won by six wickets
June 26-28 2022 | Chelmsford | Essex won by 12 runs
June 16-17 2019 | Chelmsford | Essex won by an innings and eight runs
Tickets
Tickets for Hampshire Men’s County Championship match against Essex are available here.
Coverage
A live stream will be available for the match and a link to this stream will be available in the at www.utilitabowl.com/cricket, along with a live match centre with the scorecard, statistics and insight available throughout the match.
