Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Essex Cricket Prospects for 2007

The 2007 cricket season is nearly here, and Essex look set to have a successful year.

Although I have been a Leicestershire member for years now, I am a former Essex member, and still regard them as my original team.

Essex just missed out on promotion to the First Division last Summer, and will be wanting to do just that little bit better this year.

The team will again be under the control of their popular captain and coach, the former England all rounder Ronnie Irani, with the Zimbabwean brothers Andy and Grant Flower giving able support.

Alastair Cook is now a centrally contracted player for England, so he is unlikely to figure much for the county. He made only three Championship appearances last year.

Ravinder Bopara has made his mark over the winter for the England one day team, in one match scoring 52 off 51 balls. I was telling everyone to watch out for Ravi three years ago.

Still with the club are the experienced wicket keeper James Foster, certainly one of the best in England, James Middlebrook, Tim Phillips, Alex Tudor and Mark Pettini, and you can add the Holland all rounder Ryan ten Doeschate.

Darren Gough has left to rejoin Yorkshire as captain, and the splendid Ashley Cowan has retired. However, this can be offset by Darren Thomas joining from Glamorgan.

Prospects look good to me.