- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR23.5 goes too hard at the full length, bat skews on impact and that's a fine sharp take at extra cover to prise the opening 57/213.3 thumped on the pad, and up goes the finger. Cook is half-forward, and that was a vociferous appeal. 30/1151.2 yoinked high in the air, down towards the pavilion at deep midwicket, a good low grab to end a fine captain's innings. He was eager to get a move on, and no disgrace in that. Harmer enters the fray, with a licence to have a swing too, you suspect 461/650.5 pinned on the crease and that's been given! Lawrence looks aghast, and with fairly good reason. That was very close to being both outside the line, and looked on the high side as well... but look in the scorebook! 130/395.1 one shot too many this time! An attempted flick off the toes, snags the outside edge, and a thick chance carries this time to second slip, scooped up with a dive, low to the left. 254/4109.5 tossed up on middle and leg, straightens enough to thump the front pad, and that's the end of an enterprising knock 304/5157.4 smashed out to deep midwicket. Wheater attempts to put the hammer down, but he's holed out in front of the pavilion, and that will be the declaration too 490/8152.3 walks across a straight one, and that's as plumb as they come 465/7156.5 one shot too many, spanked down the throat of deep midwicket. Wheater might need to get a wriggle on here... 487/8Extras19 (b 4, lb 6, nb 8, w 1)TOTAL490/9d (157.4 Overs, RR: 3.1)Did not bat: JA PorterFall of wickets: 1-30 (Alastair Cook, 13.3 ov), 2-57 (Nick Browne, 23.5 ov), 3-130 (Dan Lawrence, 50.5 ov), 4-254 (Paul Walter, 95.1 ov), 5-304 (Ryan ten Doeschate, 109.5 ov), 6-461 (Tom Westley, 151.2 ov), 7-465 (Simon Harmer, 152.3 ov), 8-487 (Ben Allison, 156.5 ov), 9-490 (Adam Wheater, 157.4 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB J Leach 29 5 90 0 3.10 0 2 DY Pennington 27 3 91 0 3.37 0 0 CAJ Morris 27 5 95 3 3.51 0 0 EG Barnard 27 6 67 3 2.48 1 1 BL D'Oliveira 36.4 6 95 3 2.59 0 1 DKH Mitchell 4 0 20 0 5.00 0 0 JD Libby 7 0 22 0 3.14 0 0
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR14.3 Sam Cook is back in the attack and he makes the breakthrough! A beautiful nipbacker from just outside off, and Mitchell is caught in two minds as the ball zips back into his off stump. Half playing at it, half leaving. All bowled 32/114.6 full length, tight lines, thick edge, and snaffled by Harmer at second slip! Fell is felled, and Worcestershire's day is finishing in a bit of a muddle 32/216.1 Rodders, you plonker! Outside off once more, Cook is finding a glorious line at this late juncture of the day, a limp push of the bat, and third slip snaffles a fat edge. He's on a hat-trick! 32/321.2 banged on the shin and D'Oliveira is gone! That one jags back just a touch and he's only halfway forward, an easy decision! Four in 12 balls for Cook! 43/448.6 nailed on the pads, bent double by the impact! That's plumb and with lunch approaching, Porter has the breakthrough! Tight line, jagging back into the pads. The end of a doughty stand 132/553.4 a huge swipe across the line and up goes the finger! Down on one knee for the sweep, pinned in front, and Worcestershire's session starts badly 145/6145.1 bowled him! Plays all around the drive, stumps splattered. A bit of bite outside off, and through a yawning gate. The end of a tremendous stand. Barnard never quite got going again this morning, but a formidable partnership all the same 389/7146.2 a flick down the leg-side, and Allison has his maiden first-class wicket for Essex! A bog-standard strangle, but they all count. A chance at last for Essex to get back on the front foot in this contest 390/8173.3 whoops! A big-old tailend honk through the line, beaten by the turn, off come the bails with the foot dragged out of the crease. Harmer has a hard-earned second 465/9177.3 on the back foot, spins back into the back pad, and up goes the finger! Essex's ordeal is over. Jake Libby carries his bat! 475/9Extras21 (b 2, lb 15, nb 4)TOTAL475 all out (177.3 Overs, RR: 2.67)Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Daryl Mitchell, 14.3 ov), 2-32 (Tom Fell, 14.6 ov), 3-32 (Gareth Roderick, 16.1 ov), 4-43 (Brett D'Oliveira, 21.2 ov), 5-132 (Riki Wessels, 48.6 ov), 6-145 (Ben Cox, 53.4 ov), 7-389 (Ed Barnard, 145.1 ov), 8-390 (Joe Leach, 146.2 ov), 9-465 (Dillon Pennington, 173.3 ov), 10-475 (Charlie Morris, 177.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB JA Porter 31 4 99 1 3.19 0 0 SJ Cook 37 10 100 4 2.70 0 0 SR Harmer 61.3 20 126 3 2.04 0 0 DW Lawrence 10 1 30 1 3.00 0 0 BMJ Allison 25 6 67 1 2.68 0 1 PI Walter 9 1 31 0 3.44 0 1 T Westley 4 0 5 0 1.25 0 0
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR6.1 yeegads! A very loose drive from Cook, and back goes his middle peg. There's a new sheriff of obduracy in town... 17/1Extras1 (lb 1)TOTAL28/1 (10 Overs, RR: 2.8)Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Alastair Cook, 6.1 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB J Leach 4 1 14 1 3.50 0 0 DY Pennington 4 1 9 0 2.25 0 0 EG Barnard 1 1 0 0 0.00 0 0 CAJ Morris 1 0 4 0 4.00 0 0
Match Details
Series
Toss
Essex , elected to bat first
Season
Match days
8,9,10,11 April 2021 (4-day match)
Umpires
Match Referee
Points
Essex 13, Worcestershire 12
Close of Play
- Thu, 8 Apr - day 1 - Essex 1st innings 207/3 (T Westley 84*, PI Walter 26*, 81.2 ov)
- Fri, 9 Apr - day 2 - Worcestershire 1st innings 43/3 (JD Libby 21*, BL D'Oliveira 6*, 21 ov)
- Sat, 10 Apr - day 3 - Worcestershire 1st innings 350/6 (JD Libby 141*, EG Barnard 116*, 122 ov)
- Sun, 11 Apr - day 4 - Essex 2nd innings 28/1 (10 ov) - end of match
Match Notes
- Batting and Bowling points: Essex 5, Worcestershire 4
Match Coverage
All Match NewsJake Libby's epic red-inker seals Worcestershire's great escape from Fortress Chelmsford
Record-breaking rearguard rescues visitors on low-key final day of season opener
Jake Libby and Ed Barnard make themselves at home to leave Essex out in the cold
Unbeaten 205-run stand turns the tables as champions endure frustrating day in the field
Tom Westley lays a marker for Essex with double-century ahead of Sam Cook's late surge
Captain's innings leaves Worcestershire on the ropes in dominant day for champions
Tom Westley takes the helm as Essex make composed start to twin title defence
Unflashy display from captain puts runs on the board in slow-burn opening day at Chelmsford
County Championship
Division 1 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | M | W | L | D | PT |
NOTTS | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 68 |
LANCS | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 57 |
WARKS | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 56 |
HANTS | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 53 |
YORKS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 40 |
SOM | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 |
Division 2 | |||||
Team | M | W | L | D | PT |
ESSEX | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 77 |
GLOUC | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 64 |
DURH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 40 |
NHNTS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 38 |
SUR | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27 |
GLAM | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 23 |
Division 3 | |||||
Team | M | W | L | D | PT |
KENT | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 83 |
MIDDX | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 67 |
WORCS | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 49 |
LEICS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 43 |
DERBS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 42 |
SUSS | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 |
Group 1 | |||||
Team | M | W | L | D | PT |
NOTTS | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 151 |
WARKS | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 145 |
DURH | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 132 |
ESSEX | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 129 |
WORCS | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 109 |
DERBS | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 72 |
Group 2 | |||||
Team | M | W | L | D | PT |
SOM | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 148 |
HANTS | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 145 |
GLOUC | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 131 |
SUR | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 123 |
LEICS | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 111 |
MIDDX | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 84 |
Group 3 | |||||
Team | M | W | L | D | PT |
LANCS | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 150 |
YORKS | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 149 |
GLAM | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 127 |
NHNTS | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 123 |
KENT | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 97 |
SUSS | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 94 |