Cricket News

England's Ashes warm-up game at Chelmsford has lost its first-class status after two new bowlers were drafted into the Essex side

Graham Gooch, the England batting coach, made no excuses for an underwhelming performance by England's top-order in the Ashes warm-up match against Essex at Chelmsford

An unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 116 between Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann lifted England from a parlous 212 for 7

Essex saw their slim chances of promotion all but wiped out while Derbyshire took another step towards Division One

Somerset assured themselves of a home semi-final in the Clydesdale Bank 40 with a 40-run Group C win over Essex at Taunton

Tom Craddock took four wickets and Owais Shah and Jaik Mickleburgh weighed in with half-centuries as Essex fought back on the second day against Glamorgan

When Ravi Bopara was overlooked for the England team ahead of the first Test of the summer, it precipitated a sharp decline in his contributions for Essex

Essex revived their promotion hopes with a crushing 254-run victory over Leicestershire in the County Championship Division Two clash at Grace Road

A second successive century from their captain, James Foster, and a four-wicket haul for trialist Tom Craddock gave Essex a vital edge in their County Championship Division Two game against Leicestershire at Grace Road

Northamptonshire suffered their first defeat of their Championship campaign as they went down by 171 runs to Essex in the Division Two match at Chelmsford