Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the County Championship...
Fixture: Nottinghamshire v Essex
Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Dates: Thursday, May 6, 2021 - Sunday, May 9, 2021
Start time: 11am
What's the lowdown?
Nottinghamshire head into a County Championship match with the taste of victory in their mouths for the first time in 31 matches after overcoming a 1,043-day winless run with success at Derbyshire last time out.
There is still much to do to be competitive over the season as a whole, but head coach Peter Moores will have once again been encouraged by the durability of some of his batsmen, and the effectiveness of his seam-bowling attack.
If Stuart Broad is available, that will be a major boon to the Trent Bridge side.
Essex are in a low ebb. Having lost for the first time since June 2018 a fortnight ago, they drew with Worcestershire for the second time this season last week.
Who's in form?
Haseeb Hameed’s twin centuries dead-batted Notts to a draw at New Road in week three.
He and opening partner Ben Slater, who also scored a second innings century against Worcestershire, proved that that form was no mere flash in the pan last week, with the former England prodigy hitting a second innings 94 and his left-handed partner 107 in the first dig.
With the ball, the seam bowlers have done the business for Peter Moores’ side, with experienced duo Broad and Luke Fletcher taking 13 of the 20 wickets to fall at Derby.
Essex skipper Tom Westley is his side’s leading runscorer and has bookended his Championship campaign with two substantial innings against Worcestershire but has found the going tough in between times.
Though dismissals (particularly in the second innings) have been somewhat harder to come by since his game-shaping ten-for powered Essex to victory against Durham, Simon Harmer remains top of Essex’s wicket-taking table with 21 at 26.75.
Last five first-class matches (most recent first)
Nottinghamshire: WDLDD
Essex: DLWDD
Head-to-head first-class record
Total matches: 136
Nottinghamshire wins: 33
Essex wins: 37
Draws: 100
Abandoned: 0
What's the team news?
Nottinghamshire: Nottinghamshire are unchanged after last week’s long-awaited victory .
Squad: Steven Mullaney (c), Stuart Broad, Zak Chappell, Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett, Joey Evison, Luke Fletcher, Haseeb Hameed, Lyndon James, Tom Moores (wk), Dane Paterson, Liam Patterson-White, Ben Slater
Essex: Essex name an unchanged squad after last week’s draw at New Road.
Squad: Tom Westley (c), Ben Allison, Nick Browne, Alastair Cook, Sam Cook, Simon Harmer, Jamie Porter, Dan Lawrence, Peter Siddle, Shane Snater, Ryan ten Doeschate, Paul Walter, Adam Wheater
Latest Nottinghamshire news: Click here
Who's said what?
It was a game of milestones for Luke Fletcher at Derby last week, the seamer’s dismissal of Harvey Hosein was his 350th in first-class cricket and by bowling Fynn Hudson-Prentice he claimed his 500th wicket across all formats.
He said: “I didn’t know I was that close to those landmarks – and I never expected to reach those kinds of figures when I was starting out. I think over the years you continue to improve as a cricketer. You understand bowling a bit more, and you probably understand your body a bit more as well.”
Fletcher is only too aware of the hard work that went in to achieving Notts’ first win in two seasons and is confident that they can get something out of the contest with Essex.
“There’s been a lot of hard work going into our red-ball cricket, so I'm chuffed for the lads and all the coaching staff. With the Essex game being the last one before a little break, there’s a real incentive to push hard over these next four days to get another positive result.”
Essex head coach Anthony McGrath admits that the clustered fixture list brings unique demands this season.
He said: “Every game this year has gone to the last day and apart from the Durham game, each one has gone to the last session.
“So it’s been a real grind, especially for the bowlers who effectively bowled for two full days in both of the Worcestershire games whilst the Warwickshire game went down to the penultimate over.
“We always knew that with nine back-to-back Championship fixtures, it would be tough and with three successive away games, it’s more challenging with all the travel involved. But you’ve got to get on with it and frankly, we are happy to be playing with all that has happened over the last 12 months or so.”
What's the weather forecast?
If there's going to be a win for either side, it may require a fast start. Rain is possible on day one and very likely on day three. The mercury won't get up much, with temperatures touching 14 degrees Celsius, and overhead conditions will - shock, horror - help the ball swing at Trent Bridge.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Trent Bridge: Click here
How do I follow the match?
TV/stream: Nottinghamshire will offer live coverage of the match via their website: Click here
All County Championship matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here
The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry ball-by-ball radio commentary of the game.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and daily updates from every County Championship match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Going to the game?
Tickets: This match is to be played behind closed doors owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Travel: Not applicable owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Prediction?
Fascinating. Notts have a win behind them for the first time in three years, Essex have not quite hit full stride. This game - given the venue and the conditions - is made for seamers, and both sides have plenty to offer a threat. If Harmer is nullified, Notts stand a really good chance. Weather could cause a problem. Have we sat on the fence enough? No? Alright then... draw.
OTHER ROUND FIVE PREVIEWS
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
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