Who are the key players? How did they do last year? Where are they strong? Where might they be weak? Key questions answered ahead of the new T20 Blast campaign
Coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Simon Harmer
Last season: Fifth in South Group
How did they do last year?
Essex put up an insipid defence of their T20 title. After the no-result against Middlesex they tied with Surrey at The Oval, then embarked on a four-game losing sequence.
Late hope was ignited by two victories, but that was snuffed out by a pair of defeats.
Who are their key players?
Tom Westley and Dan Lawrence are pretty consistent in the middle-order, and if they both hit form, Essex could be stronger this year.
Simon Harmer was a sensation in 2019 as he led then to the title; if he can shrug off last year’s slightly insipid showing, Essex could be back in business.
New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham adds intelligence with the ball and power with the bat.
Dan Lawrence is a threat in the Essex middler order
What are their biggest strengths?
Westley and Lawrence make for a strong middle-order fulcrum. Both averaged 27 last year at a strike-rate of about 137. They are followed by Ryan ten Doeschate, who will possibly be in his final year.
He averaged 51 at the same strike-rate. Simon Harmer is still the attack leader, even if he only took 10 wickets in 10 matches last summer.
Essex have also tried to inject some youth into their shortest-form squad.
Left-arm seamer Paul Walter and young right-armers Matt Quinn and Jack Plom will be looking to build on last season’s pleasing campaigns. Aron Nijjar is also developing into an effective slow left-armer.
Netherlands international Shane Snater, 24, and batsman Josh Rymell, 19, will both expect to feature prominently after signing new deals last winter. Wicketkeeper Michael Pepper, 22, will also be desperate for a chance to cover for Adam Wheater or play as a specialist batsman.
Where might they have a weakness?
Possibly their opening partnership. Cameron Delport might not be back because of the changes to the Kolpak system, so it’s up to veteran Varun Chopra and his young apprentice Feroze Khushi to tee up big Essex totals. They have also tried Wheater and Westley up there as alternatives.
What are their chances of reaching Finals Day?
What is interesting about Essex is that their much-vaunted Championship attack of Jamie Porter and Sam Cook makes way for the T20 specialists these days. They are learning, and learning fast, and if Harmer can get back to his best, expect a better challenge this time. The atmosphere at Chelmsford is excellent, so now that a crowd is back in, watch the Eagles soar.
Possible XI: Varun Chopra, Feroze Khushi, Tom Westley, Dan Lawrence. Michael Pepper, Ryan ten Doeschate, Adam Wheater, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Aron Nijjar, Jack Plom
Fixtures: June 9 - Somerset (a); June 11 – Hampshire (h); June 13 – Glamorgan (a); June 15 – Sussex (h); June 18 – Gloucestershire (h); June 20 – Kent (a); June 21 – Surrey (a); June 24 – Middlesex (a); June 25 – Kent (h); June 29 – Somerset (h); July 1 – Glamorgan (h); July 9 – Sussex (a); July 16 – Hampshire (a); July 18 – Middlesex (h)
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